Polk County’s 2014 primary turned out the least voters in at least a few years at 14.4 percent, according to unofficial election results.
Polk had a total of 2,212 residents vote in the Tuesday, May 6 primary. Of the total, 938 voted early and 1,274 voted on Election Day.
Polk has 15,352 registered voters, with republicans leading the county at 5,368. There are 5,166 unaffiliated registered voters, 4,760 registered democrats and 58 registered libertarians.
This year’s turnout was more than two and ½ times less than the 2012 primary election, which was the last presidential election year.
In 2012, Polk County turned out 36.06 percent of its registered voters for the primary.
The last non-presidential election year was 2010, when Polk County voted 17.83 percent of its registered voters in the primary. In 2008, another presidential year, Polk turned out 36.77 percent of its registered voters for the primary.
Final unofficial election results were released last week with Polk County narrowing eight candidates down to six candidates for three board of commissioner seats.
All three incumbents, Ray Gasperson (D), Keith Holbert (R) and Ted Owens (R) won the primary along with newcomers Bill Ingham (D), Shane Bradley (R) and Lee Mink (D).
Gasperson was the overall high vote getter with a total of 877 votes, followed by Ingham with 843 votes, Holbert with 787 votes, Bradley with 740 votes, Owens with 731 votes and Mink with 720 votes, according to the Polk County Board of Elections.
Jake Johnson (R) and Kenneth Brady (D) did not win bids for commissioner with Johnson receiving 631 votes and Brady receiving 406 votes.
Gasperson won the most townships, gaining the most votes in Columbus 7, Green Creek and White Oak. Gasperson won Columbus 7 with 119 votes with Ingham following with 114 votes. Gasperson won Green Creek with 133 votes followed by Ingham with 124 and Owens with 123 votes. Gasperson also won White Oak with 79 votes with Holbert following with 69 votes.
Holbert, who won the most republican votes, won the townships of Coopers Gap and Columbus 8. Holbert won Coopers Gap with 95 votes followed by Owens with 94 votes. Holbert won Columbus 8 with 172 votes with Bradley following with 153 votes.
Bradley won Saluda with 102 votes followed by Johnson with 101 votes.
Ingham won Tryon with 297 votes followed by Gasperson with 280 votes.
The Polk County Board of Elections will do the canvassing of the votes on Tuesday, May 13 to make the votes official.

Final unofficial result:

Total votes:

Ray Gasperson (D)     877
Bill Ingham (D)     843
Keith Holbert (R)     787
Shane Bradley (R)     740
Teddy (Ted) Owens (R)     731
Jake Johnson (R)     631
Lee Mink (D)     720
Kenneth Brady (D)     406