NorDak North Publications - Mountrail County Record - News

Not since John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1960 have voters been so energized about a presidential election, which will bring change to the White House come January.

In North Dakota, Gov. John Hoeven rode his popularity the past eight years to an unprecedented third term and said he will continue on the path of making the state a national leader in energy and agriculture development.

Voter turnout was heavy across the state and in Mountrail County’s nine precincts. County Auditor Joan Hollekim was hoping Tuesday afternoon she would have enough ballots to get through this historic election.

"I hope it’s an historic election," she said. "We’ll compare it to the last election and others."

Hollekim didn’t have exact numbers late Tuesday afternoon but said she was traveling across the county and noted a long line in the New Town Civic Center, but said it appeared there would be a high count in all the precincts.

Hollekim suggested there would be a higher number of voters in Mountrail County this Election Day because of new people moving into the area this year. Several were eligible to vote for the first time, but many others are here because of their work in the oil patch.

"If they’ve lived in the county for 30 days, they’re a resident," she said. "I think we’ll see a lot of new voters."

Melodie Adams, a voting official in the Parshall city precinct, said she saw some new faces enter the American Legion Post 121 building to vote Tuesday.

In addition to bolstering the number of voters because of an influx of people, Adams suggested a lot of people are interested in this election.

"It’s a big turnout for voters," she said. "They are passionate about it and because we are anticipating oil workers, that could boost the numbers dramatically, that is, as long as they get off work to come and vote."

Adams said 2008 is indeed an historic election when you consider a black man and Vietnam veteran were running, or perhaps the nation could have it’