KINGWOOD — At least 32% of Preston County voters cast their ballots before the polls opened on general election day Nov. 3.
Polls will be open 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. today for Preston County’s 20,209 registered voters.
But 4,650 chose to early vote, and 1,882 absentee ballots have been returned, Preston County Clark Linda Huggins said Monday.
In comparison, a total of 46.73% of Preston’s then 19,466 registered voters voted in the primary, combining early, absentee and election day votes.
Huggins and the seasoned election workers in her office are predicting a 60 to 70% voter turnout total in Preston County.
In the 1996 general election, there was a record 71% turnout.
An additional 160 absentee votes had not been returned as of Monday. Absentee votes must be postmarked by today or earlier and be received by Monday, Nov. 9, when the canvass of votes begins, in order to be counted.
“By a long ways it’s a record,” early turnout, Huggins said. “We’re just like in awe.”
The first day of early voting, the line stretched down the sidewalk from the early voting location at the Corner Mall of the Kingwood Plaza to Tractor Supply. And on Saturday, the final day to early vote, 530 people cast their ballots in Preston County.
There were no problems with voting equipment, Huggins said, but a few voters took umbrage at being asked to remove campaign materials, such as hats, while at the polls.
West Virginia law bans electioneering within 100 feet of a polling place or in the polling place.
Electioneering is defined in code as “the displaying of signs or other campaign paraphernalia, the distribution of campaign literature, cards or handbills, the soliciting of signatures to any petition, or the solicitation of votes for or against any bona fide candidate or ballot question in a manner which expressly advocates the election or defeat of the candidate or expressly advocates the passage or defeat of the ballot question.”
Huggins hopes for a smooth day today.
“We’re hoping that the equipment is fine, and that the voters are cooperative and don’t wear their campaign shirts and masks, because they get very nasty when you ask them to remove them, screaming that you’re violating their freedom of speech. It’s not everyone, but it’s the nasty ones you remember.”
TWEET@DominionPostWV
