Turnout is brisk so far in primary

ALBION – The polls were busy in the first hour after voting started at noon today in the presidential primary. This photo shows Albion voters at Hoag Library.

Democrats are choosing between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders for president, while Republicans can pick Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, John Kasich or Ben Carson. (Carson has suspended his campaign, but he remains on the ballot.)

Orleans County Board of Elections officials are expecting a big turn out. They have ballots available for an 80 percent turnout. That would more than double the 38.2 percent turn-out rate in this past November’s election.

Today’s primary is highly unusual in New York. Normally the front-runners have their parties’ nominations locked up by the time New Yorkers vote in the primary. This time, the Democratic and Republican nominations remain up for grabs.

Several people were guarded about who they were voting for today when asked by the Orleans Hub. One Democrat said he has been a long-time Hillary Clinton supporter but recently switched to Bernie Sanders, although the voter said he has concern about Sanders’ age at 74.

That Democratic voter said Clinton has been entrenched in politics for too many years and has lost touch with working class people.

A Republican who used to be a local elected official said he favored Trump, but switched to Cruz about two weeks ago due to the Texas senator’s commitment to the Constitution. The local Republican voter said Trump has waffled too much, especially on issues with the Constitution.

Trump has been endorsed by the Orleans County Republican Party, while the local Democratic Party is backing Clinton.

Polls will be open to 9 p.m. and sites include:

Albion: Hoag Library, 134 S. Main St.
Barre: Town Hall, 14317 West Barre Rd.
Carlton: Town Hall, 14341 Waterport Carlton Rd.
Clarendon: Town Hall, 16385 Church St.
Gaines: Town Hall, 14087 Ridge Rd.
Kendall: Town Hall, 1873 Kendall Rd.
Murray: Holley Junior-Senior High School, 16848 Lynch Rd., Holley
Ridgeway: (Districts 1, 3, 6-7) Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Co., 11392 Ridge Rd.
(Districts 2, 4-5) Ridgeway Town Hall, 410 West Ave.
Shelby: Town Hall, 4062 Salt Works Rd.,
Yates: Town Hall, 8 South Main St.