Some Democrats turned away because of confusion at polls
By Mary Thurwachter
Soon after the polls closed in Lantana on March 19, incumbent Mayor Karen Lythgoe joined friends at Lantana Pizza to celebrate her 653-385 win over newcomer George Velazquez.
“I’m relieved and I’m grateful that I get to keep working on what we’ve been working on,” Lythgoe, 64, said of the Town Council. “The five of us have got momentum going that I think is phenomenal. I think the town needs what we’re doing, we know what we’re doing, and I’m honored to be able to continue to be a part of it.”
She said she hadn’t slept for 24 hours and would be going home soon.
“I tossed and turned all night long and got up at 3:30 a.m. to start the day even though the alarm was set for 4:15 a.m.,” she said.
Lythgoe was sworn in during the March 25 Town Council meeting.
Election Day did not go without some chaos.
A handful of Democrats were turned away from voting in Lantana, as poll workers were apparently confused that registered voters of all stripes could cast a ballot in the nonpartisan mayoral election.
Lantana Town Clerk Kathleen Dominguez reports that six voters were turned away at the polls and a handful of others who initially were told they couldn’t vote were caught before they left the polling station and allowed to vote.
It’s not known how many of the six that left unable to vote returned later and were able to cast a ballot, Dominguez said.
An official with the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office said one voter called the Department of State in Tallahassee to complain.
Dominguez said the confusion appeared to be confined to two polling places — Maddock Park and Lantana Recreation Center.
Nonetheless, the complaint prompted Elections Supervisor Wendy Sartory Link to send out a notification to all the Lantana precincts clarifying that although there was not a Democratic presidential primary, Democrats were eligible to vote in municipal, nonpartisan election and should be given nonpartisan ballots. Link also came to town to help sort things out, Lythgoe said.
“There was some confusion either with the training or the field clerk,” Lythgoe said. “I am a registered Democrat and when I went to get my ballot for the mayoral race they had to converse and figure out if I was allowed to vote.”
Anne Geggis contributed to this story.
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