Pepper votes, eats oatmeal

Councilman David Pepper checks his ballot for hanging chads before casting his vote this morning at Playhouse in the Park in Mount Adams. (Photo by Gary Landers/The Cincinnati Enquirer)

Mayoral candidate David Pepper began the day voting for himself at Playhouse in the Park, the polling place for Mount Adams precinct 8-C.

Cincinnati firefighters union president Joe Diebold and some of his union mates were there to greet their endorsed candidate when he arrived about 9:40 a.m. Tuesday. The firefighters, all wearing Pepper T-shirts, were asked by a poll worker to stay outside the flags at the polling place since their shirts could be construed as electioneering, which is not allowed within 100 feet of a polling place.

Charterite council candidate Chris Bortz had voted at the same precinct just 15 minutes before Pepper arrived. Bortz then drove over to the nearby Cincinnati Art Museum to relive his wife, Susie, who was greeting voters there, so she could go to the Playhouse and cast her vote.

Pepper was given the 47th ballot issued at the polling place and spent about five minutes punching his ballot card.

Before he dropped it in the box, as cameras of newspaper photographers and TV videographers whirred, he held it up to the light and examined the back of the punch card.

"No hanging chads,'' Pepper said, dropping it in the ballot box.

Outside the polling place, Pepper was asked what was next on his election day agenda.

"I'm going to Frisch's,'' said Pepper. "I haven't had my oatmeal today.''