Directors of the boards of elections in Trumbull and Mahoning counties lowered their already low turnout expectations for this primary, saying there is nothing on the ballot that seems to interest voters.

“I thought with the Warren charter amendment and mayor’s race more people would come out, but that hasn’t been the case,” said Stephanie Penrose, director of the Trumbull County Board of Elections.

Early voting started April 4, but it wasn’t until this past Monday that more than 100 people came to the Trumbull board during a single day to cast in-person early ballots.

The early vote in Mahoning is even less than that.

“We get more people who can’t vote (because there’s no races in their communities) coming to vote early than we do people who can vote,” Tom McCabe, director of the Mahoning County Board of Elections, said.

Before last week, the Mahoning board was averaging about five early in-person voters per day, McCabe said. It picked up in the final days of early vo ting, but not by much, he said.

“There isn’t a lot of interest in the races that are on the ballot,” McCabe said.

Before early voting started, Penrose predicted turnout in Trumbull at 15 percent, and McCabe expected it to be 20 percent in Mahoning.

Both lowered their projections to 12 percent and said it could be even less than that.

“I don’t feel confident in my prediction,” Penrose said.

Turnout during odd-numbered primaries in the area is typically poor.

In the 2021 primary, turnout in Trumbull was 8.87 percent and 13.99 percent in Mahoning. In the 2019 primary, turnout was 14.68 percent in Trumbull and 10.77 percent in Mahoning. During that primary, there was a countywide sales tax on the ballot in Mahoning County.

In 2017, turnout in Trumbull was 15.86 percent and 19.34 percent in Mahoning.

There isn’t a Republican primary in Mahoning County. The only Democratic candidates running in contested races are three city council seats in Youngstown and Struthers Municipal Court judge. The court includes Struthers, Lowellville, New Middletown, Springfield Township and Poland Village and Township.

“I thought the Struthers Municipal Court race might attract interest, but it really isn’t,” McCabe said.

There also are three tax issues, including two in Beaver, and three liquor options on the ballot in Mahoning County.

“There’s no interest in places with issues and liquor options,” McCabe said.

In Trumbull, the races that were expected to attract voters were in Warren for mayor, municipal court judge and a charter amendment that changes the form of government in the city as well as 28 candidates vying for 15 seats on a charter review commission if the amendment is approved.

But Penrose said early turnout in person and mail requests “have been fairly light. It’s not what I expected.”

Penrose emphasized that Republicans and Democrats can vote for the charter amendment and for members of the charter review commission, and that even those who vote against the amendment should decide on commission members in case the proposal passes.

There also are Democratic primaries for Girard mayor, Niles council at large and Warren council’s 5th Ward. There are primaries in Newton Falls for the 1st and 2nd wards on village council with the top two finishers moving to the general election. There also are two candidates running for Newton Falls mayor, but the village charter states that the top two finishers for any elected seats in a primary automatically advance to the general election, so the results of that primary will be only for bragging rights.

There also are five local tax issues and a Maplewood school levy on the Trumbull ballot.

“Places with just issues are not turning out as strong as those with candidates,” Penrose said.

Regarding the cost of this primary, that is picked up entirely by local governments with candidates and / or issues on the ballot, Penrose and McCabe said.

“In odd-year elections, the cost is charged back to the local entities,” Penrose said.

VOTING

Today from 1 to 5 p.m. is the last day of early in-person voting.

A new voting law, that took effect this year, eliminates early voting on the Monday before an election.

A photo identification is needed to vote at polling locations.

Forms of ID that were acceptable in past elections but no longer are valid include bank statements, utility bills, pay stubs, government checks or the last four digits of a person’s Social Security number.

To vote, a person needs one of the following: a driver’s license, a state ID card, a passport, a passport card or a military ID.

But those who requested absentee ballots by mail could use either their driver’s license ID number or the last four digits of their Social Security number to vote.

The new policy has drawn criticism from various groups including military veterans, out-of-state college students and senior citizens concerned they won’t be permitted to vote. The policy came in response to claims of widespread fraud and persistent conspiracy theories over the accuracy of elections.

It wasn’t an issue with any early voters in Mahoning and Trumbull counties as they all provided a proper photo ID, Penrose and McCabe said.

The polls are open Tuesday from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.