Cole County Clerk expects high voter turnout for April election

Cole County officials are expecting a higher voter turnout next Tuesday than seen in a typical April election.

Next week, Cole County voters will mark their choice on several issues including candidates for the Jefferson City Council, the Jefferson City school board and a bond issue and an operating tax levy for a second Jefferson City high school.

Because of the measures for a new school, Cole County Clerk Steve Korsmeyer is expecting a 25 percent voter turnout.

“We gauge that off of the turnout we had in 2013 when the school bond and levy issue was at that time,” Korsmeyer said. “There was a 25 percent turnout and we kind of gauge it off of that so we expect about the same this time.”

That is more than double the typical voter turnout for an April election in Cole County, which is usually about 9 or 10 percent.

Thursday, officials trained about 150 poll workers that will be stationed at precincts across the county.

“We have three classes today to train the poll workers on what to expect and ballot styles and stuff,” Korsmeyer said. “So we do that before every election.”

Voters can expect to go to the same polling places this year, except for those who vote at the school in Eugene. The school will not be open since it has no issues on the ballot.

Although a higher than normal voter turnout for April is expected, it is significantly lower than turnout for the presidential election in November, when 71 percent of registered voters cast their ballots.

But Korsmeyer said voters can expect much shorter waiting times next Tuesday.

“Shouldn’t be too many long lines,” Korsmeyer said. “At some of the bigger polling places, we’ve put in six workers, and we will put in two iPads to kind of speed up the process.”