Courtney Laverdure
Staff writer
Calloway County produced a 27.36 voter turnout in the general election polls Tuesday.
Overall the state’s turnout equalled 48.69 percent, meaning the county saw similar results to that of other Ketucky counties.
Before Election Day, state officials speculated approximately 25 percent of registered voters were expected to cast ballots for candidates running for Kentucky governor and other state constitutional offices, according to the Murray Ledger and Times.
In Calloway County, only two local offices were up for grabs; surveyor and second-district constable were both listed for write-in votes and taken by Christopher Jones and Kenny Jackson, respectively.
The larger turnout broke through the expected numbers and County Clerk Ray Coursey Jr. said he appreciated it.
“There was a larger turnout than people thought; by 10 a.m. there had been 200 people to vote at the Harris Groves precinct, and that is a large number in just four hours of open polls,” Coursey said.
In general, things went really well and he heard 98 percent good things, he said.
“Our election officers performed well and it was all orderly,” Coursey said.
The only hitch in the day was a power interruption on the south side.
The lights would not work properly at the voting precinct, but it was fixed promptly and the day was able to continue, he said.
According to Kentucky Secretary of State Elaine Walker’s office, 24,933 voters are registered in Calloway County.
Of those registered in the county, 16,168 are Democrats, 6,807 are Republicans and 1,958 are registered as “Other.”
A record number of 2,944,603 Kentuckians were registered to vote in Tuesday’s general election, but only a fourth of that number were anticipated to vote at the polls.
Only 26,000 voters had used absentee ballots as of Monday, which is 10,000 fewer than 2007’s gubernatorial race.
Every voter had their own reasons for casting ballots Tuesday.
“Yes, I voted because it’s my right, if I don’t like who is running the country, it is my fault because I didn’t vote,” Toni Cortez, senior from Almo, Ky., said.
Some students registered in Kentucky were not able to make it to the polls due to either class or work.
“I haven’t really been paying attention to the candidates because I knew I wouldn’t have the time, but when it comes to the Presidential Election, then I will vote,” Katelan Bonds, senior from Bowling Green, Ky., said.
The rosters used as a sign-in at each precinct will be sent off to Frankfort where the specifics of the voter numbers will be determined. A breakdown of how many registered Democrats, Republications or “Others” accounted for work into the 27.36 percent of Calloway County voters that exercised their right to vote on Tuesday will be available in a couple months.
Contact Laverdure