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Another election, another case of low voter turnout.
According to the office of West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner, statewide voter turnout for Tuesday's primary election was just 30 percent. That's less than one in three registered voters in the state taking the time to be part of the process of electing candidates.
Counties in the Northern Panhandle fared little better.
Starting at the top of the state, Hancock County had 28.2 percent turnout, Brooke County had 32 percent turnout and Ohio County saw 40.1 percent turnout.
Sadly, turnout was this low despite every county having contested elections.
Things were not a lot better in the March 19 Ohio primary, when 22.22 percent of the state's registered voters cast ballots. Jefferson County saw a turnout of 22.81 percent, according to Secretary of State Frank LaRose. In Harrison County, turnout was 31.57 percent; in Columbiana County turnout was 27.36 percent; in Carroll County, turnout was 26.76 percent; and in Belmont County turnout was 26.7 percent.
Voters who live in our part of Ohio will have a chance to go to the polls on June 11, when Republican Michael Rulli faces off against Democrat Michael Kripchak in the special election to fill the remainder of the current term in Ohio's 6th Congressional District. The seat came open in January when Bill Johnson resigned from the House of Representatives to become president of Youngstown State University.
Kripchak and Rulli will meet again in the Nov. 5 general election with the full two-year term that begins this coming January on the line.
Early voting began Tuesday, and while it is too late to register to vote in that election, you will have until Oct. 7 to register to vote in November.
There will be a lot to decide in that election -- local races will include two of the three Jefferson County commissioner seats, for example, as well as mayor and all seats on City Council in Weirton. Races in Ohio -- featuring longtime incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican challenger Bernie Moreno -- and in West Virginia -- featuring Republican Jim Justice and Democrat Glenn Young -- could help determine which party gains control of the U.S. Senate.
And, oh yes, we will have the chance to re-elect a president -- no matter which of the two major party candidates wins.
None of the talk or anticipation will mean a thing, though, if you don't vote.
Based on results from the primaries, there's plenty of room for area residents to do better in November. Voting is core to being an engaged citizen who is working to better your community -- plan to make your voice heard.