Early voting followed expected patterns this morning as Warren County voters cast primary ballots in statewide and local races.

Republican-leaning voters came out at a two-to-one pace at two key precincts in District 4, Jett and Elks Lodge, reflecting the greater number of contested races on the GOP ballot.

Touch-screen voting machines are also still new to many voters, although in use for two years. &#8220It gets a little better each time,” said Warrene Triplett, managing a third election since Warren joined other Mississippi counties switching from either optical scanners or paper ballots in 2005.

People are choosing Democratic and Republican nominees for all eight statewide offices; all 174 legislative seats; regional offices of transportation commissioner, public service commissioner and district attorney; and county offices such as sheriff, supervisor, circuit clerk, chancery clerk and coroner.

Polls will be open until 7 p.m.

If runoffs are needed, and they will be if there are more than two primary candidates for a seat and one of them doesn’t score more than half the votes, they’ll be Aug. 28.

The only local race where that is a possibility is for the state Senate from District 23. There is no incumbent and Rep. Chester Masterson, attorney W. Briggs Hopson III and retired state trooper James &#8220Buddy” Terrell are seeking the GOP nomination.

In another race without an incumbent, businessman Alex Monsour and attorney Ryan Sadler are vying for the GOP nod for the House District 54 seat being vacated by Masterson.

Although today’s voting is a primary, Democratic voters in District 3 will choose their county supervisor for the next four years. Incumbent Charles Selmon and banker and administrator James Stirgus Jr. are on the ballot and the winner will face no further opposition.

The general election is Nov. 6 when ballots will feature Democratic and Republican nominees, plus third-party or independent candidates. General elections are winner-take-all contests. The top vote-getters are elected even if they don’t poll majority votes.

Secretary of State Eric Clark said he expects about 710,000 people to vote. That’s higher than the 707,391 who cast ballots in the governor’s primary in 2003.

Clark said he believes turnout will be driven by competitive races for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor and the Democratic nomination for insurance commissioner, as well as local contests for sheriff and other offices.

Clark is a Democrat who is not seeking re-election. Three Democrats and four Republicans are running to replace him, including Vicksburg native Delbert Hosemann on the GOP side.

Turnout appeared to be heavier at most precincts, with lines forming at some as managers worked to prepare the suitcase-sized machines for its first state and county election cycle.

&#8220It was a little different, but it was easy,” said Virginia Brown, 51, leaving the Culkin precinct at Sherman Avenue Elementary after voting.

Poll managers stood opposite the voter’s vantage point of the display screens to answer questions.

&#8220It was difficult but there was somebody there to show me,” said Mose Selmon, using the machines for the first time at City Auditorium. &#8220Once you get into it, it’s easy.”

A.J. Breithaupt and his wife, Sadie, had no complaints about the machines.

&#8220It’s great,” he said, casting a vote for Masterson. &#8220It’s as easy as playing a slot machine.”

At No. 7 Fire Station, voting was delayed briefly while machines were brought up to speed. A voter called the ensuing confusion &#8220utter chaos.”

Among local races, the state Senate and House campaigns have garnered the most attention in terms of money spent and ever-multiplying numbers of yard signs as the primaries neared.

Pam Willis, a nurse at The Street Clinic at River Region Medical Center, said she felt strongest about Senate candidate Hopson.

&#8220He’s young and he cares and I think he’ll make a difference,” she said of Hopson, whose son plays baseball on the same team as Willis’ son, Austin, 9.

Others said other races moved them to get to the polls early.

&#8220It was mainly to vote for the governor,” said Harry Cockrell as he exited Carpenters Local 303.

Gov. Haley Barbour appeared on primary ballots against Frederick L. Jones of Gulfport, whose campaign has been largely invisible. Barbour has raised more than $7 million this year despite the token primary opposition and is expected to win re-election handily.

On the Democratic side, attorney John Arthur Eaves Jr. is the only one of the four gubernatorial candidates to spend any significant money.

Others simply carried out the routine of &#8220chronic voters” who dutifully show up at the polls regardless of the political winds.

&#8220None of them really energized me,” said Del Harris, scurrying to her car. &#8220But, I had my people I was going to vote for already lined up.”

&#8220As an African-American, knowing what our people went through in the 1960s so we could vote, it’s our duty to get out and do it,” said Charles Heard after casting his ballot at the Cedar Grove precinct.

For 83-year-old Scottie Campbell, voting at the Plumbers and Pipefitters precinct, today’s primary was an important election, as they all are.

&#8220The fact that they are voting makes it important,” he said. &#8220I make them all.”

The U.S. Justice Department told Clark’s office that it will monitor elections in 11 Mississippi counties to ensure fairness to minorities. The counties are Bolivar, Humphreys, Holmes, Jones, Wilkinson, Neshoba, Leake, Winston, Newton, Kemper and Noxubee.