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HARTINGTON – Cedar County led the entire state in voting last week.
Cedar County Clerk Jessica Schmit said 86.83 percent of the county’s registered voters turned in a general election ballot.
Schmit said the all-mail election process here helps, but it’s more than just that.
“I think our voter turnout speaks volumes to the people simply wanting to take part in the democratic process and voicing their opinion,” she said, adding that, “holding the election entirely by mail certainly helps.”
Schmit said her staff wanted to make sure everyone that wanted to vote had that opportunity.
“My entire office worked diligently to make sure all eligible voters received their ballot.”
Of Cedar County’s 13 precincts, three had over 90 percent of eligible voters return ballots.
The highest voter turnout in Cedar County — 90.5 percent — was in precinct 10, which is located just north and west of Randolph and includes Magnet.
Precincts five and 12 had the next highest voter turnout with 90.4 percent.
Precinct five is located between Hartington and Coleridge and runs east of Coleridge to the Dixon County border. Precinct 12 takes in the Belden area.
Residents in precinct 10 and five were able to vote on Randolph’s school bond proposal. The lowest voter turnout in the county was recorded in the Laurel area where all the local candidates were unopposed for election. Schmit said 83.2 percent of the voters in precinct 13 cast ballots in the election. Schmit said she enjoyed going through her first general election as Cedar County Clerk.
“It is fun and rewarding to see the process all the way through. From accepting candidate filings all the way back in January, through the primary, and now the general,” she said. “I have learned a lot. I have made notes on processes we can improve upon and look forward to the next election cycle.”
Schmit said the canvassing board will meet this Wednesday to go over the results and certify the election.
