Pulaski sees low voter turnout for 2024 Primary

May 21—It was a relatively quiet Primary Election Day in Pulaski County — but that was due to a largely empty ballot.

Pulaski County saw a voter turnout of only 11.9 percent, factoring in not only those who went to the polls on Tuesday but also enjoyed early and absentee voting as well.

"It is low, but that was not unexpected, because there just weren't many choices," said Pulaski County Clerk Tim Price. "This fall, that will dramatically change."

That's because November will represent a presidential showdown between former U.S. President Donald Trump and incumbent Joe Biden for the White House, and presidential elections always bring out big numbers — particularly in Pulaski County.

Already, Trump enjoyed success, as he was the highest vote-getter in Pulaski County, earning 4,936 votes or 89.24 percent of the Republican Primary vote locally. That was more than U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, who got 4,490 votes in his own Primary race among Pulaski voters, or 83.03 percent.

That helped Rogers win the Republican Primary for Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District, his 23rd consecutive nomination. Somerset resident Rogers has been in Congress since 1981, and is currently the Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives, or its longest serving member, as well as the longest-serving Kentucky ever elected to a federal office. Rogers is unopposed in the upcoming General Election.

"I'm honored to have the overwhelming confidence and support of folks across Southern and Eastern Kentucky," said Rogers in a statement released Tuesday evening. "Our nation needs strong, trusted leaders to push back against the Biden Administration and the extreme ideas that have deeply divided our country.

"With multiple crises at our door-step, I promise to do everything I can in Washington to strengthen and protect our homeland. We must secure our southern border and stop the flow of illegal drugs and dangerous criminals into our communities," he added. "We must address Bidenomics — rural American families simply can't take it anymore. And we must reassert our global stance that has been severely weakened by the Biden Administration.

"Despite the chaos across the country, we are overcoming longtime challenges in our region, including driving down overdose death rates, rebuilding stronger communities after the deadly Eastern Kentucky flood, creating new opportunities in our coal communities, and helping our next generation realize the American Dream and accomplish greater things than we ever imagined — like working on NASA missions," continued Rogers. "The mountain grit and integrity of our region inspires me everyday, and I'm proud to have the opportunity to continue serving the region that I call home."

Biden easily took the Democratic Primary nomination in Pulaski County as well, with 72.07 percent, or 516 votes. Notably, while Marianne Williamson and Dean Phillips were challengers, the next highest vote total among Democratic presidential options for Pulaskians was "Uncommitted," which got 114, or 15.92 percent — over double the next highest amount of votes (55 for Williamson).

Besides the presidential primaries and Rogers' Republican race, the only other ballot bids for Pulaski voters were the two Somerset City Council races with multiple challengers needed to get the field down to two candidates. Mike Honeycutt and Brannen Wheeldon came out of the Ward 3 race, and Jerry Girdler and Margaret Dick out of the race for Ward 5.

Overall, 6,314 ballots were cast in Pulaski County for the May 2024 Primary.