Today is the day to make your voice heard.
Voters will cast ballots today to select candidates in multiple contested races at the local, state and federal level. In some races, especially for local offices, whoever wins today will likely be the person to hold office next year, unless another candidate files before the general election.
A total of 20 vote centers will open in churches, libraries, fire stations and government buildings across the county.
And more than 100 poll workers will be spread among those sites, ready to check in voters and get them to a machine so they can cast their ballot.
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Election officials have been concerned about a low turnout ← potentially not even reaching 10 percent.
With slightly more than 4,000 people casting their ballot in early voting, the county would need more than 6,000 voters to head to the polls today to reach a turnout of 10 percent of the county’s 107,000 registered voters. A 10 percent turnout would be higher than four years ago, when turnout was 9 percent, but low compared to the 2010 primary when 22 percent of voters cast their ballots.
Few changes have been made from past elections.
Voters are still using the same machines they have for years, where you touch the screen to select candidates. But a few of the county’s vote center locations have been changed from past years. You still need to show photo identification so you can vote.
Whether you will face any line at your vote center is still to be determined.
With sunny skies in the forecast, election officials are still hoping for a higher turnout than expected.