Turnout Predicted at 28 Percent; Do You Plan to Vote Today?

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Here are five things to know today in Peabody.

1. Tuesday is the city's general election. You can find all you need to know about who's on the ballot and where to vote right here.
2. City Clerk Tim Spanos says he's not expecting the turnout Tuesday to be "super duper." He predicts 28 percent of registered voters will hit the polls (there are 35,392 total voters as of the latest registration deadline). That is a low turnout historically, and Spanos believes that's partly due to not having a mayor's race this year, along with no contest in other citywide races for School Committee and the Municipal Light Commission. He added that the Councilor-at-Large race and three ward council races will draw out voters though. "I'm hoping people come out and vote," he said.
3. And since there's no school for the Peabody Public Schools on Election Day, the Recreation Department has planned a special trip Tuesday down to SkyZone in Everett -- it's an indoor trampoline park. But first, there will be fun and games at the Brown School. More details here.
4. The Peabody High volleyball team defeated Methuen Monday in a quarterfinal contest, winning the match 3-2 at home. The Tanners now host Haverhill Wednesday (7 p.m.) in the semi-finals. The Bishop Fenwick girls' soccer club was knocked from the playoffs Monday by Lynnfield, 5-1, in the quarterfinals, while over in Lynn, the Crusaders boys' soccer team was also defeated in the quarterfinals by the St. Mary's Spartans, 1-0.
5. Mayor Bettencourt is hosting a special free concert with the We Are America Performers Sunday evening at City Hall in honor of Peabody's veterans. Veterans Day itself is coming Nov. 11.