Hamilton County voters turning out despite rain

Staff photo by Ben Benton / Voter April Prestwood makes her way through a steady rain to the voting precinct at the Brainerd BX Tuesday morning.
Staff photo by Ben Benton / Voter April Prestwood makes her way through a steady rain to the voting precinct at the Brainerd BX Tuesday morning.

Early Super Tuesday turnout in Chattanooga appeared to be typical for a presidential primary despite heavy rains that started the day.

At precincts visited early Tuesday - Brainerd, Kingsport 1, 2 & 3 at Oakwood Baptist Church, and Hixson 1 & 2 at Hixson First Baptist - hurried primary voters seemed to number more Democrats than Republicans, but many wouldn't say which primary they were voting in.

At the Brainerd precinct at the Brainerd Baptist Crossroads, or BX, voters not long after polls opened at 8 a.m. encountered alternating downpours and drizzle as they headed to cast their ballots.

Richard Hyatt, the elections officer at the Brainerd precinct, said turnout Tuesday was about normal for a presidential primary even with the early rain.

"We're probably right on a usual turnout for us," Hyatt said. "We normally have 400-600. The last hour we had about 40 or so, so we're right on target."

Administrators elsewhere weren't willing to talk about turnout, but some voters heading into or out of their precincts stopped to chat.

As she went to cast her ballot, Brainerd precinct voter April Prestwood said she was voting in the Democratic primary but hadn't decided for whom. When she emerged from casting her ballot, she'd made her pick.

"I voted for Elizabeth Warren," Prestwood smiled. "I just love her."

Democratic primary voters seemed more plentiful, or at least more willing to talk.

At Kingspoint precincts 1, 2 & 3, John Jones and Charleen Nelson each voted in the Democratic primary, casting their ballots for Joe Biden, as a steady rain formed a small river across the parking lot.

Nelson said Biden was the best choice of the 15-candidate lineup on the Democratic ballot to face President Donald Trump.

"He's done good things when he was working with [President Barack] Obama," she said with a nod. "We've got to get Trump out, that's for sure."

Ken Gauthaman, who was voting at Hixson precincts 1 & 2 at Hixson Baptist Tuesday morning, said he usually cast his ballot during early voting but didn't because he hadn't made up his mind who would be able to beat the current president.

Other primary candidates didn't reflect Gauthaman's expectations, he said, and he didn't like the idea that money can buy an election.

Democratic primary voter Ron Pasch said he felt Biden was "the last moderate standing."

"Well, there's Bloomberg but he's a little late getting in the field," said Pasch, who has voted in virtually every election in the last 30 years.

Sharon Rawiszer cast her ballot at the Hixson precinct Tuesday morning in the Republican primary, selecting President Trump.

"Trump all day long, I love him," Rawiszer said with a smile. "I wish he could keep his mouth shut a little better, but I love him."

Rawiszer voted for Trump in the 2016 Republican primary and presidential elections, she said.

Democratic primary voter Charles Walker, also at the Hixson precinct, said he'd changed his mind from his initial candidate.

"I was going to vote for [Bernie] Sanders but I didn't think he can beat Trump, so I'm going with Biden," Walker said. "I just think we've got to get Trump out."

Walker said he has cast votes for candidates in both parties in the past.

"I usually go with the best man, and I myself think Trump hasn't done anything good," he said.

Jeff and Candace Goff were hurrying in at Hixson First Baptist to vote in the primary.

Jeff Goff said immediately that he was casting his vote for Trump, but his wife was keeping her vote close and wouldn't even say even which primary she was voting in.

"I believe [Trump] believes more in what we believe in," Jeff Goff said.

Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.

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