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Local voter apathy may be the bigger news out of Tuesday's primary election than the actual winners.
In a presidential and gubernatorial election year - and during wartime - fewer than 22 percent of Kosciusko County voters went to the polls.
By precinct, in Jefferson 1 (Nappanee), only four of the registered 159 voters voted (2.52 percent), and only four of the 81 registered voters in Warsaw third ward 3 went to the polls (4.94 percent).
The highest percentages were for Franklin 2, where 97 of the 302 registered voters went to the polls (32.12 percent); Jefferson 2 (Wa-Nee), where 81 out of 298 registered voters voted (27.18 percent); and Prairie Township 2 had 172 of 654 registered voters (26.3 percent) go to the polls. Plain 5 did have 50 percent of its registered voters go to the polls, but the precinct has only two registered voters.
Mike Gavin, Kosciusko County Republican Party chairman, said he was "disappointed with the turnout. It's just a touch over 21 percent."
"I'm just really disappointed with the turnout," agreed Steve Haines, Kosciusko County Democrat Party chairman. "There's no reason (for it) that I can think of."
American military men and women, Gavin said, are dying overseas for the right of American people to go out and vote, but turnout for Kosciusko County is only 21.06 percent.
People complain about elected officials, Haines said, but then people don't get out and vote for those candidates they do like.
Despite the gross turnout, Gavin congratulated all those involved for being involved and said he appreciated them taking a part in the process. He hoped each of the candidates stayed with it, and congratulated the winners and sympathized with those who failed to win the nomination.
Haines thanked those who worked at the polls, as it is becoming more difficult to find people to work the polls.
"That's from both of us," Gavin agreed with Haines.
