Only about 14 percent of Athens County's registered voters went to the polls for yesterday's primary elections.
Turnout was about 6,500 voters, which is about 1,600 fewer voters than the last comparable primary in 2006. Poll workers attributed the low turnout to lack of interest in the candidates and issues on the ballot.
There are really no big races
said Alan Ferguson, a poll worker in Baker University Center.
Another Baker poll worker commented on the lack of student participation.
I think it's because students don't care about the issues right now said Nicole Mays, a Baker Center poll worker.
Alan Robinson, a 3rd-year masters student in playwriting from Minnesota, said he did not know why students don't come out to vote. Robinson said he did not vote on local issues, but went to the polls in order to defeat Lee Fisher, who won the state primary against Jennifer Brunner in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Brunner narrowly beat Fisher in Athens County.
Another voter and 30-year resident of Athens said she came out to vote to be a conscientious citizen.
It's all about freedom and it's our responsibility Kelly Lawrence said.
Poll worker Emily Beveridge, a 2006 graduate of Ohio University, said she did not vote because no one was running against current governor, Ted Strickland, in the democratic primary.
Beveridge also said if more positions were contested and students cared about the issues, there would be more voters.
We've had only about 1
000 absentees and 900 returned to us
said Debbie Quivey, director of the Athens County Board of Elections, yesterday morning.
Despite the sluggish morning turnout, Quivey said that all the polls had opened on time and were running at a normal pace.
Poll workers work from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and receive about $120 for the day, said Beveridge, who has been a poll worker six times.
Citizens of both parties voted on a number of statewide, county and municipal issues along with commissioner races and service levies throughout the region. The May 2006 primary had similar races.
In the 2006 primary elections, total voter turnout reached 8,235 voters with 5,856 Democrats, 2,204 Republicans and 175 non-partisan voters. Compared with this year's significantly lower turnout, 6,576 ballots were cast with 4,378 Democrats, 1,969 Republicans and 209 non-partisan voters, not counting provisional ballots.
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Alyse Lorber
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Gene Westenbarger (center) and Elizabeth Westenbarger (right) vote in yesterday's primary election at East Elementary School while Michael Smith works the polls. (Eric Jones | Picture Editor)
