Murray had highest turnout among 10 towns for primary

MURRAY – Republicans in Murray had the highest turnout for the primary last Tuesday .

Primaries don’t tend to bring out the voters en masse. But Tuesday’s turnout wasn’t too far off a local general election.

The turnout countywide was 32.3 percent or 3,487 voters among the 10,789. That doesn’t include 137 absentees and seven affidavits. When they are included the overall turnout is 33.6 percent or 3,631 voters. That also means more than 7,000 registered Republicans didn’t vote in the primary.

Here is a breakdown of turnout at the 10 towns last Tuesday.

Source: Orleans County Board of Elections; Orleans Hub calculations.

Board of Elections staff had ballots printed for a 50 percent turnout in towns with town elections, as well as a hotly contested sheriff’s election between Chris Bourke and Brett Sobieraski. Elections printed ballots for a 45 percent turnout in towns without town positions on the ballot.

Murray not only had the sheriff’s race, but a battle for town supervisor Robert Miller and Joe Sidonio, as well as three people seeking two spots on the Town Board. The councilman candidates included Neil Valentine, Lloyd Christ and Dirk Lammes.

Murray also had the biggest turnout about two years in the Republican primary at 42.2 percent. Sidonio and Miller again squared off in that primary, which didn’t include a countywide race.

Yates had the lowest turnout at 25.8 percent. That town didn’t have a primary for any town level positions.

Ridgeway had the second lowest turnout on Tuesday, despite a race for town supervisor and two other seats on the Town Board. Ridgeway, at 28.6 percent, and Yates were the only towns below a 30-percent turnout.

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