An extremely preliminary count released by the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) suggests that turnout is low today. Very, VERY low.
MCDCC has collected turnout counts as of 10 AM on their website for 182 of the county’s 243 precincts. Those 182 precincts saw 12,267 Democratic voters. That projects out to between 16,000 and 17,000 voters for the morning if these precincts are representative. In the 2006 MoCo primary, 94,351 Democrats voted on election day.
Now, there are several issues to be considered. First, early voting did not exist in 2006 (though we hear that has been low too). Second, most voting occurs in the evening. Third, there will be lots of absentees and provisionals to be counted.
But consider this. In 2006, 2,695 total people – including Democrats, Republicans, members of other parties and unaffiliated voters – cast votes in Leisure World on election day. As of 10 AM this morning, only 373 people had voted there. In 2006, 1,062 people voted in Precinct 5-05 (Springbrook High School in Silver Spring). As of 10 AM today, 124 people voted there. In 2006, 826 people voted in Precinct 5-12 (Paint Branch High School in Burtonsville). As of 10 AM today, 128 people voted there. And in 2006, 813 people voted in Precinct 13-51 (Rock Creek Valley Elementary School in Rockville). As of 10 AM today, 116 people voted there.
Yes, there are lots of uncertainties in these very early turnout numbers, but they confirm the question that some of our spies are asking: where are all the voters?