Poll manager: Voter turnout ‘steady’ in Muscogee County

The voter turnout in Muscogee County has been steady so far in the state party primaries and local elections, said Edith Spencer, the poll manger at the precinct at Wynnton Methodist Church.

Residents must show their required photo identification to poll workers before stepping up to the touch-screen voting machines to cast their ballot at their assigned precincts. Poll workers are assisting voters with sign in and more.

“If an elderly person needs some help, I’ll go up there and maybe make the print larger if they can’t see,” Spencer said.

Columbus resident Keith Lamb voted early this morning at the precinct at Wynnton Methodist Church.

“It’s important for me to vote, because we have a lot of new people with new ideas and innovative things that they want to put in place,” Lamb said. “I feel like it’s an opportunity to give those knew a chance to do the work that they feel they can do for Columbus.”

Voter receive computer-programmed ballot cards, which they plug into the touch-screen voting machines. If someone discovers they don’t have the ballots they wanted, they can stop the process there and request different ballots.

The ballot is final once the resident taps the “cast ballot” box and the machine ejects the card.

Lamb said it’s an easy process.

“It doesn’t pressure you,” he said. “If there is somebody on there that no one is opposing, you still don’t have to vote for that person.”

Residents must choose either the Republican, Democratic or nonpartisan ballot. Those who eschew any party affiliation don’t get to in races that are partisan.

The Democrat contests include the race for the U.S. Senate, U.S. representative for the 3rd Congressional District, clerk for Superior Court, sheriff, judge for Municipal Court and marshal.

The Republican contests include the U.S. representative for the 2nd and 3rd Congressional District and the public service commissioner.

The nonpartisan contests include the race for judges, superior court and Chattahoochee judicial circuit, multiple Columbus Council districts and multiple Muscogee County School board districts.

A sign falsely staing that Democrat Donna Tompkins is disqualified from the sheriff’s race was posted at the precinct at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church.

In actuality, Tompkins and Republican Mark LaJoye’s are running for the office with no primary opposition.

The county elections board’s disqualifying four candidates this year had left no viable challenger to incumbent John Darr, who plans to run as an Independent. He is not on today’s ballot.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 11:53 AM with the headline "Poll manager: Voter turnout ‘steady’ in Muscogee County."