Voter turnout slow in Nashua

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

NASHUA--Wards 1 and 2, like most of the Granite State, experienced low voter turnout this primary day.

According to Town Moderator Pat Chadwich, approximately 825 ballots had been cast by 5 p.m. out of the 6,200 registered voters in Ward 1. And of the 5,377 registered voters in Ward 2, approximately 1,254 ballots had been cast as of 5:30 p.m.

The ballot count in Wards 1 and 2 are combined totals for the city and state primaries.

Secretary of State Bill Gardner had predicted slightly more than 15 percent of voters would cast ballots today making it the lowest overall turnout for a primary in a presidential election year since 1910.

Chadwick is unsure why there has been a slow turnout, but said the rainy weather as one reason.

"Lots of people didn't know about the primary," Chadwick said. "There are too many other things on people's minds, including the Democratic National Convention, the Republican National Convention and the hurricanes."

George Pressly of Nashua cast a vote for Jennifer Horn (R-Nashua) who is running in the Republican primary in the 2nd Congressional District.

"Her children go to school with my children," he said. "I know her and she has a great family. She will do a great job."

Other Nashua voters came out simply to cast a ballot and had not been paying close attention to the state elections. One Nashua resident was more concerned with the national presidential election.

Town Moderator Anne Moran of Ward 2 said voter turnout was slow because of the lack of interest and the unfavorable rainy weather.

"There weren't too many contested offices," she said. "Come November we will be swamped."