Published: October 10, 2008 11:35 pm      

New voters talk about issues, candidates in presidential race

Newly registered voters in Cambria and Somerset counties say they are considering the issues – as well as race and gender – in deciding on a presidential ticket.

Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has drawn attention as the first woman on the ticket since 1984.

And she’s the reason Charles Henry, 18, of Somerset, won’t vote for Sen. John McCain.

“I think there should be a man in there to be president, not a woman.

They aren’t going to be tough,” the newly minted Democrat said.

The notion that Sen. Barack Obama will withdraw troops too quickly from Iraq bothers the incoming Army private, who wants to become part of a tank crew. He already has been to Iraq for training.

Despite his concern, he said, “I ain’t voting for a woman.”

Henry was just one of hundreds of voters who registered between the primary and Monday, the deadline to be able to vote in the General Election.

Cambria added 1,617 voters in that time and, Somerset County, 533. A breakdown by party will not be available until next week.

Anna Gordon, 53, of Johnstown signed up Monday because, “My sister talked me into it and said my voice needed to be heard. For years, back in the day, we (blacks) weren’t able to vote.”

Her top concerns are taxes and war and peace.

“My position is we spent enough money on this war and I don’t want to see the U.S. go into any more debt,” said the retired Lee Hospital housekeeper and Democrat.

“I want to see our men come back home. Enough is enough.”

And she likes Obama’s plan to raise taxes on the wealthy “so we can get some of what we’ve paid in back again.”

Gordon finds a lot of excitement over Obama in the black community and said his being elected would be historic.

All the same, she’s concerned for his safety.

“History has taught us a few things,” she said. “They’re not going to let just anyone get into office. Being black, that’s one strike against him.”

Pamela Alwine of Johnstown, a former state worker, finally was able to register as a Republican on Monday.

“I had to be registered Democrat to work for the state,” she said.

“That’s how you got your job back in the 1970s. I guess I shouldn’t say that.”

Ironically, now that she’s able to register her conscience as a Republican, she’ll cast her first vote in 25 years for the Democratic standard-bearer.

“I probably won’t vote after this, honestly,” she said. “It’s change. It’s going to be a change for the better.

“Look at the state of our country,” Alwine said. “We are heading for recession.”

Austin Eppley, 19, of Sidman signed up as a Republican when a friend at Penn Highlands Community College asked him to register. “I might as well take advantage of it,” he thought.

The liberal arts major remains uncommitted but leans right.

“I’m not exactly sure. It might be John McCain because he’s more experienced. If the election were held today, it would be McCain,” he said.

His priorities?

“What’s going to happen with the economy, that’s the big one, and gun rights – I’m a hunter – the war in Iraq, how that’s going to go,” he said.

Joseph Arcuri, 18, of Windber registered as a Democrat.

The Pitt-Johnstown student majoring in secondary education/chemistry will vote based on the candidates’ positions on education. Arcuri said he hasn’t decided on a candidate and that he needs to do more research.

“It’s important to vote,” he said.

“The people who don’t vote, it really bothers me when they complain because they didn’t do anything to change it.”