Centre County Sees Highest Municipal Election Voter Turnout in 3 Decades

Centre County’s voter turnout for Tuesday’s election was its highest for a municipal election in more than 30-years.

Among 102,007 registered voters, at least 44,117 cast ballots in the Nov. 4 election for a turnout rate of 43.25%. That’s the highest in a non-presidential, non-congressional election year since 1993, when 43.59% of 60,116 registered voters went to the polls, according to data from the Centre County Office of Elections.

It’s also the most total ballots ever cast for a municipal election in Centre County. Vote totals and results are unofficial until certified, and counties can receive military and overseas ballots until Nov. 12, provided they were submitted for delivery no later than Nov. 3.

In-person voting on Election Day accounted for 32,106 ballots, while 12,011 voters used mail-in ballots.

This year’s turnout was no doubt driven in part by the unusually high-profile statewide judicial retention elections, particularly for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The parties and special interests spent millions on the race, with Democrats looking to maintain control of the highest court and Republicans seeking to oust the three Democratic justices up for retention.

Statewide and locally voters overwhelmingly favored retaining justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht for new 10-year terms. Each were originally elected as Democrats in new 2015.

Each justice received a little over 61% of the vote in Centre County and statewide in favor of retention. About 62% of county and statewide voters also said yes to retaining Democratic Superior Court Judge Alice Beck Dubrow and Commonwealth Court Judge Michael Wojcik.

Democrats also won open seats on the Superior and Commonwealth courts.

Brandon Neuman earned 57% of the vote in Centre County and 56% statewide against Republican Maria Battista and Liberal Party candidate Daniel Wassmer for the Superior Court. Stella Tsai won a seat on the Commonwealth Court bench with 58% of the vote in Centre County and 56.6% statewide against Republican Matt Wolford.

Centre County voters also voted to retain Court of Common Pleas Judge Katie Oliver, a Democrat, for another 10-year term by a 65% to 35% margin.

Among Centre County’s 87 precincts, the smallest had the highest turnout percentage, with 29 of 44 registered voters in Curtin North casting ballots for a 65.91% rate. It was followed by Halfmoon East Central with 65.85% (806 of 1,224 voters) and State College North with 61.62% (472 of 766).

The three lowest turnout rates were in areas heavily populated by Penn State students: State College East 3 at 8.35% (196 of 2,346 voters), State College East 1 at 8.78% (570 of 6,494) and State College East Central 3 at 9.61% (67 of 697)