Pride of local voting

Hampton Union,March 14, 2008

By Ron Dupuis

Elections are a way of life here in New Hampshire. Just when one is over, it seems another is about to take place. For some citizens the glad-handing and back-patting can get a little tiresome. For others, it is a tradition to take part in the process of choosing our leaders who will be in charge of spending our hard-earned tax dollars.

I, your humble, succinct, yet mildly humorous columnist made the rounds of several communities last Tuesday and here are a few humble, succinct and I hope mildly humorous observations.

North Hampton — When the polls opened there were only three candidates standing behind the barrier holding signs. The early-morning temperature was about 12 degrees with a slight wind that made it seem even colder. Despite a façade of friendly cheerfulness when voters begin to arrive, even the most casual observers could see what they were thinking. "Why do I do this?"

As the day wore on and the sun began to warm the self-doubting participants, more supporters arrived to ease the burden. Different groups formed and opinions of the many seemingly contentious issues facing North Hampton were aired and dissected. By late afternoon, the campaigning was in full swing and all the candidates were in their glory. North Hampton is a friendly community, and despite opposing issues, every one of the candidates acted in an appropriate manner. Residents here should be proud of the people who put their good names and reputations on the line in order to serve.

Hampton — At mid-day the sun was shining bright and all the participants were out in full force. The traffic was backed up from the school entrance to High Street, a distance of about a hundred yards. There had to be at least 75 to 80 people behind the barrier, holding signs supporting candidates, warrants, and issues. Budgets, fire stations, and municipal contracts were the main concerns of many.

One particular concern that a couple of Hampton business owners expressed was a warrant banning coin-operated arcade games that offer multiple plays for an additional fees. "I'm not sure who introduced this or why, but the fact is that it is ambiguous, and poorly written" was one comment. "If this passes, I might as well close the doors, shut down completely and retire," he continued in a serious tone. After a brief moment of reflection a smile came across his face and he said, "Of course, standing out in this cold today, for me, that might not be such a bad thing."

Seabrook — At first a visit here seemed like it was a little intimidating. When approaching the barrier, or as some call it, "the corral" there was a homemade sign that proclaimed certain factions of the community as "idiots." The issue was development and traffic congestion along Route 1. Ironically, the polling place for Seabrook is the recreation canter on Route 1 and the police officer working furiously in the middle of the road with about a thousand orange cones seemed to lend a little credence to the perceived problem.

On this day four other communities received a visit from yours truly. All candidates, supporters, and voters displayed an attitude of concern for the issues yet an open friendliness for each other. One veteran politician told me that after doing this for 25 years, he is still amazed at how serious the people of New Hampshire take their politics. "Here, and all across the nation, you can introduce policies, choose your leaders, voice your opinion publicly, disagree with your neighbors, and still live in peace and safety. That's why all these dictatorships and totalitarian nations hate us and our way of life. It's our freedom."

I tend to agree.