re: tOfficial Mississippi Republican Primary check-in thread

12:45 a.m. (edit note- obviously should be 12:45 p.m.)

In Flowood, voter turnout is heavy at some precincts, and people believe it's at least in part because of the Republican primary between incumbent US Senator Thad Cochran and state Senator Chris McDaniel.

Voters frown on the contentious tone the election has taken on, however.

Willie Green, a Flowood voter, said the controversy could have caused a hit on voter numbers, though.

"I'm not sure it's getting people out to vote. Some will take it negatively and won't vote," he said. "We've got to vote regardless. Vote your conviction regardless."

Beth Perry said the Cochran/McDaniel race has become too negative for her taste, but she came out to vote anyway.

"I think they've put too much bad stuff, they've made it a bad election instead of something that's supposed to be good," she said. "That's not good. That hasn't helped anyone."

Jo Bowden said she thought the back-and-forth between some of the candidates is unpleasant, but may have boosted voter numbers.

"It's a lot of stuff surrounding it, but it's getting people out to vote and that's the important thing," said Bowden.

Having served in the Army during the Korean War, Ray Millett said he votes in every election.

'"I think every election is important, I don't care if it's dog catcher or whatever. I'm a Korean War veteran, a combat veteran, and I happen to believe that I was over there for a reason and I believe that reason is to protect our rights that we have that a lot of other countries don't have," he said. "Elect the people you want to represent you. I don't care if it's raining or storming or whatever it is, I think everybody needs to get out and vote."

Jean Staton was voting on her break from working as a poll worker at another poll. She said she votes because she wants to have a say in who is making decisions that affect citizens on every level.

"I vote because I care about what goes on, and I think everybody should vote," she said. "It's important decisions that these guys have to make."

Karen Reed, the precinct manager at Castlewoods West 216, said the turnout has been heavier than she expected.

"I didn't think there would be quite this many people," she said. "It has been pretty steady all morning."

- Therese Apel/The Clarion-Ledger


This is good objective poll site reporting, because it quotes 4 voters without identifying who any of them voted for. In most election-day stories like this, who the interviewees voted for is almost always included. Most such news stories tend to favor one candidate or the other in voter responses.

(Want to assure you that I followed the rules and did not participate in the update/downvote poll).