ONEONTA _ Nearly half of all registered voters in the city of Oneonta cast ballots in the last mayoral election in 2005.
What's in store for today?
"I hope turnout's high. I think that makes for better government and better democracy," said Laurel Elder, a Hartwick College political science professor and member of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of The Oneonta Area.
But Elder said voter turnout, especially when measured by the eligible voting population and not by registered voters, will _ as with most local races _ likely be low.
"A ton of people aren't registered to vote," Elder said.
Many college students who could vote in Oneonta may be registered to vote in their hometowns, she added.
Actual turnout could end up being less than 30 percent of all eligible voters, Elder said.
The city had 5,592 registered to vote locally April 1 out of a population of about 13,200. The city has about 7,300 college students.
Elder said there are three exciting candidates in the race and that could lead to a better turnout this year than in past elections.
"People should care about local elections. It affects their lives," Elder said.
Fewer absentee ballots were issued for this year's vote than in 2005, according to the Otsego County Board of Elections.
There were 168 absentee ballots issued that year, which resulted in a win by Democrat John Nader against then-Seventh Ward Alderman Sean Farrell, a Republican.
For this year's mayoral race among State University College at Oneonta senior Jason Corrigan, Third Ward Alderman Erik Miller and former Hartwick College President Richard P. Miller Jr., there have been 142 absentee ballots issued, according to the Board of Elections.
Absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Monday's date and received by the board by Nov. 10.
The city had 2,537 Democrats and 1,486 Republicans as of April 1, the most recent figures available, according to the state Board of Elections.
The balance of 1,569 consisted of third-party and unaffiliated voters.
Primary voter turnout is traditionally lower than the general election, especially for local races.
For the Democratic primary Sept. 15 between Corrigan and Richard Miller, 24 percent of registered Democrats voted. It was the first primary for mayor since at least the early 1960s. Richard Miller won that contest with 77 percent of the vote.
With Erik Miller the sole Republican petitioning to get on the ballot, there was no GOP mayoral primary.
About 47 percent _ or 2,483 _ of registered voters turned out for the 2005 mayoral election, which Nader won with 61 percent of the vote.
In 2001 and by a vote of 1,277 to 374, Kim Muller defeated independent candidate Joseph Lipari by a 3-to-1 margin to win a second term in office. There were 832 fewer voters in that race than in 2005.
The 2008 presidential election had a statewide 58 percent turnout among registered voters.
One obstacle to better voter turnout in New York state is that a voter must be registered 25 days before an election, Elder said.
Some states allow same-day voter registration, giving unregistered voters a chance to participate after becoming interested in the race in the final few weeks, she added.
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