Local candidates standing outside the voting booths at Woolwich Central School Tuesday, Nov. 6 said turnout has been strong. Some interviewed at the polls were willing to share their views on local and national politics. 

“Peter Kent is an incredible individual,” resident Kelley Baker said.“He's an honest person. No back yard talk.” 

Kent is Baker's neighbor and the incumbent Democratic State Representative for House District 65. He's running against Woolwich Republican Jason Warnke. District 65 encompasses the towns of Woolwich, portions of Bath, West Bath, Brunswick and Topsham.

Baker said he voted against the state allowing marriage licenses to same-sex couples and he voted for local contractor Jack Shaw for Woolwich Road Commissioner.

The biggest issue for Baker, next to the Presidential election, is who is going to be Sen. Olympia Snow's replacement for U.S. Congress. “I voted for (Charlie) Summers,” he said. “I do not trust Angus King.”

Linda Gilbert said she voted for Barack Obama for President. “I feel like he's given his best in the last four years. I don't think Romney is prepared to make any great changes. Obama has worked very hard … to get us out of this recession and I think he deserves another four years to get us to where we need to be.”

Gilbert said all of the state bonds fulfill legitimate needs. “We need to take care of our state.”

Dickey and Jean Brigance called Mitt Romney the “lesser of two evils” but voted him to be the country's next president to replace Barack Obama. On the state-wide ballot, they voted against the bond issues, but support same-sex marriage. “It's not going to bother me any,” Jean Brigance said of the initiative to allow same-sex couples to have marriage licenses. She does not think it is a religious issue and said she is not offended by the personal choices people make.

“Why should we be the only ones to suffer?” Dickey Brigance added, which prompted a playful punch from his wife.

John Maguire can be reached at 844-4634 or jmaguire@wiscassetnewspaper.com.