CANYON CITY – Despite a slow start, voter turnout for the May 20 primary election ended up at nearly 60 percent in Grant County.

County Clerk Brenda Percy said the turnout came to 58.78 percent. She said it appears to be the highest rate of any county in the state.

She was pleased with the turnaround from early in the balloting, when returns were lagging behind usual levels. Relatively heavy voting on Monday and Tuesday made the difference.

Voter interest likely was fueled by the contested races for county commissioner and district attorney, and also the John Day fire hall bond measure.

Here’s a look at the Grant County numbers from the May 20 primary election:

Pavel Goberman – 17

Jeff Merkley – 391

William Bryk – 49

Monica Wehby – 613

Jo Rae Perkins – 37

Mark Callahan – 139

Timothy Crawley – 36

Jason Conger – 434

Frank Vulliet – 54

Aelea Christofferson – 198

Barney Spera – 66

Greg Walden – 1006

Dennis B. Linthicum – 421

John Kitzhaber – 359

Ifeanyichukwu Diru – 99

Bruce Cuff – 139

Gordon Challstrom – 161

Tim Carr – 79

Dennis Richardson – 593

Mae RAfferty – 122

Darren Karr – 20

Peter W. Hall – 270

Cliff Bentz – 1,073

William D. Cramer Jr. – 1,675

Republicans

Boyd Britton – 733

Sam Palmer – 417

Gary Delaney – 328

Grant County Commissioner

Democrat (write-in)

Boyd Britton – 64 (only top vote-getter can advance)

Ryan Joslin (I) – 1,009

Jim Carpenter – 1,368

Republican nominees are:

Position 2 – Nicky A. Sprauve – 648

Position 4 – Roger McKinley – 944

Position 6 – no filing

Alternate 2 – no filing

Democrat nominees are:

Alternate 2 – Brooks Smith – 275

Position 2, 4, 6 – no filing

City of John Day fire station bond

Yes – 305

No – 198

John Day Rural Fire bond

Yes – 252

No – 180