Voter turnout trending up for primary

With less than two weeks until Election Day, early voter turnout is outpacing previous years, county officials said.

As of Wednesday afternoon, 395 votes had been cast for the midterm primary election, Monroe County Election Supervisor Ruth Hickman said. That’s about one-third higher than this time in 2010, the last midterm election year.

“I really do not know what is going on out there,” Hickman said. “The walk-in is up a little bit. I’m trying to figure if my request for mail is up. I don’t think that is the case.”

Even though turnout seems to be higher than usual this election cycle, turnout isn’t likely to be high. Primary elections are notorious for low voter turnout, particularly those in midterm years — when ballots have congressional races but not presidential races.

In 2010, just 12 percent of registered voters in the county actually voted, compared to 39 percent in the November general election that same year, according to Indiana Election Division data.

“We’ll probably stay close to where we are,” Hickman said. “We won’t have a huge turnout.”

Hickman said the slight increase from 2010 could be due to a few contested races.
Because primary elections pit candidates against one another within political parties to determine the ballot for the General Election later in the year, races can be uncontested.

“We have a sheriff’s race that may be generating some activity,” she said. “We have several township trustee races this time.”

Four candidates are running for sheriff as Democrats. For the U.S. House of Representatives 9th District, four Democrats and three Republicans are running. Judge, county clerk and several township board races are contested this year throughout the county.

Ultimately, though, Hickman said turnout will depend on how well candidates are able to mobilize voters between now and the May 6 Election Day.

“Who’s to know?” Hickman said. “If people really, really want to win, the old fashioned way is to be out there knocking on doors. That still works.”

Michael Auslen