Although election day is still eight days away, thousands of Riley County residents have already made their choices.
Riley County clerk Rich Vargo announced to county commissioners Monday morning that over 3,900 advance voting ballots had been filled out.
Vargo says this election is on track to match and possibly surpass turnout seen in the 2012 general election between former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama. In that election, 6,333 registered voters in Riley County participated in advance voting.
“It’s right on pace with 2012,” Vargo told KMAN after the commission meeting. “This week will be our busiest. We had over 300 more (this afternoon).”
The total voter turnout in 2012 was 60 percent with 21,024 of 34,625 registered voters submitting a ballot in the county.
Romney won Riley County 54 percent to Obama’s 42 percent in that election.
When addressing commissioners Monday morning, Vargo urged the public to take advantage of advance voting and for voters to do their research.
“A lot of people are surprised by the number or races — the county races, the retention of the judges,” he said. “But then this year it’s extra long because we do have a .02 percent sales tax question for the City of Manhattan, that most residents in Riley County will have on their ballot.”
Vargo said the questions on the ballot often throw voters a surprise.
“Of course those questions are never short — they’re long,” he said. “And when people see those unexpectedly it takes time in the polls for them to read through those and that then exasperates the problems of longer lines at the polling places.”
Hours for advance voting at the Riley County Office Building on 110 Courthouse Plaza in Manhattan continues 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. everyday through Friday. Advance voting will also be available on Saturday from 8 a.m. till noon and will conclude on Monday from 8 a.m. till noon.
Advance voting is also available at the K-State Student Union on the second floor in the Bluemont Room from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday through Friday, and again on Monday from 8 a.m. till noon.
Polls on election day will be open from 7 a.m. through 7 p.m.
More on elections in Riley County can be found on the elections page on their website. A full sample ballot can be previewed here.
