Hangin' with the Election Workers at the 20th

The team of election workers in the gym of the had enough cookies and cake for the day by 4 p.m. 

What they were hoping for was more voters coming into the 20th Precinct. 

James O'Connor, whose name tag told voters that he was "here to help," relaxed as he and his crew entered their eighth hour at Precinct 20, located on the Paul Revere side of the building.

"It's been steady but it is lower than expect," said O'Connor, who has been the precinct warden for the past 15 years. 

"We would like it to reach 50 percent. We don't have that but we're working on it," he added.

Sharon Prizant, the precinct clerk, reported that at 3 p.m., 162 voters had taken ballots, slightly less than the 168 voters who cast ballots at the same time a year earlier. 

"I would expect more interest with the contested seats," he said, pointing to the two selectmen and three school committee positions up in the air. 

O'Connor, who was selected last year as the town's assistant moderator, said the weather (a crisp but mostly sunny 50 degrees, a mark contrast to the April Fools' snow) and the laid-back nature of Saturdays in the suburbs were the likely culprits for the lack of excitement emulating from the 20th Precinct.

One person who didn't think twice about voting was a resident who was on the other side of the ballot. Joe Daly, the town's state representative for several years, said the idea of not voting is just foreign to him. 

See Joe Daly explain why he took the time to vote today in the accompanying video.

Not that voters didn't have an opportunity to become informed on the candidates, said O'Connor. The League of Women Voters, Vision 20/20 and did their jobs with debates, and even putting the debates 'On Demand' for viewers to review. 

For the Bickmeiers of Peck Road, voting was investing in the community. 

Jeff Bickmeier, who, carrying infant Karl into the voting station, said since he and his wife have young kids, they are now paying taxes to the town, and they "feel obligated to make the effort."

There was no specific issue or candidate that brought them to the polls, said Laura Bickmeier, who was watching just-past toddler daughter Ada charm O'Connor and the other election workers. 

"It's about participating in the life of the town," she said.

Arlington Patch will be in the in  on Election Night, giving you up-to-the-minute results as the ballots come in. Be sure to check back throughout the evening or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for complete coverage of Arlington Town Elections 2011.