Polling places packed: General election sees heavy voter turnout
|
“It was not only one of the more heavily voted elections, it was also one of the smoothest as far as getting the results out,” Election Administrator Donna Yates said. “I think we were better prepared this time. We had everything done by about 11 p.m., and that counted entering the paper votes into the computer. We began counting the absentee ballots at 9 a.m. and our group did an excellent job.”
According to Yates, 37 percent of the 11,056 people who cast ballots took advantage of the early voting option. There were 4,307 votes cast during the two-week early voting period.
“Early voting definitely has had an a-ffect on the overall turnout,” Yates said. “It just makes it easier and more convenient for folks to vote so that helps get people to the polls.”
Also giving the election a boost were what were thought to be tight races in both the county executive and circuit judgeship races.
“Close races always tend to bring out the voters,” Yates said. “We had an assortment of races this time which caught the voters’ attention.”
The supposedly close races ended up being won by comfortable margins. County Executive-Elect Kenneth Rogers breezed to victory, defeating incumbent Carol Hamblen 5787-4006, thus avenging his 20-vote loss in 1998.
Circuit Court Judge-Elect Bart Stanley also had an easier time than anticipated as he defeated his closest opponent, Robert Newman, by a margin of 5,491 to 4,039, including both Warren and Van Buren counties. The total was nearly as large as that of veteran Judge Charles Haston’s 6,278-4,547 defeat of Bernard Smith in the 1998 election.
The 2002 election surpassed the 1998 August election by over 800 votes when 10,209 voters took to the polls. The 1998 election, like this year, also boasted a contested judge, county executive and sheriff’s race. Both years far and away eclipse a miserable turnout in 1994 when just 7,483 voters took the polls. There was no judgeship election that year.
The next election will be held on Nov. 5 with the offices of governor, both state houses, U.S. Congressman and U.S. Senator at stake. Voters will also get to vote on the lottery question and city voters may perhaps take another shot at legalized liquor.