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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; At several voting precincts around the county Tuesday, poll workers were lamenting the sparse number of voters showing up to cast ballots.</p><p>But in the Hilldale section of Plains Township, the polling place was busier than most. At 11 a.m., 210 voters had cast their ballots in a municipal election short on competitive races, but long on impact to municipalities, school boards and courts.</p><p>At the Kingston Rec Center, where the 7th and 8th Wards vote, the turnout was dismal. In Ward 7, of the 776 registered voters, only 66 had voted by noon. In Ward 8, it was worse &#8212; of the 1,071 registered, just 60 actually cast a ballot.</p><p>And in South Wilkes-Barre, the Kistler Elementary School reported similar low percentages. The city&#8217;s 15th and 16th Wards have 1,163 and 1,274 registered voters, respectively. In Ward 15, 131 had voted by 1 p.m.; in Ward 16, only 113 had cast ballots.</p><p>Nick and Barbara Volpetti, of Kingston, said they try not to miss an election.</p><p>&#8220;Voting is not only a right and a privilege, it&#8217;s a duty as well,&#8221; Nick said. &#8220;And this is a municipal election with races that affect our lives. This is where we live and we have an opportunity to choose our leaders. We have to vote or we only have ourselves to blame.&#8221;</p><p>Chip Mack has been a judge of elections in Kingston for nearly 30 years. He said the turnout was &#8220;low and slow&#8221; Tuesday morning.</p><p>&#8220;And the weather forecast is calling for rain later, which could make it worse,&#8221; Mack said. &#8220;It usually picks up after 3:30 p.m. when people get out of work.&#8221;</p><p>Mack said there are regular voters who turn out for every election and then there are those who come out only during presidential election years, like in 2016.</p><p>&#8220;Last year, it was a lot busier for the primary and the general election,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Turnout at the Kingston Township Municipal Building polling place was also very low Tuesday. </p><p>In last year&#8217;s presidential election, voting centers in Kingston Township featured long lines. But Tuesday, voters had no wait time.</p><p>It was a welcome but worrisome site for Mary Ann Ochman.</p><p>&#8220;Local elections count more than a presidential election,&#8221; Ochman said. &#8220;The local candidates will affect our pockets more. Every vote counts.&#8221;</p><p>Ochman said issues such as voting in new Dallas School Board members and Luzerne County government will have a direct impact on finances of residents and local businesses.</p><p>One issue that Ochman wanted to vote on was Act 76, also known as the Homestead Property Tax Assessment Exclusion Act. Act 76 would eliminate school property taxes, but raise the sales tax from 6 to 7 percent and expand taxable items to include services and other merchandise not currently taxed.</p><p>Bob and Sandy Wright, meanwhile, were inspired to vote due to the Luzerne County Council race.</p><p>&#8220;It seems that there is a lot of dissension among council members,&#8221; Bob said. &#8220;Maybe with some new members, folks will get together. Compromise is the way.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Political signs line Watson Street in Wilkes-Barre Township on Election Day. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_TTL110817Electionday1ad.jpg</photo0><caption0>Political signs line Watson Street in Wilkes-Barre Township on Election Day. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_TTL110817Electionday2ad.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Luzerne County controller candidate Walter Griffith talks to voter Chuck Anstett outside the Wilkes-Barre Township Municipal Building before voting Tuesday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_TTL110817Electionday2ad.jpg</photo1><caption1>Luzerne County controller candidate Walter Griffith talks to voter Chuck Anstett outside the Wilkes-Barre Township Municipal Building before voting Tuesday. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_TTL110817Electionday3ad.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Voter turnout was low early Tuesday afternoon at Kistler Elementary School in South Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_TTL110817Electionday3ad.jpg</photo2><caption2>Voter turnout was low early Tuesday afternoon at Kistler Elementary School in South Wilkes-Barre. </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_TTL110817Electionday4ad.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Daniel Pisarcik votes at the Kistler polling place in South Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_TTL110817Electionday4ad.jpg</photo3><caption3>Daniel Pisarcik votes at the Kistler polling place in South Wilkes-Barre. </caption3><photoCredit3></photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_TTL110817Electionday5ad.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Judge of Elections Joe Jacobs assists Daniel Pisarcik with voting while Edith Jacobs votes in South Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_TTL110817Electionday5ad.jpg</photo4><caption4>Judge of Elections Joe Jacobs assists Daniel Pisarcik with voting while Edith Jacobs votes in South Wilkes-Barre. </caption4><photoCredit4></photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle. Times Leader Media Group staff writer Eileen Godin contributed to this story.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Voter turnout ‘low and slow’ in Luzerne County