Camden County sees low voter turnout in election

SUNRISE BEACH, Mo. (KY3) - Voter turnout is typically pretty low in April.

Meet Forrest Houston, or as many around here know him as Buck.

”My dad hung his name on me. When I was two years old, his nickname was Bob. So his boy so he says it has to start with a B,” said Forrest Houston.

He has been a polling judge for about a decade.

”Get tired of being bored and been at home and, you know, retired you can you get bored,“ said Buck.

So he has spent most of his day checking people in before they vote.

Even April ones which historically are low. Rowland Todd, the Camden County clerk says that is no surprise...but he still wishes it wasn’t true.

”People question Why can’t you get more voters out? No, unfortunately, how can we? I mean, we can’t drag them to the polls to do it,“ said Todd.

He says the April election is really important.

”If you look at your taxes, a lot of your money goes to the school, which they need it. I mean, people just don’t get out for it. Unless there are some heated races,” said Todd.

It wouldn’t be election day without something going wrong.

”Well, with our iPad. They’re pulling the absentee voters from November, for some reason. First thing we did this morning was call to next is the company and they have not gotten back to us,“ said Todd.

He says they have it under control.

”When somebody comes in vote, that pops up, call us, we will check the mainframe, which is what I call them CVR. And to make sure, now, if it shows that they have not voted absentee in April, go ahead and give them a ballot. Because the date we want them to vote, but there’s no double voting going on,“ said Todd.

For Buck, he says it is a sense of.

”accomplishment makes me feel like, you know, I’m trying. I’m working for the government a little bit, you know, kind of help the government out. I don’t know whether it matters or not,” says Buck.

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