Voter turnout seemed good at some polling places in Wyandotte County, but there was still a long way to go to catch up to predictions.
Wyandotte County Election Commissioner Bruce Newby said that as of about 1:30 p.m. today, Wyandotte County voter turnout is about 18 percent, with about 14,000 votes cast.
Average turnout for the fall general election in a midterm year has been about 40 percent, so there is still a way to go, Newby said.
“At this rate, it may be in the low 30s by the time we’re done today,” Newby said. “It’s disappointing because I thought we’d actually get a 40 percent turnout. Voters are welcome to prove me wrong. But I’m not as positive we’ll make it to the 40 percent as I thought it would be.”
There were about 3,734 advance ballots cast so far, and voters who already received an advance ballot in the mail can still bring them in before 7 p.m. tonight to the Election Office at 850 State Ave. so they can be counted.
Newby said there is still hope that the turnout will pick up later today. Polls are open until 7 p.m. tonight.
“Sometimes afternoons wind up being heavier, because that is when people get off work,” he said. “I hope they make it a point to vote before they get home.”
A good voter turnout was reported about mid-morning in Wyandotte County by election workers at two polling places.
One polling place near downtown Kansas City, Kan., reported a good turnout.
In the Argentine area, turnout also was considered good.
“It’s very steady,” said Jesse Rocha, election judge at the Argentine Community Center.
Some of the polling places in Wyandotte County had lines this morning, according to workers at the polls.
Turnout was considered good about 1 p.m. at a polling place on North 79th Street, north of State Avenue, where more than 200 votes had already been cast.
To find your polling place, call the Election Office at 913-573-8500 or visit http://wycokck.org/election/ or https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/.
