Democrats in Britain Get to Vote--50 Do

The 120,000 Americans living in Britain were given the opportunity today to vote in person for the first time in a Democratic presidential primary. Only about 50 showed up.

“That’s about twice the number we expected,” said Charlene Drobny, 46, an uncommitted delegate candidate from Israel.

Polling booths were open from 8:30 a.m. until noon at London’s modern Queen Elizabeth II Conference Center, across from historic Westminster Abbey and within view of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

It was the fourth time the Democratic Party has held a primary election for Americans living outside the United States. But all previous ballots were conducted by mail, not in person. The Republican Party does not hold a primary election specifically for Americans living abroad.

Voters Outnumbered

The news media far outnumbered the voters. Camera crews from American and British networks pounced on each voter for interviews or to catch the American dropping a ballot into one of the two converted shoe boxes used as ballot boxes.

Exit polling showed a majority of voters favoring Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis in the non-binding presidential preference part of the balloting.

One New Jersey resident wrote in the name of his favorite son, Sen. Bill Bradley of New Jersey. Another, who described himself as “an old ‘60s person,” wrote in the name of former California Gov. Edmund G. Brown.

A Vote for Jackson

Tara Thomas, 26, a Democratic Party activist from Amarillo, Tex., who works in a London record shop, was the first to vote. She picked Jesse Jackson because, she said, “he is liberal and not small-minded.”

The Americans, who had to display a U.S. passport to receive a ballot, were voting for 10 delegates and one alternate to send to the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta in July.

Those votes, plus thousands of postal ballots filled out and mailed in by Americans living in every country outside the United States, were to be counted tonight as part of the Democrats Abroad primary election.