Republican races draw independent voters over to GOP
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (May 5, 2022) – The Tuscarawas County Board of Elections says voter turnout for Tuesday’s primary slightly exceeded expectations thanks to growing Republican participation.
Overall voter turnout in the county was at 18.39%.
Tuscarawas County had nearly 7,900 registered Republican voters ahead of the election.
But Board Director Gail Garbrandt says Republican voter turnout for the county in Tuesday’s election was close to 102%, indicating many independents switched so they could vote in the heated races for U.S. Senate and governor.
She says the board also posted signs at polling locations informing voters that Shawna Roberts of Belmont had dropped out of the Democratic primary in the 6th Congressional District, due to health reasons.
Apparently, not everyone noticed as Roberts still received the most votes in the county.
Garbrandt says certification for Tuesday’s primary is set to begin May 24th where the board will add mail-in ballots that were postmarked by Monday to the totals and review 69 provisional ballots for consideration. However, she doubts that’s enough to change any outcomes.
Garbrandt says there’s an Ohio Supreme Court deadline Friday for new state legislative district maps, so we could learn more then about plans for a second primary for Ohio House and Senate candidates targeted for early August.