Zero voters? One precinct had no votes during Tuesday’s commission run-off with low turnout

Published 5:24 pm Wednesday, December 1, 2021

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The voter turnout in Tuesday’s District 5 commission run-off might have been record-breaking because it was so poor.  One precinct didn’t see a single voter all day.

Only 4.5% of eligible registered voters took part in the election. There were only 437 votes cast in the election — which was won by Jimmy McCamey — out of 9,575 registered voters at seven precincts.

Andrew Harper has served as the elections and registration supervisor of Troup County since 2014, and said Tuesday’s turnout was one of, if not the lowest, turnout he has seen.

“A lot of times in a smaller runoff, they don’t come out, but I’ve never seen it this low, I don’t think,” he said. “A lot of people only vote in presidential and large elections, and they don’t care about the small elections, but the small elections affect them more. It depends on the people’s interests and the issue.

Harper noted that the majority of the 9,575 voters were registered to vote and many probably voted in the last presidential election and even voted in the election in November, when there were five candidates and 757 total votes cast.

The precinct at the William J. Griggs Recreation Center received the most votes of any of the precincts used Tuesday night with 103 out of 2,743 possible voters. The precinct at Garden Newnan Elementary School received zero votes despite having 96 eligible voters.

The administration building on Dallis Street received only 53 votes out 3,883 eligible voters. Faith Baptist Church on Hammett Road received 12 votes out 620 eligible voters. Rosemont Elementary School had 5 votes out of 247 possible voters. The Highland precinct at Troup County High School received 55 votes out of 1,840 eligible voters, and the Northside precinct at Hope Academy received only 6 votes out of 142 eligible voters.

“If you look at the percentage number, it’s actually worse,” Harper said, noting the 4.5 percent voter turnout.

Norma Tucker, who ultimately lost to McCamey by 63 votes, said she was saddened by the low turnout.

“Everybody I spoke to cared or seemed to care, and had concerns … or thoughts of what they would like to see happen in District 5,” she said. “I honestly don’t know what you can do to get citizens involved in the election process.”

Ultimately, she was grateful to those who did vote, and hopes that there will be more community participation in the future.

“Maybe more people are ready to step up and take action without concern of who the election official is,” Tucker said. “They’re ready to do the work and make things happen regardless of who’s in the seat.”