Voter turnout may be around 25 percent
Years ago, Ken Watson was talked into voting, and he hasn’t missed an election since.
“I’ve always been a political person, spilling out my two cents about the process,” said Watson, 48. “I had some friends ask me, ‘Did you vote?’
“I said, ‘No,’ and they said, ‘Well then, don’t complain.’”
Early Tuesday evening, Election Commissioner Dave Shively said Lancaster County voter turnout was a little higher than he had predicted — maybe 23 percent or 24 percent.
Last week he thought just 22 percent of voters would go to the polls, despite a surge this year in voter registration and a high number of early ballot requests.
Secretary of State John Gale had said he expected just 27 percent of registered voters statewide would cast ballots in the primary.
That relatively low number is a reflection, he said, of few high-profile races in the state, a limited number of county offices on the ballot and the fact the Nebraska presidential primaries won’t have much effect on the Republican and Democratic national conventions.
Statewide turnout in recent primary elections has been up and down. The 2006 primary election drew 35 percent of registered voters, compared with 21 percent in 2004.
Where Watson was voting early Tuesday in the Highlands, election worker Drew Nelson said turnout had been about normal, maybe a little low.
“It’ll pick up later today when people walk around with their ‘I Voted Today!’ stickers and shame their co-workers into voting,” Nelson predicted.
Watson said he still didn’t think enough people used their right to vote, and by not voting, they risked losing that right.
“The idea that my vote doesn’t count — well, if you don’t vote, you’re right, it doesn’t.”
As Watson left the polling station, Tom and Patti Goodwater got out of their pickup with their two young granddaughters in tow.
“We never miss an election,” Tom Goodwater said.
“We have the right to vote, and we want to use that right,” Patti Goodwater said.
Reach Hilary Kindschuh at 473-7120 or hkindschuh@journalstar.com. Reporter Cory Matteson contributed to this story.
“I’ve always been a political person, spilling out my two cents about the process,” said Watson, 48. “I had some friends ask me, ‘Did you vote?’
“I said, ‘No,’ and they said, ‘Well then, don’t complain.’”
Early Tuesday evening, Election Commissioner Dave Shively said Lancaster County voter turnout was a little higher than he had predicted — maybe 23 percent or 24 percent.
Last week he thought just 22 percent of voters would go to the polls, despite a surge this year in voter registration and a high number of early ballot requests.
Secretary of State John Gale had said he expected just 27 percent of registered voters statewide would cast ballots in the primary.
That relatively low number is a reflection, he said, of few high-profile races in the state, a limited number of county offices on the ballot and the fact the Nebraska presidential primaries won’t have much effect on the Republican and Democratic national conventions.
Statewide turnout in recent primary elections has been up and down. The 2006 primary election drew 35 percent of registered voters, compared with 21 percent in 2004.
Where Watson was voting early Tuesday in the Highlands, election worker Drew Nelson said turnout had been about normal, maybe a little low.
“It’ll pick up later today when people walk around with their ‘I Voted Today!’ stickers and shame their co-workers into voting,” Nelson predicted.
Watson said he still didn’t think enough people used their right to vote, and by not voting, they risked losing that right.
“The idea that my vote doesn’t count — well, if you don’t vote, you’re right, it doesn’t.”
As Watson left the polling station, Tom and Patti Goodwater got out of their pickup with their two young granddaughters in tow.
“We never miss an election,” Tom Goodwater said.
“We have the right to vote, and we want to use that right,” Patti Goodwater said.
Reach Hilary Kindschuh at 473-7120 or hkindschuh@journalstar.com. Reporter Cory Matteson contributed to this story.
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