Candidates for elected office and their volunteers fanned out across D.C. on Tuesday, making their final pitches to a seemingly small number of voters casting their ballots at 90 vote centers citywide for the June 21 primary.

Multiple observers at a number of vote centers said that in-person turnout seemed smooth yet light, with some polling places seeing a mere trickle of voters. By 2 p.m., just over 100 voters had cast ballots at the Union Temple Baptist Church in Ward 8 — the gymnasium at nearby Anacostia High School had more poll workers than it had voters.

As of the weekend just over 63,000 voters had cast ballot early; more than 80% of those came via mail ballots. Overall turnout in the 2018 primary was just over 89,000; four years before that it was 99,000. Mail ballots can be dropped off in drop boxes or at vote centers until 8 p.m., or sent in by mail — provided they are postmarked by the end of the day. D.C. law allows for ballots received within seven days of the election to be counted.

Mayor Muriel Bowser started the day early at the Chevy Chase Recreation Center in Ward 3, where a small group of supporters — including D.C. Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) — chanted “four more years.” Bowser sounded a note of confidence, brushing away arguments that voters might be looking for something different after her two terms in office.

“If you want to try something new, you want to try something better. How people determine that is they look at one’s record, and D.C. residents told me I was doing a good job. So I don’t think they’re going to change for no reason,” she said, referring to D.C. Councilmember Robert White (D-At Large), one of her primary challengers. (Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White and James Butler are also running.)

Less than an hour later, Robert White was joined by his family as he voted at the Shepherd Park Community Center in Ward 4. As he readied to set off on a tour of vote centers across the city, he said that voters are ready for a different mayor. “Most people in our city aren’t comfortable — whether it’s the violence we’re seeing or housing instability — those folks are ready for a change, and that’s the majority of D.C.,” he said.

That’s what Imani P., a Ward 4 resident who declined to share her full last name, said as she came out of the vote center.

“I don’t feel like Muriel is doing enough for the D.C. natives. I’m a D.C. native, born and raised here,” she said. “I feel like she’s not providing enough housing for low-income families. I feel like she’s buddy-buddy with all the developers. Everywhere you look, if there’s a little space, there’s a condo there. I’m kinda sick of it. I’m ready for something new. I think she’s had her time.”

But outside the vote center in the Columbia Heights Education Campus, Ward 1 resident Stan Veuger cast his first vote as a newly minted U.S. citizen — for Bowser. “I think she’s done a pretty good job. I think her two opponents would be significantly worse,” he said, adding that he thought that both Robert White and Trayon White skewed too far to the left.

That same dynamic — a desire for progressive change versus staying a more moderate course — has been evident in other races up and down the ballot, from D.C. Council chairperson to a number of seats on the council.

Not only is Tuesday primary day but the first day parents and guardians of infants and toddlers can get their children vaccinated against COVID-19.

One parent, Tashi, was able to vote and vaccinate his toddlers in under an hour because the city set up a COVID center and vote center at the same location, 1000 U Street NW in Ward 1. After having a provider vaccinate both his two year old and four year old around lunch time, Tashi stopped by the polling place next door to register and vote. He had not realized he could do both until he was at the former CVS-turned-COVID center. Campaign signs and poll workers tipped him off. (Though the COVID center and the polling center share an address, they have separate entrances.) He wasn’t registered to vote, but was able to do so thanks to D.C. law that allows for same-day registration.

“Our experience is really good, very fast, very efficient,” said Tashi, who declined to give his last name, saying he wanted to protect his privacy. His children were cheerful and circled around him. “The staff at both locations are very nice, very helpful,” he added.

Liz Bourgault, a Shaw resident, also cast her ballot with her infant Davie at the COVID/vote center. She didn’t take advantage of the two-in-one center because she’s going to take Davie to their pediatrician to get vaccinated instead. Davie, who is 11 months old, is due for multiple shots, so Bourgault figured she could get them all at once at their appointment in a month’s time. Bourgault also wasn’t prepared to vaccinate her infant because she didn’t realize she could do both at the location.

“I wish that I had known that the vaccination site was right here,” Bourgault said. But, she added, Davie isn’t in school or daycare yet. “There’s not a huge rush. There’s plenty of other kids trying to go.”

Poll workers this afternoon told DCist/WAMU that a line of parents was waiting at the COVID center in the morning, waiting to get their young children vaccinated, but that the crowd petered off by the afternoon. A few others stopped by the COVID center to pick up rapid tests and masks before heading to vote.

One parent, Nicole, who was there to get her infant vaccinated, speculated that the two-in-one center could be convenient enough to boost voting numbers.

“I don’t know if it’ll persuade voters, but it can’t be a negative in terms of persuading voters,” she said.

Polls close at 8 p.m., though anyone standing in line at that time will be allowed to vote. The D.C. Board of Elections is expected to release results from mail ballots and early in-person voting first, and then from the day-of voting centers as they are reported in.

Previous 2022 election coverage: 

It’s Primary Day In D.C. Here’s Everything You Need To Know

DCision 2022: Your Guide To The Candidates And Races In The D.C. Primary