More Marion County voters make their way to the poll for the primaries

Jill Sheridan

The City County Building is also a polling site. (Ben Thorp/WFYI)

Preliminary numbers show more Marion County residents voted this year in the primary election.

In 2019 about 54,000 people voted, and this week about 79,000 people were counted. That represents a four percent increase, to more than 12 percent of registered voters.

Municipal primary elections traditionally have low turnout. In the 2020 general election, more than 54 percent voted.

The local elections included crowded races for mayor and city-county council seats. Political experts agreed that the end of slating in Marion County increased the number of candidates and gave voters more options, which could have influenced residents' decision to vote.

More than 12,000 people voted early at satellite centers this year, compared to about 2,500 in 2019.

The move to open up early voting, and a greater awareness of the option because of the pandemic, may have increased that voter total.

The county is also using vote centers now, where county residents can cast a ballot at any location.

The general election is Nov. 7.

Contact WFYI city government and policy reporter Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @JillASheridan.

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