November Theatre
November 5, 2007
Daniel Rodrigue, Sr.
November 7, 2007(AP) Early voting for the Nov. 17 election runs through Saturday, but election officials said this election may not generate the same level of early voter turnout seen before the Oct. 20 primary.
Early voting will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day at registrar of voters offices in all parishes. Unlike the old absentee voting system, voters do not have to provide a reason to cast a ballot before election day.
Secretary of State Jay Dardenne said 141,142 registered voters, about 5 percent of the state’s total, cast early ballots in the primary.
“I don’t think you will have the turnout for the November race like we saw for the October elections, either for early voting” or on election day, Dardenne said.
A ballot with fewer races is one reason why less voting is expected. The October ballot featured more than 1,100 races while the November one has 306, Dardenne spokesman Jacques Berry said.
There is only one statewide race, the runoff for attorney general, and a sprinkling of hot local races on the ballot.
The statewide primary in October drew 46 percent of all voters, with the lowest turnout in New Orleans at 27.2 percent, and the highest in St. James Parish at 66.3 percent.
