Residents cast their vote in the primary election at Lyman Community Center

Voters trickled in and out of the polls at the Lyman Community Center.

Poll workers stared arriving at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning, eager to have everything ready for voters. Julia Lemay is volunteering at the polls. It’s her second time doing so. “I think as a young person, it’s really important to get involved. It’s definitely our job to exercise our privilege to get to vote.”

The last election she worked was the 2020 Presidential Election. “Growing up, coming up, going to the election polls, I have never seen so many people show up. I saw the whole community come out.”

That election had a record high voter turnout. Today’s turnout is expected to be dim in comparison. Harrison County Circuit Clerk Connie Ladner said, “Normally for primary elections, 15 to 20 percent if we’re lucky.”

Poll workers and officials stress that if you want to see change, cast a ballot. “People will sometimes think our vote doesn’t matter, it doesn’t count, but these smaller elections are where we can make an impact on our community, even more so than a presidential election.”

“Oh, my goodness, with everything going on right now, there’s so many things. Gas prices. I think that it is important for voters to get out and take that extra effort to go and get out and if change is needed this is the day we can go and do that.”