By Charlie Smart
Voters arrived bright and early Tuesday at the Mansfield Community Center to cast their votes in the 2014 Connecticut gubernatorial election. Polls opened at 6am to those waiting in line, as soon as Election Day volunteers were sworn in. The voters we spoke to mentioned a variety of different reasons for getting to the polls so early in the day.
One said he just got out of work and another voter wanted to beat the traffic, but all seemed excited to take part in the election.
“Especially with Mansfield and the sewer referendum and the election for governor I wanted to make sure I cast my vote,” one voter said.
Each voter we spoke to seemed to have different issues on their minds heading into the polls. Steven, a UConn student, was concerned with how the outcome of this election could have an economic impact on college students.
“I think the most important issues for me were number one, the economy and then also issues that were important to students. So when it comes to student loans, that was also important to me,” he said.
Others focused more on how their vote could directly affect UConn or the surrounding towns.
“I would like to see the funding for things like NextGen continue.”
At around quarter to seven, UConn president Susan Herbst arrived to cast her ballot.
The polls will be open until 8 o’clock tonight at the Mansfield Community Center near E.O. Smith High School and across Connecticut.
Photos by Charlie Smart/WHUS News.