By Diana McFarland

Managing editor

It is probably no surprise that older voters turned out more often for the July 24 sheriff’s race than their younger counterparts, but the difference in turnout was striking.

Voters age 66 and over were twice as likely to vote in the election as all other age groups combined. Forty-four percent of the “over 65” registered voters went to the polls while all other age groups could muster only 22 percent, according to preliminary election results provided by the Isle of Wight County Registrar’s Office.  

But then again, the median age in Isle of Wight County is nearly 44 years old, according to the Isle of Wight County Profile and Statistical Digest. {mprestriction ids=”1,2,3,4,5,6″}

The only precinct where the oldest residents, age 66 and over, did not cast more votes than any other age group was in Walters, where those age 56-65 edged out their older neighbors by 12 votes. 

The precinct with the highest percentage of youngest voters, age 19-21, getting out to the polls was Pons at 20.2 percent, followed by Raynor at 18.2 percent. Pons and Raynor are located in the more rural parts of Isle of Wight County. 

The lowest number of young registered voters, age 19-21, voting for sheriff was at the Bartlett precinct in Carrollton with 7.4 percent.

However, of the 222 18-year-olds who were registered to vote countywide, 22.5 percent participated in the July 24 election.

The number of registered voters also tends to increase with age, with the exception of Carrollton, where the most registered voters were age 46-55.

Female voters also outnumbered men in the July 24 election by 3 percent, according to preliminary election results.   {/mprestriction}