On Tuesday, voters headed to the polls to cast their ballot for local and statewide candidates.
While primaries typically see fewer voters than on election day, turnout may be higher this year, largely due to the state auditor’s race.
In June, a Kent County jury found Auditor Kathy McGuiness guilty of three misdemeanors − conflict of interest, structuring and official misconduct − in connection with an investigation that began in spring 2020. Last month, a judge upheld the two guilty verdicts against McGuiness for hiring her daughter, but threw out a separate misdemeanor conviction for rigging a state contract in an illegal manner.
McGuiness, who is the only statewide-elected official in Delaware’s history to be charged with and found guilty by a jury of crimes while in office, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. She’s also refused to step down, despite calls for her to do so.
BACKGROUND:State auditor has two criminal guilty verdicts upheld, one tossed ahead of election
Her opponent Lydia York has been endorsed by the state Democratic Party, with the party on Tuesday again tweeting its support of York. It urged residents to vote for York to “restore integrity to the auditor’s office.”
While this race may be the most-watched, Tuesday’s primary includes more than a dozen General Assembly races and a number of local elections. Many longtime state lawmakers face challengers.
Polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Here’s what voters had to say throughout the day.
Rehoboth Beach Fire Station, Rehoboth Beach
McGuiness was one of the first in line to vote at Rehoboth Beach Fire Station in Sussex County Tuesday morning. Voting was delayed a short while as a result of a severe thunderstorm that had passed through the area earlier in the morning.
McGuiness greeted other voters in line and put up signs as she waited and as election workers got ready to welcome voters.
By 10:30 a.m., the crowd had thinned out. Campaigners for Russ Huxtable were all smiles as the sun finally made an appearance following a cloudy morning.
Springer Middle School, Talleyville
Springer Middle School in Talleyville was largely quiet Tuesday morning, with only two people voting around 8:45 a.m. About 45 minutes later, several more people were casting their vote, though poll workers outnumbered voters.
Hodgson Vo-Tech High School, Glasgow
At about 9:15 a.m., a handful of people could be seen trickling in and out of Hodgson Vo-Tech. Five poll workers inside the school waited for voters to continue filtering in, with one saying the morning’s crowd had been steady so far.
Candidate signs line the school’s driveway and entrance. A woman, sporting a shirt in support of Eric Morrison, sat in a blue folding chair outside the school, occasionally talking to those who voted.
Elsmere Fire Company Hall, Elsmere
Just after 10 a.m., the liquor store that shares the parking with Elsmere’s polling location was busier than the polling place itself. Poll workers said 21 people had voted but they were expecting more after daytime work hours.
They noted that early voting had also impacted in-person voting numbers.
Cape Henlopen High School, Lewes
While traffic was slightly backed up on Kings Highway heading to Cape Henlopen High School, the polling site had a steady flow of voters a little bit after 11 a.m.
One poll worker said she was surprised by the great turnout, but if she had one reminder for voters, it would be to double-check their polling place. Because voting districts changed, some people showed up at the wrong site, she said.
Even with a little bustle at Cape Henlopen High − including some high school seniors getting their portraits taken − the voting process was quick and required almost no wait.
Downes Elementary School, Newark
Auditor candidate Lydia York stood outside Downes Elementary School in Newark to greet the slow trickle of voters coming to cast their ballots at 11:30 a.m. She’d already visited polling places in Lewes and Dover and planned to travel to locations in New Castle and Wilmington later in the day.
Turnout in Sussex County wasn’t great Tuesday morning because of storms, York said, but voter participation has been consistent overall − an impressive feat, considering it’s an off-year primary.
“This is kind of tough to get folks out for, but I think broadly speaking that it’s a good turnout,” York said.
She expects greater turnout as election day progresses and people get off work. And while she’ll have to wait until the official results come in to say for certain, she said the expressions of voters she’s encountered so far have her feeling hopeful.
If she ends up losing the race to McGuiness, York said a lack of awareness of the primary and less focus on the news − especially that of the legal case surrounding McGuiness − may be the reasons. Either way, “the rest of the mechanism government’s going to have to wheel into action.”
Dover High School, Dover
You could count on one hand the number of voters at North Dover Elementary School a few minutes before 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
Polling inspector Arthur Paul, who oversees the voting process and the other election officials, said traffic had been light all day.
For those who still hadn’t voted in the primary, Paul encouraged them to not snooze on the opportunity.
“If you vote, you get a chance to say something about what’s happening,” he said. “Otherwise, you shouldn’t be saying anything.”
Reporters Krys’tal Griffin, Hannah Edelman, Anitra Johnson, Andre Lamar, Emily Lytle and Meredith Newman contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Return to delawareonline.com for updates.
