2010 Midterm Election turnout exceeds expectations in Monroe County according to Co. clerk

Just more than 36,000 Monroe County residents voted in the Nov. 2 midterm election, according to the county clerk’s office.

That equals a turnout of almost 40 percent of registered voters in the county.

While the turnout was nowhere near as high as in 2008, County Clerk Jim Fielder said before the election that he didn’t expect a turnout anywhere near 2008 levels.

But 2010s turnout numbers did surpass 2006, the last midterm election, when 33 percent of Monroe County voters went to the polls.

It even came close to passing the 2004 presidential election, which had only 49 percent voter turnout.

This was a positive year for turnout, said Jessica Sears, Monroe County election supervisor.

Sears said it was the particular nature of this year’s election that caused people to be interested.

“I think there were several factors, specifically the things that were on the ballot,” she said.

Sears said the ballot items that may have drawn people’s interest were the Monroe County schools funding referendum and Evan Bayh’s open seat in the U.S. Senate.

— Michael Auslen