Less than a quarter of registered voters in Seymour turned out for Tuesday’s primary.

Election results show that 21.08% of registered voters participated in the election.

That represents 2,185 of the city’s 10,365 registered voters. That’s slightly lower than the 21.3 percent of voters who turned out in 2007.

Turnout for Tuesday’s primary election was much higher than the previous two municipal primaries, and more than 500 voters did cast ballots early.

The election set up at least races for later this fall including the campaign for mayor, which will be the first contested race in 12 years and clerk-treasurer, which represents the first contested race in nearly three decades.

There also will be races for council seats in the Nov. 5 general election.

Melissa Hayes, Jackson County Clerk, said she was a little disappointed the turnout wasn’t higher. She estimated about 30 percent of voters would participate in the election.

"I was expecting about 30 percent because we tried to get as many people out to vote as possible," she said.

Her office used social media, newspapers and radio advertising to help promote Election Day.

"It’s been advertised more than it ever has, I think," she said.

Hayes said the early voting numbers seemed to suggest that more and more people are taking advantage of casting ballots early. Still, the majority cast ballots on Tuesday.

In 2011 only 4.3% of voters participated in the primary and the number dipped to 3.82% in 2015.

The number of candidates for mayor and clerk-treasurer helped increase the turnout, Hayes said.

"I think that certainly helped just having that many people on the ballot," she said.

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Voter turnout

Year; voters; registered voters; %

2003; 2,115; NA; NA

2007; 2,612; 12,257; 21.3

2011; 506; 11,136; 4.3

2015; 271; 7,100; 3.82

2019; 2,185; 10,365; 21.08

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