Bartenfelder hitting every polling place he can
Talk about taking the pressure casually. Baltimore County executive candidate Joseph Bartenfelder voted this morning in his undershirt at the Fullerton Fire Station, although that wasn't exactly the plan. They made him remove his black campaign polo shirt before he stepped to the voting booth in deference to the rule against electioneering in a polling place.
So there the county councilman and former member of the Maryland House of Delegates
stood in his white T-shirt, olive drab khakis and athletic shoes casting his vote in his race against fellow council member Kevin Kamenetz, who was working the polls in a navy pinstripe suit, tie and black loafers.
Bartenfelder slipped the polo shirt back on after voting, the 131st Democrat to cast a ballot at the fire station by a bit after 11 a.m. It was the ninth stop of his morning polling place tour on his east-side home turf before heading over the west side.
“It’s a pretty day, it’s a great day for everybody to get out and vote,” said Bartenfelder, 53, a farmer from Fullerton, four-term county councilman and former state delegate. Kamenetz, an Owings Mills attorney who had planned to spend a good part of the day on his own west-side turf.
Bartenfelder said he was going to try to stop at as many precincts as he could until the polls closed at 8 p.m., even if there weren’t so many voters around too meet and greet.
Turnout, he said, has “been light everywhere” -- from Harford Hills Elementary in Parkville to precincts in Carney, Nottingham and Perry Hall.
“He’s done all he can do,” said his wife, Robin, who accompanied Bartenfelder to vote, along with their daughter, Jessie. “It’s up to the voters now.”
The Fullerton Fire Station precinct has a total registration of 2,641, with Democrats outnumbering Republicans nearly two to one. By 11:30, 185 voters had cast their ballots.
Marjorie Murphy, chief Democratic judge at the polling place, said the turnout was about usual for a primary.
“The mornings and evenings are usually our high time,” said Murphy, “then the senior buses come in the afternoon.”
Categories: Candidate Watch 2010, In The Counties, Primaries 2010
Comments
Over here on the west side, Bartenfelder has paid people to wear "team Obama" shirts handing out a sample ballot with President Obama appearing to endorse Bartenfelder and others.
Posted by: J Will | September 14, 2010 1:40 PM
um, your stupid! I have never seen any of people wearing any OBAMA shirt, take a pic of it and send it in, you guys like to run this smear campaign and your mad because we don't do it like that.
Posted by: Christine | September 14, 2010 2:28 PM
That is a total lie!!! I guess KK's crew just can't get it in their heads that negative bashing kills their own efforts. This is such a lie and can only believe that you will never learn that bashing only loses votes. Haven't you already learned that lesson with all of the other negative ads KK paid for and distributed?
Posted by: Anonymous | September 14, 2010 2:29 PM
If, in fact, there really is a T-shirt like this out there....I'd be willing to bet that KK distributed it and says it's from Joe. NOT Joe's style at all, but definitely KK's!! Again, no such shirt has come from the Joe camp.
Posted by: KeepItHonest | September 14, 2010 2:36 PM
Christine - you didn't see it because "honest joe" Bartenfelder is only passing it out in westside precincts with predominately black voters. Believe - it is real and it's being distributed by a Bartenfelder affiliate. Photos are circulating.
Posted by: Jonny | September 14, 2010 4:03 PM
I'm not affiliated with either candidate, I'm just out here at the Sudbrook Middle Polling place supporting candidates in a different race. I did see a van with Bartenfelder posters in the windows deliver lunch to the workers. I guess I'm not 100% sure they're paid, but based on their lack of enthusiasm or knowledge who they're working for, I'm guessing they are there for the money and not the love of the candidate.
Posted by: J Will | September 14, 2010 4:15 PM
To Will: I worked the polls for Joe on the westside. I am an African American supporter and I love "honest Joe". And as Christine said you are stupid. There were young men from Baltimore City giving out those "fake" Obama tickets which happen to have Bartenfeler's name listed for county executive. And as for the truck with the Bartenfelder name on it, it was the food truck! idiot
Posted by: Betty | September 17, 2010 3:17 PM