Romney Sweeps Local and State; Voter Turnout Low

Fourteen percent of registered republican voters turned out for the 2012 presidential primary race in Branford casting 403 ballots – this is the smallest turnout for a presidential primary in the last three elections. Mitt Romney secured 283 votes, with Ron Paul taking 63, Newt Gingrich capturing 28, Rick Santorum taking 24, and five people voting unaffiliated. There are 2,813 registered republicans in Branford. 

Check back for district results. 

Original story posted 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 24:

Voter Turnout Low; No 'Super Tuesday' for the Presidential Primary

The foot traffic at the Second District Polling Center was slow today said moderator Kathy DaRos. By lunchtime, only 16 registered republicans had come to cast their ballot for one of four presidential primary candidates at the polling center in . Of those 16, DaRos added, four were poll workers.

A longtime pollster, forty years to be exact, DaRos said her district used to be the gold standard for gauging town wide voter turnout, but since the re-district, that might not be the case. She anticipated more voting traffic in the afternoon and early evening.

Over at the , Republican Head Registrar Marion Burkard said turnout was low all over town but not surprisingly. “All primaries tend to be slow and of course this is a republican primary,” she said.

Town wide there are 2,813 registered republicans – that’s about 16 percent of all registered voters. There are 5,938 registered democrats – 33 percent of all voters – and 8,846 unaffiliated voters – 50 percent of all voters; there are 33 “others” as well.

Having to be party-affiliated to vote in the primary election is something Patch reader said was a deterrent; it kept him from voting for Ron Paul during this election. Connecticut’s closed primary, is something that bothered Paecht as he voiced his feelings on Patch’s Facebook page.

Burkard agreed that the closed primary was one reason turnout was low but overall, she said, the late-in-the year race and the fact that was the front runner given Rick Santorum’s recent campaign suspension, kept the voters home.

Burkard was quick to note that primary races during the 2004 and 2008 elections were much better attended given their timing and their candidate roster. The 2008 election where both republican and democrat primaries were held, brought 56.79 percent of democrats out and 31.53 percent of republicans. The election was held on Super Tuesday and voters chose from eight candidates for each race.

This election was “not part of Super Tuesday,” said Burkard, “and that makes a difference.”

Though the turnout was low and slow for this primary, Burkard said she anticipates things to heat up over the next several months in anticipation of it being a presidential election year. 

Check back with Patch for local results from this primary.