Licking County turnout expected to be 'abysmal' in Tuesday's second primary election
NEWARK — Tuesday is Election Cay in Licking County, but a vast majority of Licking Countians are not expected to participate. A turnout of about 10% is expected.
The polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at all 27 polling locations in the county for the second primary election. There are no tax levies on the ballot.
"The absentee voting has been pretty abysmal,” Licking County Board of Elections Director Luke Burton said. “If it’s 10% (turnout), I’ll be happy, which is kind of sad.”
Licking County has about 124,000 registered voters, but only 2,550 cast absentee votes, with 1,281 in the BOE office and 1,269 by mail. In May, there were about 5,000 absentee ballots cast and the overall turnout was 22.6%.
One polling location has changed, moving voters in the northwest corner of the county from Hartford School to Croton Church of Christ, 40 S. Main St., Croton. The Licking County Board of Elections mailed notices of the change to those residents.
The Ohio House, Ohio Senate and State Central Committee races did not appear on the May primary ballots due to the Ohio Supreme Court's invalidation of state Republicans' redistricting plan.
On June 24, the Ohio Supreme Court of Ohio issued a court order which permitted additional candidates to appear on the ballot for Tuesday’s election, the normal date for special elections.
The race of most interest in Licking County will likely be the Republican primary for the new 68th Ohio House District, pitting incumbent Mark Fraizer against Thad Claggett. The two Newark residents also ran against each other in the COVID-delayed 2020 primary election. No Democrat filed to run for the office.
The new 68th District covers much of the same area as its predecessor, the 71st District. The new district is located mostly in the northwest, central and western parts of the county, including Newark, Heath, Granville, almost all of Pataskala, Alexandria, Johnstown, Hartford and St. Louisville.
The new 69th Ohio House District, similar to the current 72nd District, will not have a primary election. Incumbent Republican Kevin Miller, of Newark, will face Democrat Charlotte Owens, of Lithopolis, in the general election in November.
The 69th District is mostly in the south and east, including Etna Township, Reynoldsburg in Licking County, a sliver of Pataskala, Kirkersville, Hebron, Buckeye Lake, Gratiot, Hanover and Utica.
Burton said the programming issue that delayed reporting results in the May primary has been fixed, so results should not be delayed this time. He said the goal is to have results by 10 p.m.
In addition to the Republican primary for the Ohio House, there are three contested primaries for State Central Committee positions.
Democrats will choose between Susan Haas, of Hopewell, and Debbie Schaffner, of Baltimore, for State Central Committee-woman, and Gary Martin, of Pataskala, and Todd Shafer, of Glenford, for State Central Committee-man.
Republicans will elect either Betty Montgomery, of Reynoldsburg, or Sabrina Warner, of Granville, for State Central Committee-woman. Jake Warner, of Granville, is the lone candidate for State Central Committee-man.
kmallett@newarkadvocate.com
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Turnout expected to be 'abysmal' in Tuesday's second primary election
