Well done, Putnam County; We can do better

One week ago, in this very space, Putnam County voters were called on to "make history" by taking part in what was shaping up to be the most interesting presidential primary in the state's history.

You did not disappoint, Putnam County. By turning out in the highest primary numbers in several years, you made your voices heard.

As Indiana put to bed the Republican nomination while intjecting further intrigue into the Democratic race, local voters found themselves voting along much the same lines as others around the state.

With Donald Trump sweeping all 57 Indiana delegates for the GOP nomination, Putnam County was right there with the rest of the state, with 56 percent votes cast for the New York real estate mogul.

This was even higher than Trump's statewide percentage of 53 percent.

On the Democrat side, the delegates were more proportional, with Sen. Bernie Sanders taking six more delegates than former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Again, Putnam County exceeded the state average, as nearly 55 percent voted for Sanders, compared to 53 percent across the state

The real story, though, is not how the county voted, but how much the county voted. While 39 percent voter turnout may not sound like much, a couple of things must be considered.

First of all, it was a primary election. Contested or not, it's much harder to capture the average voter's imagination when the "real" election is still some six months away.

Secondly, we live in an era where pretty much everyone who gets a driver's license registers to vote at the same time.

Pretty much everyone drives in a rural community, but that doesn't mean they're all interested in voting.

So our 39 percent turnout has to be taken in context.

Consider that the 2014 midterm primary drew a meager 21 percent of registered voters locally.

Turnout in Presidential years is usually higher, but the 2012 primary total of 24 percent is still sad.

If nothing else, 38 percent is a big step in the right direction.

Now comes the next challenge: What happens in November?

The November 2012 presidential election drew 59 percent of registered county voters to the polls.

Can the county do better in 2016? Time will tell, but the early returns are promising.

Not only are citizens already engaged in the process, but there are actually races to follow as we roll toward November.

There promises to be contentious battles for president (Trump-Clinton), governor (Pence-Gregg) and U.S. senator (Young-Hill) that will appear on the local ballot.

Closer to home, State Sen. Pete Miller (R) was already unseated by upstart John Crane. More intrigue will come if Democrats can mount a viable challenge to Crane in District 24 this fall.

Two local residents are set to duke it out for Indiana House District 44, with Republican incumbent Jim Baird facing off with Democrat Kim Fidler.

It remains to be seen if Democrats will post a challenge to the Republican dominance of county politics. Such a development would be a welcome change but that remains a topic for another day.

For today, it's enough to say this: Well done, Putnam County. You did your part. Your voice was heard.

However, there's still more to say.

For this primary, 9,538 of you casts your primary votes. Let's double that number six months from now.