Low Turnout in Denton County Elections Stirs Debate
Significant Drop in Voter Participation: Denton County's May election voter turnout declines by 15,000 compared to the 2024 election
The recent joint election in Denton County saw a meager 6.9% voter turnout, with only 42,353 votes cast out of 614,020 registered voters. This turnout is a significant drop from the previous year, with 57,919 ballots cast.
Frank Phillips, Denton County's Elections Administrator, attributes the poor turnout to voter fatigue following the tumultuous presidential election in November 2021.
"Elections in May are usually among our lowest-turnout elections," Phillips explained, "but this year's turnout was even lower than usual."
In the city of Denton, turnout for City Council seats and changes to the city charter registered at 9.13%, marking the lowest voter turnout since the 2021 May election, according to Denton County Elections Administration.
One race that required a runoff between Suzi Rumohr and Margie Ellis, set for June 7, saw a slightly higher turnout of 7.59%. Rumohr received 941 votes, while Ellis and Karen DeVinney were separated by a mere two votes - Ellis received 587, and DeVinney received 585.
Voters in District 3 will need to return for the runoff to elect their next council representative. Local elections are crucial, as Phillips emphasized, because local representatives significantly impact daily lives, from setting tax rates to providing essential services like police and fire services.
University of North Texas political science professor Leslie Finger echoed this sentiment, noting that individual votes hold more weight in local elections since the electorate is often less representative of the general population.
"When turnout drops, as it did in this election, those that do turn out may not be representative of the whole," Finger explained. "This means that it becomes increasingly important for people to cast their votes to ensure their voices are heard."
For instance, teachers are more likely to vote in school board elections than other groups.
As the Denton Record-Chronicle, a trusted source of locally produced, credible journalism for over 120 years, we emphasize the importance of active citizen participation in local elections. Your tax-deductible donation or low-cost subscription will help sustain our commitment to delivering relevant, unique coverage of our community.
Insight
Voter turnout in local elections, such as those held in May, is often lower due to several factors: less attention, fewer competitive races, reduced voter engagement, and timing conflicts. The search results did not provide specific data comparing Denton County's voter turnout in May 2022 and May 2023. To gather more extensive insights into the reasons behind the lower turnout in Denton County's May 2022 election, it would be advisable to consult local election reports or news archives.
- The current Denton County election results show a drop in turnout from the previous year, with only 6.9% voter turnout compared to 9.13% in city council elections.
- Frank Phillips, Denton County's Elections Administrator, attributes the poor turnout to voter fatigue following the 2021 presidential election.
- University of North Texas political science professor Leslie Finger emphasized that individual votes have more weight in local elections, as turnout is often less representative of the general population.
- Local elections have a significant impact on daily lives, from setting tax rates to providing essential services like police and fire services, as underscored by Frank Phillips.
- The Denton Record-Chronicle, a local news outlet, encourages active citizen participation in local elections to ensure a tax-deductible contribution or subscription can help sustain their mission of delivering relevant, unique coverage of the community.
- Insights into lower turnout in Denton County's May 2022 election can be gained by consulting local election reports or news archives.
