The drama club had its annual Chiavetta's chicken dinner fundraiser, the Scouts sold candy bars, and the string trio played in the background in the Williamsville North High School gym as voters weighed in on the school district's $195.18 million spending plan Tuesday.

Despite all the activity, turnout was down.

It was the same story in most districts, from Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda to Lancaster to Hamburg.

"No one's angry; no one's excited," said Williamsville Superintendent Scott Martzloff.

[ Live results: Vote tallies from school board elections in Erie and Niagara counties ]

Last year, which was itself a low year, 1,746 people had voted as of 5 p.m., Martzloff said. Tuesday, by the same time, 1,281 people had voted, he said, attributing the low turnout to a "status quo" budget.

Since the tax cap went into effect for school districts in New York State in 2011, more budgets have been adopted and fewer people have come out to vote. Spending in budgets for the 2019-20 school year presented in the 37 school districts in Erie and Niagara counties increased an average of 3%, and tax levies are up an average of 2.4%.

But at Frontier Central, voting turnout was so brisk that District Clerk Linda Leising asked for more ballots in late afternoon, just in case. The district started the day with 2,000 ballots, and about 1,100 residents had voted before 5 p.m.

Jason Brown, right, wears a chicken suit as he advertises a Chiavetta's chicken dinner to support the drama club outside the poll at Williamsville North High School on Tuesday May 21, 2019 (Stephen T. Watson/Buffalo News)

Some voters said the School Board race, with three candidates for two seats, brought voters out. Others said they came to support the budget.

"My son goes to Frontier Middle School, and I'm trying to be more involved," said Mindy Brindamour, standing outside the Hamburg Senior Community Center after she voted.

Not all the activities at Lancaster High School involved the election.

Parents of band members in the 92-piece Marching Legends have been actively fundraising since the band was selected to represent New York State and the USS New York in the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade on Dec. 7 in Hawaii. Nancy Harvey, a band booster, voted before she started selling candy.

“I don’t have any concerns with the budget,” said Harvey, whose daughter is a graduating senior. "There are not many issues, no contested seats. I just wish more people would get involved.”

Low voter turnout did not surprise former Lancaster Superintendent Joseph L. Girardi, who ran the district from 1987 to 2003. The $109.51 million district spending plan represented a 1.9 percent increase over last year, he said.

At Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District, officials said they expected voting to match or exceed the total last year.

Just a steady trickle of voters entered the Hoover Middle and Elementary school complex late Tuesday afternoon.

"I think until people are unhappy, they don't show up," said Pauline Kuun, a Tonawanda City School District reading teacher who is president of the teachers union.

Barbara Reichert was sad as she left Hamburg Central High School on Tuesday, because it was the last chance the former Hamburg teacher had to vote for a Hamburg budget before she moves out of town.

"I always vote in support," said the former Hamburg social studies teacher who met her husband, a math teacher, at the high school. "My husband and I both taught here. All three of my children graduated from here."

Reichert said it seemed like fewer voters than usual, and she attributed that to candidates running unopposed and no major problems in the district.

— Stephen T. Watson and Jane Kwiatkowski Radlich contributed to this report