Factors Combine for Low Voter Turnout in Nueces County
Corpus Christi Caller Times
By Mark Collette
Updated Tuesday, May 29, 2012
CORPUS CHRISTI — It’s the Memorial Day hangover. The early summer slump. Delayed primary doldrums.
Call it what you will, Tuesday’s voter turnout, by any name, was awful. With complete, unofficial returns, 13.2 percent of registered voters had cast ballots in Nueces County, making it one of the worst turnouts since 1992, and not far off the 2010 turnout of 13.9 percent.
Based on early voting numbers, turnout was slightly better for Republicans than Democrats, by less than 1 percentage point. The Democrat vs. Republican turnout data wasn’t available for election night returns.
At Del Mar College, the polling place for three precincts in the Republican primary and one precinct for Democrats, a mere two voters ventured to the polls in the first two hours. That’s according to campaign workers for state Rep. Todd Hunter, who was unopposed but nonetheless had more than 20 staffers and volunteers greeting voters at polls throughout his district.
“I think people that are voting today are motivated by their individual candidate,” Hunter said. “I think redistricting has made things very confusing.” Dueling voting maps seesawed through the state and federal courts, delaying the Texas election mostly beyond the point of relevance in the presidential primary — though Mitt Romney officially clinched the Republican nomination in Texas.
There also was school, Hunter noted. Some students are in; some are out. Parents may have been reluctant to drag their kids to the polls rather than the pools. “There’s not much on the top of the ticket either,” Hunter mused outside Menger Elementary School on South Alameda Street, where the sidewalk was lined with campaign posters. “There’s another thing, if you think about it. Look at all these signs. These signs have been up since January.”
Adding this voter fatigue to the list, there were no fewer than half a dozen reasons why voters may have chosen to stay home. Political scientist Bob Bezdek said the theories on dismal turnout don’t get to the heart of the issue. “What has an impact: Who are the top people on the ballot, how competitive are the races, and how much advertising is there?” Bezdek said.
On all three counts, there wasn’t much to motivate people, and Democrats may have suffered especially from a dearth of interest and ads.
“It’s a boring ballot, so it’s expected they shouldn’t have as high a turnout,” Nueces County Clerk Diana Barrera said. “I don’t mean boring in a negative sense. There’s just not too many contested races.”
