Low voter turnout for school board elections

SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. – Sussex County residents hitting the polls today to elect their next school board leaders.

Election officials say turnout this year was less than in the past with almost 8% of eligible voters casting ballots in the Cape Henlopen election in 2021. Tuesday’s weather could be to blame for lower turnout, elections officials say.

However, that didn’t come as a surprise to them.

“Currently in most locations were under 1%. Cape Henlopen who traditionally turns out a large number anyway, they’re about 2%. It’s a murky day and when that happens people wait to come out so you could see a small spike later on and it may go up 4 or 5% hopefully get to 5% today,” Director Bo McDowell, of the Sussex County Board of Elections.

Election results will be in later tonight, you can find them here.

Below are some voter turnout statistics:

Voter Totals for each School District:

• Cape Henlopen- 58,964
• Delmar- 5,582
• Indian River- 74,881 total/10,687 District 2 (Only District 2 voters can vote this year)
• Laurel- 11,730
• Seaford- 30,019

Historical turnouts:

2021 School Board Election:

Cape Henlopen- 4,300 or 7.29%

Delmar- 213 or 3.8%

Laurel- 147 or 1.25%

2020 School Board Election:

Laurel- 582 or 4.9%

2019 School Board Election:

Cape Henlopen- 2,269 or 3.8%

Delmar- 209 or 3.7%

Indian River- 290 or 2.7%

Seaford- 368 or 1.2%