published: Sunday, August 12, 2012

Campbell expects turnout like 2008

By SAMANTHA GHOLAR

sgholar@newssun.com

SEBRING -- Tuesday marks the primary elections for the local community and Supervisor of Elections Joe Campbell is expecting about the same turn-out as previous years.

"In 2008, that was the last presidential election year, brought out around 2,300 to 2,500. I'm expecting it to be around the same this year," Campbell said.

Campbell stated that the early voting had begun to pick up by Friday morning with it closing on Saturday.

"Early voting started out slow but it's picking up. We had the most we've had so far yesterday. We had a total of 488 voters," Campbell said Friday.

The total number of early voters as of noon Friday was 1,966, just a few hundred shy of the last presidential year early voting total.

Campbell has already done the math and calculated the numbers on what he believes will be the turnout percentage for voters in the area for Tuesday's primary election voting.

"I'm guessing there will be 40 percent Republicans, 20 percent Democrats and the rest will be non-partisans and other parties," Campbell revealed. "I wish it was better."

Republicans are expected to show up in greater numbers due to the amount of Republicans on the ballots for local campaigns.

Campbell predicts the big three for the local voters will be the House races, school district positions and Campbell's own Supervisor of Elections position.

"The house race is a big campaign and it has gotten kind of heated," Campbell said. "I know that one will be the biggest. The only Democrats in local races are those on the school board campaigns. Most people are just going to wait until November for the presidential election to vote on the local stuff, too."

Early voting closes Saturday and Campbell is prepared for anything.

"You don't really now if there will be a lot the day it closes. People may rush out or just wait, there's no telling," said Campbell.

The primary election voting will take place from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday.

A total of 25 polls will be open for registered voters. For more information or to find your precinct visit the Supervisor of Elections Office's website at www.votehighlands.com/. A sample ballot is available on page 4B of today's News-Sun.