Live election coverage to be broadcast from downtown

WCPI and the Southern Standard will be reprising Election in the Park, the election day event which had its first outing in this century during the May 2 primaries. Live election coverage will begin at 6:30 p.m. in front of the Chamber of Commerce building, with Col. Thomas Vaughn, co-host of WCPI?s Viewpoints, the View from Here, holding the anchor position along with a panel of political commentators and local media. The event will be simulcast on WCPI Radio 91.3 for those who want to listen in from their homes.

According to WCPI radio personality and County Commissioner Bill Zechman, the gathering was a tradition in the first half of the 20th Century and was revived here in the 1960s.

?It?s reminiscent of days gone by when we had huge crowds in the downtown park with chalk boards set up to tally election results,? Zechman said, ?and people would stay around till the last vote was counted. There was a carnival atmosphere in the park and we want to recreate that.?

There will be precinct reporters at the major precincts to get the results in as quickly as possible. Organizers say there will be some sort of tally board for public view, but the exact method is still a work in progress at present.

?We do expect a rather long night of it,? Zechman said, ?because of the length of the ballot and this the first time that we?ve used the Infinity voting machines.?

Even so, Zechman says the event will go on until all the votes are in and a unofficial winners are announced.

?We just invite the public to come out and bring their lawn chairs. We have a beautiful revitalized downtown park,? Zechman said, ?and we want to make this a pleasant and inviting experience for everyone.?

The candidates, both the winners and those who have run the good race, are also invited to come by and thank their supporters and the voters of Warren County.

?Elections are important,? Zechman said. ?This is how we direct our government, how we direct our democracy, and hopefully we will always have free elections with competition for all of the seats so people will have a choice.?