“If we go to the polls, we vote against that chauvinist ‘English Only’ measure,” says Cantor, referring to the Question 2 measure on eliminating bilingual education.

In the meantime, Alt and Cantor return to the task at hand as students hurry by on their way to class.

“Get a revolutionary paper,” Alt calls.

At Quincy House, the foyer has been temporarily converted to Cambridge’s Ward 8, Precinct 3 polling station, manned by a half-dozen City of Cambridge election officials.

Richard Harding Sr., the precinct warden, has been working as an election official since 1979.

Harding is a social worker and he says he’s concerned about trends in turnout, especially among his fellow black voters.

“There’s too much apathy in the black community about the vote,” he says. “When my kids turn 18, before they get the keys to the car they have to register to vote. We take our voting seriously in my family.”

City Sees Healthy Turnout

The City of Cambridge as a whole saw a healthy 56 percent turnout in yesterday’s election, according to Cambridge Election Commissioner Wayne “Rusty” Drugan.

“It’s a very, very good turnout,” Drugan said. “It’s not as high as a presidential, but it’s quite remarkable.”

Total voter turnout surpassed 32,000 out of about 58,000 eligible voters, but the proportion was slightly lower in the five Harvard precincts—about 52 percent on average.

The two precincts where most of the River Houses vote saw lower figures—30 percent at Quincy House and 37 percent at the Putnam Apartments. The Gund Hall polling place, where first-year and Adams House residents vote, saw 45 percent turnout. Those figures were slightly offset by 58 percent turnout at the Quad’s two Peabody School precincts.

“They weren’t that busy,” Drugan said of the places where Harvard students vote. “Those precincts that have the largest number of dorms and students are among those that have the lowest turnout.”