Voters in Murrieta were slowly turning out for Election Day at at least one polling place.
At about 10 a.m., voters were trickling in to Salvation Army, a polling place on Los Alamos Road in Murrieta, to vote in today's presidential primary election.
Voters were handed paper ballots. After filling them out, voters placed the ballots in a locked blue box labeled with a precinct number.
There were 852,059 registered voters in Riverside County as of June 1, according to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Office. Of those, 310,449 —or 36.4 percent—were registered Democrats. Registered Republicans made up 40.6 percent, nearly 19 percent listed no party preference, 2.9 were American Independent, .30 percent were registered with the Green Party, .58 percent were Liberatarion, and .26 percent were Peace and Freedom.
One of those voters was Rosemary Hanson, who told Patch she was a registered Democrat.
"I am very well informed," said Hanson, when asked if she did her research on candidates. "I yell at my TV a lot."
For the scoop on local candidates, she said she reads up on them, listens to the radio and talks to people.
"I see what people are really about and if their beliefs match up with mine," Hanson said.
State Assembly candidate and Murrieta resident Ken Dickson was one of the first to vote Tuesday. His campaign emailed photos of Dickson and his wife at their polling place.
Dickson is up against four others in the primary race to decide which two candidates will run in the November general election. Voters are casting ballots between Dickson, Lake Elsinore Councilwoman Melissa Melendez, Lake Elsinore Councilman Bob Magee, Darrell Issa representative Phil Paule and teacher and JROTC instructor William Akana.
Murrieta residents may cast party votes for presidential candidates and party central committees.
Voters are also deciding candidates of some non-partisan races such as U. S. senator, U.S. Congressional representative, state Assembly member, Riverside County Superior Court Judge and Riverside County Board of Education members.
In addition, Murrieta voters are deciding between incumbent Jeff Stone for Third District Riverside County Supervisor and challenger, Joe Scarafone.
Voters will also be asked to vote on two propositions: Prop 28, which would limit the amount of time state legislators can serve in office from 14 years to 12 years; and prop 29, which would add a $1-per-pack tax on cigarettes and other equivalent tobacco products.
Polls close at 8 p.m.
Stay with Patch for election results.
