By Tony McVeigh
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-931656.mp3
Frankfort, KY – Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson is predicting voter turnout next Tuesday of around 48 percent. He's basing that on similar turnout in 1998 and 2002, which also were non-presidential election years with U-S Senate races on the ballot.
"Clerks around the state are saying, yeah there's more interest as we get closer to the election, but in general they think interest is pretty low - that people are kind of turned off by some of the races - not just the top of the ticket, but at all different levels. So, we're not anticipating really high turnout. But we'll see!"
Grayson says voter turnout may be higher in cities like Louisville and Lexington, which have spirited mayoral elections on the ballot.
"Having an open mayor's race - the campaign that the two candidates have run - the effort that they're putting into it. I suspect that Louisville will be a little bit higher. Lexington could be. Again you have a competitive mayor's race there. You don't always have that."
Grayson says many counties still need more poll workers for next Tuesday's election. And he says it's not too late to offer your services.
"No, it's not too late. If anybody's interested in helping out and getting paid - it's not just volunteer - contact their local county clerk office. But we're always in need of some and some counties even if they have their full complement want to have a few more alternates because there's always things that happen, where people get sick."
Turnout in Kentucky was around 48 percent in 1998 and 2002, and those too were non-presidential election years with U.S. Senate races on the ballot. Turnout for the 2008 presidential election in Kentucky was 64 percent.