RI Central - Primary Results: Driver takes District 39 slot

After a slow day, full of rain clouds and low voter turnouts, the candidates for Richmond Town Clerk and state House of Representatives District 39 were narrowed down.

Current Assistant Town Clerk Tracy Nelson Hay handily defeated her opponent, Helena A. Bowen, who serves as the Deputy Town Clerk. Although Bowen had the edge of experience and a higher position, she only received 221 votes to Hay’s 293.

Hay will face Republican Paul H. Michaud this November to determine Town Clerk Mary Morgan’s replacement. Morgan announced her retirement earlier this year.

As for the upcoming District 39 contest in November, Richmond Democrat Rodney Driver will face off against Exeter Republican David A. Hathaway.

In the battle for the nominee on the Democrat side, four candidates vied for a single spot. And Driver just beat out Larry Valencia by 31 votes.

Interestingly enough, Valencia had 218 votes to Driver’s 196 in their hometown of Richmond. But it simply wasn’t enough.

When it came to the Republican District 39 primary, it was also close. Hathaway won against Joseph R. Arsenault. with 55.7 percent of the vote to Arsenault’s 44.3 percent.

Arsenault did win in his hometown of Richmond, however, by taking home 147 votes to Hathaway’s 90. But the turnout in the other towns, particularly Exeter, was simply too overwhelming.

And for the Democratic U.S. Congress primary, incumbent John (Jack) F. Reed handily defeated his opponent, Christopher F. Young, across the board.

As is historically the case, there were far fewer voters hitting the polls during the primary as compared to the general election. And it did not help that the weather remained dreary for most of the day.

At Richmond Elementary School, one of the town’s four polling places, there were 44 votes by 1 p.m. The election clerks agreed that the turnout was typical. “We should see more as work gets out, though,” Janne Deveau said. She added that there were far more votes for Democrats than Republicans at that time.

Resident Edward Viveiros recognized the low number of voters. “It might not be a big turnout but you owe it to the process to vote,” he said.

Fellow resident Robert Palmiere agreed: “I wanted to cast my vote and have my say like everyone else.” But he added that he normally does not come out for primaries.

The scene was very similar at the Meadow Brook Inn in Charlestown, one of the two polling places in town for District 39. At 2:10 p.m., there were 39 votes taken, with most of those cast for democrats. Election official Bill Nee noted that about half of the voters were actually unaffiliated but chose to go with democrat for the primary.

Like the Richmond voters, a Charlestown woman said it is important for people to have their voices heard. “Anytime there is an opportunity to vote, it’s our duty to do so,” she added.

Although she was there solely with Jack Reed’s race in mind, resident Chris Clarkin also felt it was her “duty” to vote. “Even though there is probably not much competition,” she said.