County voter turnout strong despite few contested races

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 13 November 2012 15:25

Dan Holub (left) and Gary Lewis, opposing candidates for the District 2 Marion County Commission seat, share a friendly handshake during vote tabulation Tuesday evening, Nov. 6, at the courthouse in Marion. Holub won re-election for a third term by receiving just over 57 percent of the vote. Their race was one of the few contested races on the 2012 ballot. Even so, about 73 percent of the county’s registered voters turned out.

The percentage of Marion County voters casting ballots at this year’s presidential election didn’t quite beat the percentage four years ago, but officials said the turnout was good.

Carol Maggard, county clerk and election officer, said that of the 7,713 registered voters, 5,458 ballots were counted for a 73 percent overall turnout.

“The only higher percentage in recent years was 2008 with 76 percent of voters going to the polls,” she said.

A presidential election always attracts a higher turnout, she said.

In the race for Commission District 2, incumbent Dan Holub retained his seat for a third four-year term with 1,048 votes against independent candidate Gary Lewis with 781.

Goals in third term

Holub wanted to thank the voters and also his challenger.

“Opposition is necessary to make the (democratic) system work,” he said. “Look at the ballot. Other than national races, there were no choices—check a block and that was the end of it.

“I always figure an incumbent has to justify what he did, and if voters didn’t like it, they could vote another way.”

In his third term, Holub said the county has about 25 miles of road projects left to do.

“Remington (Road) is the last big (project) and then Lost Springs and Ramona,” he said. “After that, the county needs to maintain (the roads).”

“(The commission) feels good about Peabody and Goessel roads,” he said.

Holub said the county also needs to continue economic development efforts.

“It’s about getting people to come to Marion County,” he said.

Holub expressed concern about being available to businesses that may consider relocating in the county.

“Imagine if a radio station would have come in (with the problems involving antennas for the new jail),” he said.

When Holub was elected eight years ago, he said the county wasn’t even on the Web site, except for Hillsboro, which had one small item.

That has changed, though, he said with what communities are doing in the county today. Examples, Holub said, include the grocery store in Tampa and work being done in Burns.

“No big government grants are out there,” he said, adding that communities are going to have to do economic development themselves.

Learning experience

Lewis said he wanted to thank the voters for supporting him. “I met a lot of nice people going door-to-door (in this campaign) and it was great,” he said.

Lewis said he might try running again, but he still plans on being involved in city and county issues.

The Nov. 6 races were also the last ones Maggard will be involved with as the county’s election officer. She plans to retire in January.

Tina Spencer, of Peabody, ran unopposed to succeed her and received 4,579 votes.