Primary results: Lack of local races leads to low voter turnout

By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1

On Tuesday, May 21, numerous Barren Countians traveled to one of nine voting locations scattered across the 500 square-mile county to concretely participate in the democratic process by casting their vote during the primary election.

Unlike the general election, which is scheduled for Nov. 5, when there will be several local elections on the ballot — like Glasgow City Council and school board positions — this primary ballot only featured the presidential primary candidates and the two Democratic contenders for the United States Representative of the 2nd congressional district.

Kentucky is also one of 15 states that have, in some form or another, a closed primary meaning a voter must be “affiliate formally with a political party in advance of the election date in order to participate in that party’s primary.”

Due to the the lack of local primaries on the ballot this May 21 voter turnout was very low, according to Barren County Clerk Helena Birdwell Chase. She said the turnout was just barely over 10 percent — specifically, she said the turnout was 10.2 percent.

Republican nominee Donald Trump won against his five other Republican challengers. In total he received 1,953 votes, which comprises 89.1 percent of the 2,192 votes cast in that primary. The others finished either below a percentage point or less than four percent — the second highest opponent was Nikki Haley with 3.65 percent, or 80 votes.

Also, current President Joe Biden won the Democratic presidential primary with 64.89 percent of the vote, or 732 votes. However, unlike the Republican presidential primary, “uncommitted” received nearly 20 percent. His opponents, Marianne Williamson and Dean Phillips, both received less than 10 percent.

While there was no Republican primary for U.S. Representative there was a Democratic one with two candidates, Hank Linderman and William Compton.

In total 1,047 votes were cast in that primary. Five hundred fifty-seven of those went to Hank Linderman, who won with 53,20 percent of the vote. Linderman will go on the ballot to challenge Republican Brett Guthrie.

All-in-all only 3,354 votes were cast between the nine voting locations. Biden shut-out his Democratic opponents statewide with 71.3 percent of the vote and Trump won the state with roughly 85 percent, or 215,044 votes.