Adams County precincts see high voter turnout; experience a few glitches
Published 12:04 am Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Brandon Price votes while he is surrounded by his children, Hayden Price, 10, and Claire Price, 6, during Tuesday's election at the Community Safe Room precinct. "It's too important not to, and it's important the children see me do this so they can realize the importance of voting." (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)
Felix Johnson holds a sign in support for Angela Hayes during Tuesday's election in Ferriday. "Its very important for all the folks to go out and vote today," Johnson said. "It's time for us to step up and give everybody a chance not only this young lady but any others to step up and be in this office."
Michael Pace is surrounded by his children, Savannah Pace, 5, and Mark Henry Pace, 3, holding the back of his legs as Michael Pace prepares to cast his ballot at the Community Safe Room precinct during Tuesday's election. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)
Margaret Harveston and her husband Lewis Harveston vote outside of the Community Safe Room precinct in Natchez. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)
Cierra Conner votes at the Community Safe Room precinct with her daughter, Paris Minor, 5, during Tuesday's election. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)
Brenda Harris and Gwen Watson volunteer as poll workers at Lovely Lane Church on Morgantown Road during Tuesday's election in Natchez. "Compared to years past it has been great," Watson said. "They have really come out. There were 20 people at the door before 7 a.m." (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)
Dave Wilson votes at Lovely Lane Church on Morgantown Road during Tuesday's election in Natchez. (Nicole Hester, The Natchez Democrat)
Andreana Berry votes at the Natchez Adams County Airport precinct during Tuesday's election. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)
From left, the Rev. John Scott and Ethal Scott vote at the Natchez Adams County Airport precinct during Tuesday's election. Scott said voting is important and so many people have given their lives for that right. "If you have a complaint or concern about the way things are going then the time to speak is before the election, instead of following the election," Scott said. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)
From left Martha Cain, Faye Reed, Helen Hargrave volunteer as poll workers at the Natchez-Adams County Airport precinct during Tuesday's election. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)
Voting stickers sit on a table at the Natchez Adams County Airport precinct. (File photo | The Natchez Democrat)
Voters at the Rose Hill Baptist Church precinct in Natchez Tuesday. (Scott Hawkins / The Natchez Democrat)
Voter at the Concordia Parish Courthouse Tuesday. (Sabrina Simms / The Natchez Democrat)
Voters got up bright and early Tuesday morning to votes at the Frazier Elementary School precinct. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)
Voting for the first time, Solomon Yearby makes sure he pushes the right button to cast his ballot on the voting machine Tuesday. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)
Poll workers Tanya Carroll and Rosemary Long help Herestine Pike vote curbside outside Frazier Elementary School Tuesday. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)
Barry Wilson votes at the Frazier Elementary voting precinct Tuesday. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)
Poll worker Marvia Green verifies names of registered voters Tuesday at the Frazier Elememtary voting precinct. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)
Hanna Yearby exits the voting booth with her grandmother Marie Yearby at the Concordia Parish School District office. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)
Poll worker Rosemary Long verifies the identification of a voter at the Frazier Elementary School precinct. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)
File photo | The Natchez Democrat
Ryan Trust exits the voting precinct in the Concordia Parish School District office building. In this file photo. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)
Hanna Yearby peeks out from the voting booth curtain as her grandmother Marie Yearby votes Tuesday. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)
NATCHEZ – Tuesday’s election had an exceptional turnout in Adams County, local election officials said.
Adams County voters cast 9,886 votes which is 52.63 percent of the county’s 18,878 registered voters, officials said.
The number does not reflect the Liberty and Concord districts, which were not retrievable at press time due to a memory card error, which Adams County Election Commission Chair Larry Gardner said would have to be resolved through Jackson.
Commissioner Tracy Gaude said the total also does not reflect an approximate 1,000 paper ballots.
Gaude said the turnout was exceptional.
“I would have thought it was higher, but it’s usually about 32 percent. I think some of the precincts will be a lot higher than in the past,” Gaude said.
Gardner said he thinks having two U.S. Senate seats on the ballots sparked interest from people who had not voted in recent years.
“I think it’s busier than what we had in the presidential election,” Gardner said. “Based on the calls, I can say 50 percent of the people who live in Adams County have moved since the last election. The phones were ringing off the hook.”
Gardner said a record number of 826 absentee ballots were cast in Adams County, and he estimated that absentee votes usually number between 300 and 400 for a mid-term election.
Gardner said “several hundred” affidavit ballots also were cast, based on the number of phone calls received.
“We had a lot of people come out in this election who had not voted for years,” he said.
Between the affidavits, absentees and the possibility of a few rejected ballots, Gardner said election workers could have 1,000 or more votes to hand count over the next few days.
A few mishaps were reported earlier in the day, Gardner said, including a coding error in some districts that kept some people from being able to vote for the appropriate candidate in a couple of uncontested races for circuit court judge seats.
Also, a fallen tree or tree limb blocked an entrance to the voting place at Maryland Heights. Nearby, a subcontractor for Entergy was working on power lines and had blockades on the street, making it impossible to drive to the polls.
Gardner said both issues were resolved shortly after midday.
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