Voter Turnout Brisk At Polls This MorningElection turnout this morning ranged from steady to “very busy” at precincts in Warsaw and Winona Lake.
“We’ve been very busy. We had a line out the door. We’ve had people who had to sit and wait,” said Stacey Cox, poll inspector at the Shrine Building, at almost 9 a.m. today.
The Kosciusko County Fairgrounds hosted the Warsaw 3-1, 2-1 and 2-2 precincts. Precinct 2-2 moved from Warsaw City Hall to the Shrine Building for this general election because of scheduling conflict.
Jennifer Whitaker, poll worker, said they had about 10 to 15 people waiting to vote when the polls opened at 6 a.m. They close at 6 p.m. “It’s been nonstop,” she said.
Cox said, “It’s been a very high turn out. I would say more than the last general election. We’ve had people waiting. It’s been impressive.”
She said she’s worked the polls for the last 15 years and she’s seen quite a few new faces for this election. “It’s been very busy. Very, very busy, which is nice,” she said.
Jack Volkers, poll worker at 2-2, said his precinct had about 50 voters as of 9 a.m. today but he estimated that’s 20 percent higher than the 2016 election in which President Donal Trump won. It’s also had 70 absentee voters, not counting anyone who voted early in the last three days. He said it’s a small precinct, but turnout has been impressive.
Voters in precincts Warsaw 5-1, 5-2 and 5-3 go to the polls at Center Lake Pavilion.
“We’ve had a good turnout, at least 100 but less than 200. It’s been very solid,” said precinct worker Del Fisher. “It’s been pretty busy for this early.”
Poll worker judge Valeria Fisher said, “We’ve had quite a few we haven’t had before where we had to look up where they had to go, but it’s been good. We’ve had some who haven’t voted for a long time.”
Linda Stouder, poll inspector for Warsaw 1-2 at Oakwood Cemetery, reported, “It’s been very steady, which is good.”
She said her precinct is really good at voting so it generally has the same number of voters turn out for every election.
As to how early and absentee voting may have affected voter turnout today, she said, “I haven’t noticed a lot of difference.”
Warsaw 1-2, which is a smaller precinct, had 28 absentee votes, which Stouder said “might be like 20 percent of our voters. That’s a pretty high number for absentee.”
Three people were in line when the polls opened at 6 a.m.
“We only have one precinct here, it’s small compared to other places, but we have a very faithful precinct. We have our regulars,” she said.
A rush was expected at lunchtime at noon and then around 3:30 p.m. when people start getting off work and students get out of school, Stouder said.
The Winona Lake Senior Center was hosting precincts Wayne 3 and Wayne 10.
Poll worker Jim Zachary said Wayne 10 was “busier than the primary. I’d estimate 20 percent more people came through, although it’s only 9 a.m.”
He said a handful of people were waiting at the door when the polls opened.
“We had the 6:30 rush, the 7:30 rush. I’m sure we’ll have a lunch rush,” Zachary said. “It’s been busier, steady.”
Wayne 3 poll inspector Janice Workman said, “It’s been really steady.”
She noticed it’s been a little busier than the primary and for an off-year election.
“We’re busy. It’s a smaller precinct but we’re doing well,” she said.
