By Julia Boyle
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Next month, Republicans and Democrats across New Jersey will trudge through the cold winter weather to cast their votes in the Presidential primary election.

This election, in particular, has candidates vying to win over their oldest voters—the largest and fastest-growing population of voters in the U.S. That means communities like Seabrook, in Tinton Falls, will become the places to watch on February 5. 

Seabrook consists of two voting precincts and holds elections on campus. Polling there is monitored by the New Jersey Division of Elections.

“There are enough people here to warrant having two districts,” says Madelyn Lawson, who lives at the community and runs the voting booths in District 12, one of the two on campus. “And by having registered polling booths here, people can walk [without getting wet] or take the shuttle bus in inclement weather.”

Notable turnout
Perhaps that’s why Seabrook consistently has the biggest turnout of voters in the borough.

Of the registered voters at the community, 68% turned out for the November 6, 2007, election, compared with 31% for the Borough of Tinton Falls and 34% for all of Monmouth County.

When asked why she thinks Seabrook has such a high turnout, Lawson says, “We make the time to vote, and it’s more accessible to us.”

Blueprint for success
Seabrook’s architectural design adds to that accessibility. Each building is connected by climate-controlled walkways, so people can travel anywhere on campus without going outside.

“With the weather as foul as it is, I would dread going through the process of putting on my coat, getting the umbrella, and then driving out to vote,” says Irma Spatz, a Seabrook voter. “Bringing the polling center here makes an important duty much easier to do.”