Election Day sees sparse turnout across Western Pa.

Donna Cline has been voting at Gilpin Township Fire Department polling place at 99 Fire Hall Road for nearly 30 years.

“This is the community I live in, and I wanted to make sure that we preserve our community for our next generation,” said Cline, 63, of Gilpin.

Fewer than one in three registered voters in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties were expected to cast a ballot in this year’s primary. The presence — or lack there0f —of voters Tuesday at the polls seemed to bear out that prediction.

Jessica May was among more than a half-dozen poll workers greeting voters at the Holiday Park Church of Christ in Plum, and early in the day, they had plenty of time to while away — the first two hours after the polls opened saw only four voters walk through the door.

“It’s always very low during primaries, and during off-years,” said May, who has been serving as a poll worker for about two decades. “We bring books to read and puzzle books to do, things like that.”

“Make sure you have a fully charged phone,” another poll worker chimed in with a laugh.

Outside, parishioner Ruth Casey was manning a table at the bake sale that her church always organizes on election days, selling cookies for a small donation and giving out free cups of coffee.

“People really seem to like these orange cookies we’ve been selling, and the brownies are very popular, too,” Casey said.

Candidate Gary Hall said recent political controversy in Gilpin Township is why some voters showed up on Tuesday.

Hall, 65, of Leechburg, who is running for Gilpin Township supervisor, was trying to recruit votes outside of the polling place at the Gilpin Township Fire Department at 99 Fire Hall Road.

“We’ve seen moderate traffic,” he said. “This isn’t really considered to be a lot of voters. Primaries are typically minimal at best, but I think it’s a decent turnout.”

By a little after noon, around 100 people had shown up to vote, according to Hall. He hopes to see the polling place get busier by Tuesday evening.

“There seems to be more candidates than voters,” he said, joking as he stood canvassing outside.

Cline was voter number 101, she said.

Hall said most voters who showed up already had a good idea of who they’re voting for.

“Everything seems pretty consistent,” he said. “Honestly, if you don’t know when you pull in the parking lot, you probably shouldn’t be voting.”

Taking part in government is important — but especially in local government, according to Cline. She urged community engagement in elections.

“I wanted to vote for people that I felt would represent us and our views,” she said.

At Springdale Manor, 504 Pittsburgh St., two precincts are set up to accept voters.

Amy Sarno, a school board member at Allegheny Valley School District, has been coming back to Springdale Manor since around 2017 volunteering for various campaigns and voting there herself.

“It’s slow and steady,” said Sarno, 41, of Springdale Borough. “But we need to see more people coming out to support our neighbors.”

From the beginning of Election Day until lunchtime, she’s seen about 80 people come vote.

“You’re constantly seeing somebody and talking to them — it’s just like one at a time,” Sarno said. “I would say for a local election a primary, it’s about the same, but compared to (a) presidential election year, it’s about 50% of what it usually is.”

Sarno said she wishes more people got involved in the local races because they are the most important.

“They don’t get as much attention as the presidential and congressional elections, but these are the ones that matter the most,” she said. “They are your neighbors running to make a difference in our communities, and they need our support, so I just wish I saw more people out today.”

Rebecca Mundok, who is running for Allegheny Valley School Board, noticed around 50-80 people voting at each location she stopped by on Tuesday morning.

She visited the precincts in Springdale Township, Harmar, Cheswick and Springdale Borough.

“Although the turnout has been low, the people that have come out to vote seem to be coming out with purpose,” said Mundok, 44, of Springdale Township. “I’m seeing a lot of people that are walking up purposeful and intent.”

Mundok said, surprisingly, people have been willing to talk before voting and take literature from various campaigns.

“It has made for more intimate conversation with the people that are there,” she said. “(They were) more open to conversation before they even went in than I was anticipating, so I did feel like there was a lot of really good back and forth happening.”

Charla Johnson, a mother and community member, got to know the candidates outside the Springdale Borough polling location.

“I’ve only been in this community for five years, but I know that there’s some people that don’t really care for Black people in this community,” said Johnson, 35, of Springdale. “It’s not going to stop me from voting.”

With concern for her daughter, her voting decision is one that values open-mindedness and diversity within Springdale.

“A lot of people are so closed minded, and that will affect the community and the children that are growing up and learning in this community,” Johnson said.

‘This local one affects you more’

At Murrysville’s Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church polling place, Susan Bayne was handing out campaign literature for one of the Franklin Regional school board candidates.

“I’ve worked every election since 2016,” Bayne said. “We’ve had about 30 or so people come through so far (as of 9:15 a.m.).”

Doug Frick of Murrysville has also handed out campaign literature in multiple recent elections.

“I’m interested in getting more conservatives elected,” Frick said.

And while he’s waiting to hand out leaflets?

“I get to sit around and enjoy the sunshine,” he said.

Around noon, the Hempfield Township Athletic Complex polling place was quiet with just a few voters arriving. Eric Miller turned out as he does for every election — especially, the local elections.

“This local one affects you more,” he said.

Walt Montgomery has been voting in local and national elections for approximately 55 years.

“It’s my right to vote,” Montgomery said after he had submitted a ballot at the Bovard Volunteer Fire Company.

The spring primary is limited to Republican and Democratic candidates as ballots are set for the fall general election. In Westmoreland the Republican Party has dominated both voter registration and candidate interest. As a result, only a few names, generally, were listed on the ballots. No Democratic candidates have filed to run for Westmoreland County row offices this year.

“Every one was write-ins,” he said. “This is the first time I’ve seen that.”

Although some voters turned out for what they see as their civic duty, others came out to support people they knew.

At Maplewood United Presbyterian Church, Marilyn Solomon came to vote for a township supervisor who was her former boss.

“I think it’s important to pick who is going to run,” she said. “Especially, if you know them.”

Patrick Varine, Kaitlyn Hughes, Megan Swift and Kalliyan Winder are TribLive staff writers. Patrick can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com, Kaitlyn at khughes@triblive.com, Megan at mswift@triblive.com and Kalliyan at kwinder@triblive.com.