Officials expect 20 percent turnout for today's special election

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Carter County employees John Smith, left, and Jason Carroll load election machines into a truck Monday for delivery to the county’s precincts for today’s special election. John Flavell

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August 25, 2009

By CARRIE STAMBAUGH � The Independent The Daily Independent Tue Aug 25, 2009, 01:00 AM EDT

Ashland — Turnout for today�s special election to fill the vacant state Senate District 18 seat is expected to approach 20 percent, election officials projected Monday.

Clerks in three of the six counties � where the three-way race between State Rep. Robin Webb (D-96th) and Republican Dr. Jack Ditty and Independent Guy Gibbons has been heated for several weeks � say they expect the intense media attention the race has received to drive voters to the polls.

�I think there is a lot of interest,� said Carter County Clerk Mike Johnston. �Both parties are really fighting for the position so there is a lot of interest.�

Johnston said he believes turnout in Carter County will be anywhere from 12 to 15 percent. Johnston said he based his prediction on the volume of voters casting absentee ballots in the days leading up to the election.

Lewis County Clerk Glenda Himes said she expects turnout to be higher. She is anticipating 20 percent of registered voters in that county to cast ballots for the race.

�There is quite a bit of activity,� she said. Himes said approximately 100 had voted by absentee ballot as of Monday morning.

Greenup County Clerk Pat Hieneman is predicting an 18 to 20 percent voter turnout there.

�In the beginning I thought 10 to 12 percent,� she said, also citing pre-election publicity as a reason she expects a higher turnout.

Johnston, Hieneman and Himes all reported that they have not had difficulty securing poll workers for the special election and were all activity setting up polling places on Monday.

It is still unclear who will foot the bill for the election projected to cost a combined total of $172,000 in Bracken, Carter, Greenup, Lewis, Mason and Roberston counties.

Johnston said Judge-Executive Charles Wallace has appealed to Frankfort for assistance but it is unclear whether any aid will come. �The county here was budgeted zero dollars for an election because it was supposed to be an off year,� he said.

School officials across the region have also been preparing for the special election. Only one district will close its doors for the day while others took steps to avoid a lost school day.

Greenup County schools will not close as a result of the election because of the relocation of one polling location. Voters in the Smith Branch precinct typically cast ballots at Greysbranch Elementary School. Today, they will be voting across the street in the ROTC building alongside voters in the Limebille precinct.

Scarlet Shoemaker, Greenup�s director of public relations, said the move was made to prevent canceling classes. She said the district will accommodate teachers who need to vote �around their normal working schedule.�

Raceland-Worthington schools will also remain open.

Carter County schools will be closed today, said Superintendent Darlene Gee.

�For a special election it wasn�t required, but in a sense it was because you have to allow your employees to leave four hours to go vote and a majority of our schools are used as voting locations,� she said.

Students will have to make up the lost day, according to Gee. She said the board of education has not yet set a make up date but is eyeing March 20. �A lot of it depends on what kind of weather we have this winter,� she added.

CARRIE STAMBAUGH can be reached at cstambaugh@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.

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