Low student-voter turnout characterized Tuesday’s election in which Interim Ald. Tom Powell, District 5, and challenger Ron Rosner earned the chance to face off in the spring District 5 special election.
Rosner received 53 percent of the total votes, with 323 votes, and Powell received 39 percent of the total — 238 votes.
Wintford Thornton, the third candidate on the ballot, received 45 votes, claiming just seven percent of the total.
The special election, called to fill the District 5 seat after Jessy Tolkan resigned last spring, is the only City Council race this year and was Tuesday’s only primary election in a student-populated district among four county board primaries and several school board races.
Tuesday’s primaries received even lower voter turnout than expected all over Dane County. County Clerk Joe Parisi said a seven percent voter turnout was expected countywide, but that actual numbers indicated a turnout as low as five percent.
“February primaries have typically lower turnouts,” Parisi said. “They just aren’t as intense [as a regular election.]”
Seven people cast votes in ward 62, which includes the lakeshore residence halls. Other wards with higher populations of non-students saw higher turnouts.
Rosner said the low turnout in student wards indicate low student interest in the race. He said one of his upcoming campaign priorities is to reach out to student voters.
“Students are not taking advantage of their vote,” Rosner said.
Planning to register his campaign as a student organization, Rosner said he hopes to gain access to the Lakeshore residence halls and inform students about the upcoming council district race.
“I would love to speak with [students],” Rosner said. “Their vote turnout indicates the election is not a high priority right now.”
Earlier Tuesday, Tom Powell said as of 4 p.m. only four people out of the Lakeshore dorm area had voted, and only 27 voters went to the polls from the Eagle Heights area.
“The campus had a pathetic turnout today,” Powell said.
Thornton was unavailable for comment.
The District 5 spring election will be held April 2.
