Mayoral Candidates Cast Their Votes In Philadelphia
By Tim Jimenez
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- The two candidates first to vote were former judge Nelson Diaz in Chestnut Hill and State Senator Anthony Hardy Williams at Anderson Elementary in Cobbs Creek.
Williams walked to the polling place, as is his tradition.
"I live a block from here, and so my grandson sort of represented me, what I was like when I was a kid with my parents, you know, voting and we walked over here," Williams said. "We voted in this gym."
As the primary campaign draws to a close Williams said he'll spend the final hours with those who got him to this point. "And I'm very thankful and grateful for all those folks who supported me," he said, "so I want to spend my day doing that."
At the Society Hill Dance Academy on 4th and Race Streets, former Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham and Republican candidate Melissa Murray Bailey arrived at about the same time, around 8:30am, to cast their votes.
Abraham said she's always wanted to run for mayor, an effort she describes as a calling.
"Women have real power," she said. "We're a 53% vote at least. We should have a seat, not at the table, but at the head of the table."
Bailey is running unopposed for the Republican nomination, but she said she's not resting.
"It's really important to be talking to everyone, Democrats and Republicans, because if I'm going to have a shot at this at the end, I need to make sure everyone knows who I am and what I stand for," she said.
And after coming out of the booth in Old City, Former Councilman Jim Kenney expressed confidence and reflected on the campaign.
"Win or lose I'm going to really enjoy the fact that I've done it," Kenney said. "It's a very eye opening experience and it's very intense at times but very rewarding at times too."
And then it was off to greet voters and supporters as the primary campaign wraps up.
