Dickinson Voter Turnout | Video

Alex Hagan | 11/6/2012

Booming communities like Dickinson have plenty of newcomers. They impact everyday life there, but no one was quite sure how many of them would participate in the political process there.

Lines formed early in the morning in the Queen City. Both longtime and new residents were waiting to cast their ballots.

"This early in the morning, I`ve seen tremendous for voter turnout. There`s many people here that I don`t recognize," said poll watcher Jim Mclaughlin.

Stark County has already had more than 3,000 early voters. Poll workers say they had 18,000 ballots ready, but Presidential elections always have a greater turnout.

"We`re very much hoping that`s enough. That would be frightening to run out," said poll inspector Karen Nelson.

The Presidential election has brought out many new faces to the polls. Some of them we`re surprised at North Dakota`s voting laws.

"I was actually at the post office stopping in to see if I could find a place to register and there was a girl in line with me a the post office that told me that there was no registration for voting," said voter Dave Olson.

Olson works in the oil fields just outside of Dickinson. He wasn`t the only one to come in asking to register.

"We`ve had people today come to us and say, wonder whether they can vote because they are not registered in North Dakota or asking whether they do have to register in North Dakota," said poll clerk Jackie Miller.

Olson says many of his coworkers in oil country are interested in this election regarding energy.

"From what I can understand, there is a big issue on the line here in the oil industry concerning this election," he said.

In the last Presidential election in 2008, 12,000 people voted in Dickinson.

Stark County poll workers say more than 2,500 absentee ballots have been turned in.

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