Well under 1 percent of eligible voters took time to cast a ballot early in the primary runoff elections, a dismal turnout likely to become the lowest ever for a local primary, according to Denton County Elections Administrator Don Alexander.“Before that, the worst was about 1 1/2 percent,” Alexander said.

Of the 1,599 ballots cast by 4:40 p.m. Friday, 1,397 were Republican and 202 Democratic.

Alexander doesn’t expect more than another 1,600 to come out Tuesday, which is election day for runoffs in both the Democratic and Republican primaries. There are about 330,000 registered voters in all in Denton County.

But in order to vote in the runoff, an individual must have voted in that primary. For example, a Democratic primary voter is not eligible to cross over and vote in the Republican runoff.

Republicans are deciding between Steve Burgess and Doug Robison as their nomination for 393rd District Court judge. Democrats are choosing between Dale Henry and Mark Thompson for a Railroad Commission nomination.

The winner of that nomination will face current commissioner Michael Williams, a Republican. The winner of the 393rd runoff faces no opposition in November.

Dianne Edmondson, chairwoman of the Denton County Republican Party, said it was sad, but turnout often drops off from the March primary.

“It’s almost the anticlimax of the whole thing,” Edmondson said.

Neil Durrance, chairman of the county Democratic Party, which saw a record turnout in March, questioned the figures.

“If those figures are, in fact, what they say they are, we will have to look at that,” Durrance said.

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com.