A little more than 14,000 Monroe County voters Tuesday set the slate of candidates that will appear on the ballot this November.

The turnout of 14.03 percent didn't impress Monroe County Clerk Jim Fielder.

"It's nothing to be excited about during a presidential year," Fielder said. Fielder said he was hoping for a turnout of at least 20 percent on Tuesday.

The 14,002 voters who did visit the polls or voted early determined that a fresh group of six at-large county council candidates — without an incumbent — will square off for the three seats up for election in the fall.

Republicans Randy May, Andy Dodds and Leasa Siscoe Farkas will face Democrats Sophia Travis, Michael Woods and Warren Henegar.

Final results for the county's 96 precincts were delayed Tuesday night because an election worker in the Richland 4 precinct cut his hand while moving the voting machines. John Popp was helping lift a machine and it slipped, an official from the clerk's office said.

While Monroe County has nearly 100,000 "registered voters" in 96 precincts, that number is inflated by former residents — many college students — who haven't had their names removed from the voter rolls.

That number will start to drop when the clerk's office starts to purge voters who have been inactive for two general elections. Fielder expects the change will eventually eliminate a few of the county's 96 precincts and clean up the voter rolls.

"We are definitely looking forward to that," agreed Jessica White, chief deputy clerk of Monroe County.

While turnout was low, both Democratic and Republican officials expressed confidence in their party's team of contenders.

"I think we have an excellent slate of candidates for county council at large. I look forward to them doing very well in November," said GOP party chairman John Shean.

Democratic county chairman Dan Combs said he was pleased with Sophia Travis — who pulled in the most votes among the county council at large candidates — calling her a "star."

"We're ready for the fall. We came out of it united," Combs said.

The total number of votes Tuesday also included 1,886 absentee ballots.

All absentee votes for the primary were in by noon Monday and counted by bipartisan teams on Tuesday. Once the absentees were calculated, they were added to the total numbers.

To ensure that no one votes twice, a list of absentee voters is given to each of the precinct polling places.

Two of the election workers that deliver the absentee information spiced up the process by wearing Elvis costumes. Rob McClellan and Rick Shimkus called themselves "Election Elvi."

The pair, with black wigs and aviator sunglasses, completed the look by pulling up to polling places in a light blue hearse.

"We started a tradition," said Shimkus, wearing a gold outfit lined with gold sequins. Shimkus, who does Elvis impersonations, owns both of the flashy suits.

"It brings a little cheer to the election workers and the people who are voting," he said.

McClellan and Shimkus, still in uniform with the sunglasses on, later welcomed inspectors delivering ballot information to the clerk's office.

Reporter Sarah Morin can be reached at 331-4363 or by e-mail at smorin@heraldt.com.