NATCHEZ — Voter turnout for today’s primary may only be at about 27 percent now, but election commissioners say that number is higher than they had anticipated.

With 2,888 votes being cast as of 3 p.m., Election Commissioner Mitch Ballard said the numbers for today’s Democratic second primary are almost the same at they were at this time during the first primary on May 1.

Vote counts at the polls at 3 p.m. are as follows:

• Ward 1: 409

• Ward 2: 409

• Ward 3: 700

• Ward 4: 431

• Ward 5: 432

• Ward 6: 507

Election Commission Chairman Larry Gardner said voter turnout today has been better than anticipated, but he said the number of absentee ballots he originally thought were cast in the city was wrong.

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Gardner said a number of absentee ballots cast Friday and Saturday had not been processed before he gave a final count. Instead of 260 absentee ballots, Gardner said 327 absentees were cast.

Only 297 absentee ballots were cast for the first primary.

“That’s pretty good,” Gardner said. “We’re getting calls from a lot of people making sure that they can vote today even if they didn’t vote in the first primary, so I think the candidates are doing a good job of getting people out there to vote.”

Polls close at 7 p.m. For live results as votes are tallied, check back at natchezdemocrat.com.

Ward 6 voter Brenda Browning did not want to say for whom she was at Duncan Park casting her vote, but she said the candidate’s name is not nearly as important as why she votes in every election.

“My son is a Marine, and he fought for that right,” she said. “I can’t do what my son and his friends do, so the least I can do is take advantage of the rights they are fighting for.”

Browning said although people may not think one or two votes count, she said she remembers when her aunt and uncle did not vote in a supervisors’ race, and the candidate they did not like won by two votes.

“I always think about that every election,” she said.

Phillip West supporter Alfred Smith has been sitting in a chair underneath a magnolia tree at Duncan Park since 8 this morning waving his West sign at all the voters driving past.

Job creation is the No. 1 issue this election for Smith, he said.

“I believe he is the best man for the job, and I believe he is going to get this city some jobs and help the black community,” Smith said.

Across the road from Smith, Larry L. “Butch” Brown supporters and father and son Clarence and Terrance Brown said job creation was also the top election issue for them.

“I want some jobs for my children and grandchildren, and that’s simply it,” Clarence said. “I think Butch is the man to bring jobs to the city.”

Brown and West supporters have been sharing a shade tree in front of Frazier Primary School since this morning and said they would stay at their posts as long they are needed.

“I’ll be staying here as long as it takes, until the job is done,” said Cheryl Davis, a West supporter.

While their supporters are staying camped out in front of their respective poll locations, Brown and West said they have been moving around the city visiting the polls.

Brown said he has been getting overall vote counts periodically throughout the day.

“I feel fairly comfortable with the vote count and how many people have come out to the polls so far, obviously I don’t want to be overly optimistic, but I feel good,” Brown said.

West said he believes he and his supporters have put forth a top-notch effort to get voters to the polls today.

“I’m just proud of the fact that those persons who believe in what we’re trying to accomplish have been such great supporters,” he said. “Win, lose or draw today, I know we have done the best we can.”

The winner of today’s primary will face Republican Bob Buie and independent Bill Furlow in the June 5 general election.