Heavy turnout prompts long lines as county Republicans cast their votes

The line of Republican voters stretched down the hallway at Bardstown High School and doubled back at about 1 p.m. Saturday. Volunteer said the line stretched outside the building earlier in the day. Click to enlarge.

NELSON COUNTY GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT

Saturday, March 5, 2016,2:30 p.m. — Turnout was heavy Saturday for Nelson County Republicans who took part in the state GOP’s first presidential caucus.

The lines of waiting voters stretched outside Bardstown High School’s front doors Saturday morning, though voters waited patiently in the rain for their opportunity to be part of the historic occasion.

Caucus volunteer Bobbi Floyd shows a copy of the paper ballot waiting voters will use to cast their votes in Saturday’s historic GOP presidential caucus. Click to enlarge.

Caucus volunteer Bobbi Floyd worked the line of waiting voters, giving each an opportunity to see a copy of the ballot they will mark once they were inside the school’s cafeteria. At about 1 p.m., Floyd said turnout had been heavy since the caucus location opened its doors at 10 a.m. Despite the long lines, voting progressed quickly.

Once inside the cafeteria, voters presented their IDs to volunteers and signed the roster. Voters were handed a ballot with the names of all 11 candidates who registered to participate in the caucus. A sign on the cafeteria doorway noted which candidates on the ballot have since dropped from the race.

Only Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich were active candidates of the 11 names on the ballot.

Richard Hardin, the county chairman for Donald Trump’s campaign, said he expects Trump to easily carry Nelson County.

Unlike a normal primary election, the county caucus results are not released to the media by those who tabulate them. The Nelson County Gazette’s request for caucus results — even just the name of the top vote-getter in the county — was denied.

In a typical primary election, the county clerk gives the media access to unofficial voting returns as they arrive, precinct by precinct. According to a caucus volunteer, the Republican Party of Kentucky rules prohibit them from releasing vote totals to anyone but GOP headquarters.

Most Kentucky counties only had one caucus voting location. Only the larger counties — including Jefferson and Fayette — had more than one caucus location.

The Nelson County Gazette will report vote totals as soon as they are released by the state GOP.

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