WECT TV6 - WECT.com - Wilmington, NC news and weather - Low voter turnout in New Hanover Co.
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Reported by Colin Hackman - bio|email
Posted by Debra Worley - email
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) - If early voting numbers are any indication, this election will see lower voter turnouts than the previous municipal elections of 2007 and 2005.
In New Hanover County only about 2,500 people voted early. If that rate continued throughout Election Day, the voter turnout would only reach about 14%, which is well under the turnout in previous municipal elections.
Some election officials estimate that of the people in Wilmington who are registered to vote as few as 10% will take part in the elections. That's about 7 out of every 100 people.
According to Bonnie Williams, the director of the New Hanover County Board of Elections, precinct polling locations started slow but gained momentum during the day.
Several people said they didn't vote because were unaware an election was taking place. Others said they would leave it to the "older" residents.
Regardless of the excuse, voter turnout was low, but the total number of voters won't be known until the polls have closed.
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