Voter turnout higher than 2006 average

Turnout for this year’s state elections was higher than the average for midterm elections, but it was still significantly lower than the presidential elections in 2008, the N.C. State Board of Elections reported Tuesday.

This year’s state election had around 43 percent voter turnout as of 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, compared to about 37 percent in 2006.

According to the Orange County Board of Elections, 45 percent of registered voters in Orange County voted in this year’s elections — a higher turnout than 38 percent in 2006. Despite the higher turnouts, many voters experienced confusion concerning their voting location and runoff ballots.

Donna Lee, the chief election judge at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill, said she talked to many voters who were not registered in the precinct in which they intended to vote.

“It’s a little confusing for the people who have voted at one-stop in the past,” Lee said, in reference to early voting which began at certain locations on Oct. 14.

Johnnie McLean, the deputy director of the N.C. State Board of Elections, said early voting and absentee ballots were higher than the 2006 elections.

“There are many people who, because of the current economic situation, are looking for a change,” she said.

Hunter Levinsohn, a poll worker at the Chapel Hill Library, said the new runoff ballots were another point of confusion, as the new forms provided voters with an unfamiliar ranking system.

“We’ve had more spoiled ballots than I’ve ever seen in five or six years,” she said.

Jennifer Joyner, who went to the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church to cast her ballot, said she did not experience any confusion but anticipated a larger crowd.

“There was definitely more turnout for the presidential election just because there was a lot more coverage,” Joyner said.

The 2008 elections drew 70 percent of registered voters in the state to the polls. Officials said turnout in Orange County was higher this year than in the past — 38 percent turnout in 2006 — because of dissatisfaction among voters with the administration of President Barack Obama.

Michael Menge, a voter at the Chapel Hill Community Center, said that dissatisfaction translated into a strong turnout favoring the Republican Party.

“From what I understand from all the television shows, the Republicans are more prone to come out than the Democrats,” Menge said. “I think that’s appropriate.”

Ann Demaine, who was distributing sample ballots to voters outside the community center, said she was pleased to see the dense turnout in the mid-term elections.

Said Demaine, “the early voting turnout has been amazing compared to ‘06.”

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.