Although fewer voters went to the polls in Tuesday's local Albemarle County elections than in last year's midterm elections, the voter turnout was slightly higher than the previous two state legislature elections held in 2007 and 2003.
Voter turnout in Albemarle County was nearly 41 percent, and 26 percent in the City of Charlottesville.
This year's voter turnout is 2 percent higher than the 2007 local election and 9 percent higher than the 2003 election, said Jake Washburne, general registrar of Albemarle County.
Despite the increase, Washburne said the turnout was still "disappointingly low." He added that the turnout was typical for a local election.
The results are currently unofficial because the process of canvassing to finalize results began yesterday.
Slightly more than 38 percent of total district voters turned out for the contested election between Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, and Republican candidate Thomas W. Aldous Jr., but only about 26 percent of total voters in the City of Charlottesville cast their ballots, according to the Virginia State Board of Elections.
Kyle Kondik, director of communications for the University's Center for Politics, said low voter turnout tends to help Republicans nationally, though that broad trend may vary by locality.
"In 2008, nationally, turnout was at about 61 to 62 percent, and that was helpful to Democrats," Kondik said. "It was kind of a younger, less conservative group of voters."
In 2010, voter turnout nationally was closer to 40 percent, with conservatives comprising the majority of that voting block, Kondik said.
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