Alysa Wright sat outside the Duquesne University polling station in the late afternoon, reading a James Patterson novel while waiting to hand out campaign literature.
"I've been here since 7 (a.m.) and there have only been 10 people," said Wright, 23 of Oakland, who is a staff worker for City Councilwoman Tonya Payne's campaign. "We're staying optimistic though."
The steady stream of voters seen at polls during the presidential election in November turned into a trickle today, as voters were to choose judges, municipal leaders and school board members across the state. At many polling places, there were more workers than voters.
"This year's election has been very slow," said Jean Styen, 64, the judge of elections in Squirrel Hill for 35 years. She said voter turnout is usually low for mayoral and judicial elections, but this year it was especially so.
"You should have been here last November for the presidential election," she said. "It was crazy here."
In Pittsburgh, the mayoral race seemed to draw the most interest with independent candidates Kevin Acklin and Franco "Dok" Harris challenging incumbent Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.
"I think we need new leadership in Pittsburgh," said Jack Knight, 64, of Downtown. "I think there's too much focus on special interest groups rather than fundamental issues."
Voters cited as a common theme the basic issue of business in Pittsburgh.
"We need progress in the economy in the city of Pittsburgh," said Dwight Fomg, 72, a Downtown resident. "Industry, business, and residents need to be brought in."
Nearby, in the ground floor of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law building on Forbes Avenue, workers set up 10 electronic vote tabulation machines. Still, only 10 voters visited the Ward 8 polling place by mid-morning, said Stuart Strickland, the judge of elections there.
Strickland said he expected the turnout to resemble that of the primary in May, when it was barely above 20 voters all day.
"This is a retention election," said Jonathan Robison, a Ward 8 poll worker. "Amazing things happen if you have no one to run against."
Gayle Hoffman, 66, of Squirrel Hill said she and her husband never miss an election. She did miss one: "When I was pregnant, I got an absentee ballot. It felt odd being at home on Election Day."
Judicial races got Lee M. Rothman to his Squirrel Hill polling place this morning, but he cast his vote in the Pittsburgh mayoral race with purpose.
"I hate the old boys' network of Pittsburgh, and I want to see change," said Rothman, 42, a lawyer who voted for Harris. "I don't expect Mr. Harris to win, but I want to be part of sending a message for change."
At Central Catholic High School in Oakland, where hundreds of early risers waited in line to vote in November, a mere dozen cast ballots by about 8:30 a.m., a poll worker said.
A South Side election judge said such a scene was expected.
"It's never been a big crowd unless it's a presidential election," said Dolores Kszastowski, who worked a polling place in the South Side Market House that attracted about 25 voters by 9 a.m. "Where's the people? People should be out voting today. It's the (race for) mayor."
Barbara Cuff, 84, of Squirrel Hill supported Ravenstahl, in part, because she was impressed with how he handled the Group of 20 economic summit.
"I like some of the things he's doing," Cuff said. "I don't think he's perfect, but I don't think anyone is."
Jack Morgan, 75, of Squirrel Hill cast a vote for Acklin, which he said is more a referendum of his dislike of Ravenstahl.
"I don't like Ravenstahl," Morgan said. "It was by default. Dok Harris is not ready. He's probably a nice young man capitalizing on his father's name."
Voters said they were interested in the contentious race for a seat on the state Supreme Court. The choice between Joan Orie Melvin of Marshall and Jack Panella of Northampton County both Superior Court judges will decide the political makeup of the state's highest court.
"Whoever wins the Supreme Court seat will tip the balance," said Georgia Blotzer of Mt. Washington.
Staff writers Jason Cato and Margaret Harding, and Angela Disipio, Doug Andiorio, Mitch Donaberger, Julia Cowher and Bryan Lawver of the Point Park News Service contributed to this report.
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