According to figures provided by the Rice County Elections staff Nerstrand unofficially led the county in voter turnout Tuesday with 41.3 percent of registered voters casting ballots.  20.7 percent of registered Faribault voters cast ballots in the Primary Election.  In 1994 Faribault had a 51 percent turnout for a Primary because there were some local races to determine for the General Election.  The Rice County turnout this year was approximately 25.2 percent.

Northfield turnout unofficially was approximately 32 percent with Ward 1 Precinct 2 voters leading the way at 41.1 percent.  The polling place for that precinct was the United Methodist Church.  Ward 4 Precinct 2 (St. Olaf College Buntrock Commons) had the lowest turnout in the county with 3.1 percent of registered voters casting ballots.

In Faribault Precinct 2 (Washington Center) had the best turnout at 22 percent and the lowest turnout was seen in Precinct 1 (Curtis Hall 4-H Building on the Fairgrounds) at 19 percent.  Rice County did have a record number of people vote absentee.

The no excuse needed absentee voting started in 2016 and that year in Rice County 179 people took advantage of the convenience.  This year 1,124 absentee ballots were accepted.  Numbers are similar in the surrounding counties we checked.  Steele County had approximately 400 accepted absentee ballots this year compared to 171 in 2016.  Goodhue County had 700 absentee ballots accepted this year and 350 in 2016.

Dodge County had a 18 percent turnout.  Goodhue County didn't have the total number of votes cast included in their information as of this posting.

Here are some other area voter turnouts:

  • Kenyon 225 total votes and 994 registered voters 22.6%
  • Wanamingo 134 total votes and 612 registered voters 21.8%
  • Goodhue 135 total votes cast and 590 registered voters 22.8%
  • Cannon Falls 269 total votes and 2,636 registered voters 10.2%
  • Pine Island 311 people voted and 1,567 registered voters 19.8%
  • Zumbrota  431 votes and 2,066 registered voters 20.9%
  • West Concord  77 votes and 434 registered voters 17.7%
  • Dodge Center 200 votes and 1,375 registered voters  14.5%

Some of the above numbers do not include voters registering on election day because the number was not provided.

Faribault Precinct 1 Ipad Check-In. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
Faribault Precinct 1 Ipad Check-In. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
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