“Having more people turn out and that’s a good sign,” said Dennis DiMarco with the Jefferson Parish Registrar of Voters.
The first few days of early voting have wrapped up. DiMarco says he couldn’t put into words the happiness he felt as 8,074 voters in Jefferson Parish cast early ballots on the first day alone.
He explains the presidential primary shattered the former first-day early voting record of 3,891 votes in 2020.
Jefferson Parish voters also outpaced other large parishes like New Orleans with 7,787 voters on the first day of early voting, East Baton Rouge which tallied 7,528 voters and St. Tammany which managed 7,796 voters.
“We always track prior years. And if we look at the last two presidential elections, two, 16, 2016 and 2020, the first day of early voting and 2024, we have surpassed the total for those two first days, 2016 and 2020,” said DiMarco.
Not only did the first day shatter records for the parish, but DiMarco also said they saw a huge turnout for first-time voters. He calls it an interest and energy he has never seen before.
“My best bet is that we have a record turnout throughout this parish and that people do turn out. So, no matter what spectrum you’re left or right, go vote. That’s your right,” said DiMarco.
However, DiMarco wants to remind people that there is more on the ballot than just the presidential election.
“People should read up. Most people come in. They know who they want for president or Congress, and they get to the amendments. They say, ‘Oh my God, what are these?’ So, we encourage people to do a little bit of homework. You can go to the Secretary of State’s website. So, you can find out before you walk in the polling place what’s on your ballot,” said DiMarco.
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