Three Hundred Fifty Vote Early in Smithville Election, Lightest Turnout in Several Years

Based on the response to early voting, this could be the lightest turnout for a contested Smithville Municipal Election in several years.
After fourteen days of early voting only 350 city voters cast ballots out of 2,877 active registered city voters. That’s the lowest turnout for early voting during a contested city election since 2003, when 231 voted early. In 2005, only five people voted early and sixty five on election day in an uncontested city election.
A total of sixty three people voted yesterday (Thursday) on the last day of early voting, which was the largest single day turnout during the fourteen day period.
Here’s how the vote breaks down for each day from Wednesday, June 1 through Thursday, June 16:
Wednesday, 7
Thursday, 32
Friday, 15
Saturday, 22 (20 in person, 2 absentees)
Monday, 15
Tuesday, 22
Wednesday, 17
Thursday, 31
Friday, 23
Saturday, 24 (20 in person, 4 absentees)
Monday, 10 (8 in person, 2 absentees)
Tuesday, 32 (31 in person, 1 absentee)
Wednesday, 37 (27 in person by machine, 1 absentee, 9 Nursing Home)
Thursday, 63
Three aldermen are to be elected Tuesday, June 21, each to serve a two year term beginning July 1st. Voting will be conducted in the basement courtroom of the courthouse from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
The candidates are incumbents Shawn Jacobs, Aaron Meeks, and W.J. (Dub) White. The challengers are Gayla Hendrix, Cordell Walker, and Danny Washer.
WJLE will be your only source for LIVE election coverage on the radio and up to the minute Internet updates at www.wjle.com.
Last year, (2010) a mayor and two aldermen were elected in Smithville. During that election, a total of 746 voters turned out, including 476 early voters and 270 on election day.
In 2009 a total of 790 voters responded, including 590 during the early voting period and 200 on election day to select three aldermen.
A total of 963 city voters turned out in 2008 to elect a mayor and two aldermen including 684 early voters and 279 on election day.
In 2007, three aldermen were elected. That campaign drew 738 people to the polls including 555 during the early voting period and 183 on election day.
In 2006, a total of 696 city voters cast ballots to elect a mayor and two aldermen, including 425 early voters and 271 on election day.
Only seventy people voted in 2005, including 65 on election day and five during early voting, but the race was uncontested. Three aldermen were elected.
For the year 2004, a total of 800 city voters cast ballots; 450 voted in 2003; 811 in 2002; 473 in 2001; and 642 in 2000.