The Ward 5 polling station at the Christa McAuliffe School was the epicenter of election day energy in the Capital City Tuesday morning. 

Not long after voting began, a swarm of CindeWarmington supporters flocked to the courtyard outside the school sprouting a forest of green signs.

About 30 minutes later, a similar procession of Colin Van Ostern supporters in a wave of royal blue arrived and then ebbed. The congressional hopeful, in a barn coat and hiking boots, arrived alongside his family as the crowd chanted his name. His sons both donned suits, even as they joined a pick-up game of basketball and the family dog, Mira, curled up patiently on the ground as Van Ostern spoke outside the polls. 

Then came another nearby resident Senate District 15 candidate Tara Reardon — who declined to comment at the polls. 

Nick Wallner, the ward clerk, said he expects those three races – governor, congress and state senate – will drive high, even record turnout in this ward: By noon, well over 600 voters had cast ballots, showing promise of matching the primary turnout there from 2020, which had peak participation statewide. 

Many voters in this area said they knew more than one candidate on the ballot personally. They’ve known Cinde, Colin or Tara for years, and they’re convinced they’d do a great job in office.

That wasn’t the case for Elizabeth and Paul Levy, who didn’t know any of the candidates personally but had generally positive opinions of them all. 

In the two big races, they struggled to make up their minds. 

“We went back and forth several times,” Elizabeth said. The governor’s race in particular, she noted with a sigh, “That was a tough one.”

The couple didn’t intentionally vote for the same people, but learned while speaking with the Monitor that they did. Explaining their votes, they spoke as a pair, finishing and adding to each other's thoughts and sentences.

They both chose Joyce Craig over Warmington for a similar reason: They felt she had a stronger record where it counts. 

“Being the mayor of Manchester for three terms,” Paul said. “That’s a harder job than being governor in many ways.”

“Craig just had better experience,” Elizabeth agreed.

In the Congressional race, they each landed on Nashua native Maggie Goodlander. In the end, it was Goodlander’s contacts and experience in Washington that won them over. 

“We weren’t bothered by the fact that she hasn’t been here,” Paul said. “She’s got plenty of ties to New Hampshire.”

In the Senate race, both Levys chose Concord Rep. Rebecca McWilliams because their friends spoke highly of her — it was an easier choice, one they said they made weeks ago.

"We’ve heard a lot of good things about McWilliams,” Elizabeth said. 

“More about McWilliams than the other candidates,” Paul added. 

Even long after the candidates made their way through the voting booths, the atmosphere outside the Christa McAuliffe school remained animated, with voters tempted inside by a bake sale and outside by more than one neighborhood yard sale. 

Catherine McLaughlin can be reached at cmclaughlin@cmonitor.com