Voters turn out in droves across NEKY: Process described as 'smooth,' 'slick as a whistle'

Area voters flocked to the polls with various reasons for casting ballots — from simply exercising their rights to weighing in on local, state and national issues and races.

Presidential elections historically result in larger turnouts, and 2024 was no exception.

Even with record numbers of early voting, residents swarmed northeastern Kentucky polling places to continue their day-of traditions, too.

The Daily Independent spoke with voters in Boyd, Carter and Greenup counties about what drove them to the ballot boxes on Tuesday.

Boyd County

Poll workers from across the county said they were busy from open to close. The most traffic was evident early in the morning between 6 and 7, and then around lunch time — noon to 1 p.m.

Jerry Ross, of Catlettsburg, spoke for many Boyd Countians when he said Tuesday's voting process was "slick as a whistle."

"Not one hiccup," he said after voting inside the Boyd County Convention and Arts Center.

Ross and many other Boyd County folks had similar responses to the following question: What were the most important issues and/or races on the ballot this year?

"President," he said. "It's probably one of the most important (presidential elections) in my lifetime. The United States is in heck of a (bad) shape right now. ... I think we're on a downhill slide as the United States as I knew it."

Nola Davis, of Cannonsburg, agreed with Ross in terms of the weight this election carries.

She didn't shy away from revealing her presidential choice.

"I want Trump back in there because look at the prices of gas, groceries," Davis said. "They went in there and stopped that wall at the border; they stopped that gas line going, took so many jobs away from us. I don't know what it will be like with four more years. I worry about my children, my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren."

Sarah Craig decided her son should tag along with her to the Boyd County Convention and Arts Center.

"I know he thinks it's kind of boring, but I did think it was important to get him out and at least experience how it works," Craig said. "It's pretty painless. Everything was set up, laid out really well, well-organized. Even though it doesn't matter to him much right now, hopefully it'll become something that's important to him on down the line."

Craig said she noticed poll workers giving voters detailed instructions on what to do if anyone was confused.

While she did not divulge her preferences, Craig said she was ready for "a change of scenery."

"Let's start a new chapter," she said. "It's good to hit the reset button."

Craig Walters, of Summit, argued Amendments 1 and, specifically, 2 might be the most important item(s) on ballots across the commonwealth in November 2024.

Amendment 2 states as follows: "To give parents choices in educational opportunities for their children, are you in favor of enabling the General Assembly to provide financial support for the education costs of students in kindergarten through 12th grade who are outside the system of common (public) schools by amending the Constitution of Kentucky as stated below?

It is proposed that a new section be added to the Constitution of Kentucky to read as follows: The General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools. The General Assembly may exercise this authority by law, Sections 59, 60, 171, 183, 184, 186, and 189 of this Constitution notwithstanding."

"I had to get out there and cast a vote on that issue," Walters said. "Thing is, I think a lot of people are vastly misinformed on what these amendments are actually trying to do. There's a lot of propaganda around it, a lot of hype, a lot of fear-mongering, but when you actually sit down and read these bills and what that language actually says, it's almost a no-brainer.

"Everybody wants choices in their life," he added, "and it only makes sense to vote some choices in, especially when it comes to our kids' education because these days we're losing our top spot globally in education and everything else, and we've gotta do something about it."

Carter County

Despite a polarizing ballot and national-level debate, the mood was quite jovial across Carter County on Tuesday, even when voters were met with a line whereas in years past, they may have walked right into the ballot box.

At Tygart Creek Elementary School, serving as the polling location for approximately 1,000 registered voters, a classroom had been transformed to serve voters from the Sawmill and Upper Tygart precincts, accepting a steady stream of ballots around the lunch hour.

In the early afternoon, the steady stream continued eastward to West Carter Middle School, serving as the largest polling place for the west end of the county.

Around 2 p.m., lines had formed at the Eagle Hall, Brickyard and Olive Hill Courthouse precincts, designated to receive more than 2,200 registered voters.

According to poll workers assigned to the Olive Hill Courthouse precinct, those lines had remained consistent throughout the day, a visible difference from the turnout in the primaries earlier this year.

Outside, Jeff Ward and his father-in-law, Burt Williams, were on their way into the school's gymnasium.

Ward said he had already casted his ballot earlier on Tuesday, but wanted to ensure Williams was able to submit his vote, too.

Although both said they were merely exercising their civic duty, they both agreed that no matter which way a ballot is cast, the election process depended on voters showing up to the polls.

At East Carter Middle School, the spot serving the majority of the county's roughly 20,000 registered voters, Peggy and David King were adorned in patriotic attire, both of their shirts showcasing Old Glory.

When asked if any particular race on the ballot motivated their vote, Peggy King said, "We just want Trump to win," adding the couple had always voted in the past, and this year was nothing different.

Inside ECMS, poll workers from the Alpha Hall precinct said by 2 p.m., nearly 400 ballots had been cast with four hours still left to go.

"This is the biggest turnout I've ever worked," Carla Prater said, taking a break from scanning the ID's of voters from the courthouse precinct in the Grayson area of Carter County.

Dwight Parsons, a voter from the eastern part of the county, agreed with Prater, saying in the many elections he participated in, this year appeared to be a much larger turnout than he had previously encountered.

Marquetta Deerfield, stationed beside Prater as a poll worker, said even with "some nonsense" earlier in the day, the process was overall calm and efficient, even with the apparent uptick in voters across the whole county.

Greenup County

The line went out the door and to the end of the gymnasium at Russell High School on Tuesday morning.

"It has been heavy from the time we opened up at 6 a.m. It went out into the parking lot and all the way across the parking lot," Stephen Buyington, precinct sheriff at Russell High School, said.

However, despite the line, which was out the door most of the day, voters and poll workers said voting was smooth and efficient.

"Like clockwork, since we all did this not too long ago, with the primary elections, it's been going really smooth," Buyington said. "I'm happy with it, especially with the amount of people we've had."

"The process was great," Doris Eves, of Flatwoods, said after voting.

At the Raceland School Board, poll workers experienced steady flow of voters throughout the day.

"It's been pretty packed the whole time; we've had a pretty steady line the whole day," Tyler Moore, precinct sheriff, said. "There have been a lot of voters out today."

"It's went really smooth," Moore said. "It's been good."

The reasons voters turned out were mixed.

Several voters, including Zane Franz II, of Worthington, stressed it was their civic duty to vote.

"It's my constitutional duty to vote," Franz said.

Other voters also said exercising their rights was the motivation to go to the polls on Tuesday.

However, for Eves, the top of the ticket was her reason for voting.

"I'm for Trump," Eves said. "(I voted) for the United States of America to be right."