Community Corner

Republican Primary Draws Little Interest

Primary Costs $18.50 Per Voter

Call it the primary that wasn’t.

Tuesday, Waterford Republicans easily endorsed Mitt Romney as the next GOP candidate for president. Romney received 241 votes, compared to 47 votes for for Ron Paul, 36 votes for Newt Gingrich and 25 voters for Rick Santorum. Eight voters were uncommitted.

But the real news was the decidedly low turnout with just 339 people, or 13 percent of all Waterford registered republicans, voting. With Santorum’s decision to suspend his campaign earlier this month all but giving the nomination to Romney, there is little drama left in the race.

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However, the cost of holding the primary to local taxpayers was $6,270, or $18.50 per voter, according to Waterford Republican Registrar Patti Waters. While it is a cost, it is part of the process, First Selectman Dan Steward said.

“There is a cost,” Steward said. “But the reality is if you don’t have a vote, do you really have a democracy?”

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