Low turnout expected for primary vote
By John Joyce
Published in News on October 6, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Billy Boyette reviews his information before receiving a ballot at the voting precinct set up at Wayne County Public Library this morning. Boyette and his wife, Sandra, vote whenever they are able. He has missed only one year -- because of a last-minute business trip. "Everyone has a right to vote and if you don't vote you don't have a right to complain," Mrs. Boyette said.
Wayne County Board of Elections officials are expecting a low turnout today as voters seek to narrow the field in the mayoral and city council District 4 races in Goldsboro's municipal primary election.
Municipal elections typically draw a 4 to 8 percent turnout of the registered voting population, Election Board Director Dane Beavers said.
"So far there has been a very light turnout," Beavers said.
Generally speaking, municipal elections have a significantly lower draw than presidential elections, he said.
"There are roughly 25,000 registered voters in the city of Goldsboro," Beavers said. "We had 554 vote in one-stop, early voting."
Beavers expects about the same number of voters today.
An improvement in weather conditions over the last week might boost the number of people willing to come out and cast their ballots. But if people want to participate in an election that will truly impact their daily lives, Beavers said it is imperative to vote in municipal elections.
There are 17 polling locations open across the city today. Those sites are available on the Board of Elections website at www.wayengov.com.
Polls close at 7:30 p.m. and results will start coming in by 8:30, Beavers said. Final numbers should be calculated sometime between 9:30 and 10 p.m.
Beavers said early voting in the regular election, which includes both city and county seats and certain sanitary districts, begins Oct. 22, leading up to Election Day Nov. 3.
For more information, including polling places and instructions on how to vote, contact the Wayne County Board of Elections at 919-731-1411.