Quay County Sun - Serving the High Plains

Quay County commissioners spent much of their meeting Friday certifying the results of the Nov. 6 general election, including the tallying of 12 provisional ballots.

Commissioners moved their regular meeting from the usual Monday to Friday to comply with state law on submitting election results.

County Clerk Ellen White said 15 provisional ballots were submitted on Election Day. Her office rejected three because they were people who hadn’t registered to vote.

She said the rest of the provisional ballots were Quay County residents who’d voted in the wrong precinct, or requested an absentee ballot but voted on Election Day instead.

White said the county usually processes only two or three provisional ballots per election. On Friday, county officials spent at least 45 minutes recording votes from the dozen accepted provisional ballots as she read them aloud.

“It’s the most we’ve ever had,” White said of provisional voting.

Quay County voter turnout on Nov. 6 was 52 percent, the highest in her 20 years as clerk, she said.

The provisional vote totals didn’t affect the outcome of any Quay County races.

In response to a question from District 1 Commissioner Sue Dowell, White said 289 absentee ballots had been sent out for the Nov. 6 election, and all but 12 had been returned.

In other county business Friday:

• Brenda Bishop, program director for the Quay County Extension Service, gave her report for the July-to-September quarter. She summed up the numerous programs her office offers. She also noted the number of exhibitors at the Quay County Fair had risen, especially those who showed rabbits, chickens, crafts and sewing projects.

• County road superintendent Larry Moore reported repairs and resurfacing of Quay Road AI, also known as Airport Road, had been completed. County road workers are doing improvements on Quay Roads 60 and 64 near San Jon.

• County manager Richard Primrose said county offices will be closed Nov. 22-23 for the Thanksgiving holiday.