Early turnout may indicate solid voting

Before election day ever got started, 16 percent of Douglas County voters had already cast their ballots.

Clerk/Treasurer Barabara Griffin-Reed reported 3,529 voters cast ballots in early voting before Tuesday's primary, which is 500 more than in 2004 and more than double the turnout for 2002.

"Voting is going pretty good," Griffin-Reed said. "People like the early voting availability. These are the dedicated voters who like to go to the polls and they are going to turn out. But we do have some traditionalists who like to go to the polls on Tuesday. We're hoping we see a good turnout."

In addition to early voting, the Clerk's Office mailed out 928 absentee ballots and had received 682 on Monday. Absentee ballots were still being accepted Tuesday up until the polls closed at 7 p.m.

There are 26,635 registered active voters in Douglas County, with 14,847 Republicans, 7,062 Democrats and 3,534 unaffiliated voters.

With every single state office up for grabs and primaries in all but one of them and a raging Congressional race, excitement for the election was high.

Douglas County Republicans also must pick their candidate to seek the Assembly District 39 seat being vacated by Lynn Hettrick and the Commissioner District 4 seat being vacated by Tim Smith.

Polls show that deceased State Controller Kathy Augustine, who appears on the ballot for the office of treasurer, may be leading her two living opponents.

Augustine's family have scheduled a press conference for 1 p.m. today at the Capitol to thank her supporters.

"Regardless of the election outcome, as a family we felt it was appropriate to thank all of Kathy's supporters, especially those who stood by her during the dark days of the impeachment trial," said Augustine's brother, Phil Alfano.

Should Augustine win the election, Republicans will get to name a replacement candidate.

Due to The Record-Courier's press time before the polls close, results will be posted to www.recordcourier.com and will appear in Friday's edition.

Early voting by the numbers

2006 3,529

2004 3,032

2002 1,556