Turnout light in primary; GOP outvotes Democrats

Published 11:41 am Wednesday, August 5, 2015

FIRST VOTE: First-time voter Maya Taylor casts her ballot at the American Legion Post 3.

FIRST VOTE: First-time voter Maya Taylor casts her ballot at the American Legion Post 3. 

Fewer than 30 percent of registered voters cast a ballot in Tuesday’s primary of local and statewide races.

Voters cast 7,355 electronic ballots Tuesday, according to a tally by the Warren County Election Commission, meaning about 27 percent went to the polls. According to election summary reports, 2,646— about 35.97 percent — voted for Democrats, while 4,709 — 64.02 percent — voted on the Republican ticket.

The number of active registrants is 27,123, down 3,469 from 30,592 on the books for the 2011 primary.

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The figure does not include absentee or affidavit ballots. At least three ballots were held so election commissioners could verify voters’ IDs, Election Commissioner Sara Carlson Dionne said.

“People have five days to bring in that photo ID,” she said.

After the five-day period is up or when all IDs are verified, the election commissioners will certify results, she said.

“It will probably be next Wednesday or Thursday,” Dionne said.

A single voting precinct — Oak Ridge — had a turnout higher than 40 percent. At Oak Ridge, 63 ballots were cast — 10 Democrats and 53 Republicans. There are 149 registered voters in the precinct. Oak Ridge is the smallest voting precinct in the county.

Three precincts had fewer than 20 percent of voters show up at the polls. Vicksburg Auditorium had a turnout of 18.01 percent, while Vicksburg Junior High School and American Legion had 18.96 and 18.99 percent respectively. Vicksburg Auditorium has 1,460 voters, Vicksburg Junior High School has 2,537 and American Legion has 2,122.

Nine precincts had turnouts between 20.28 percent at St. Aloysius and 29.48 percent at Plumbers & Pipefitters. Those include 3-61, Tingleville, Kings, Brunswick, Fire Station No. 7, Jett and Cedar Grove.

Turnout at the remaining nine precincts was between 30.82 percent at Elks Lodge and 38.81 percent at Redwood. Other polling in that range include YMCA, Yokena, Culkin, Beechwood, Moose Lodge, Bovina and Goodrum.

Culkin is the county’s largest precinct with 4,113 voters, but 1,304 votes were casts there.