By BETH ALSTON
beth.alston@americustimesrecorder.com
www.americustimesrecorder.com

AMERICUS — Only a little over one-third (5,451) of the registered voters in Sumter County cast ballots in Tuesday’s Presidential Primary election, 33.85 percent to be exact. Sumter County voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, and also approved two alcohol referendums.
On the Democrat side, Sumter Countians overwhelmingly supported Clinton with 1,960 votes (82.39 percent) and Bernie Sanders garnered 404 votes (16.98 percent).
Other Democrats receiving votes in Sumter County were Martin O’Malley with 9 votes (.38 percent) and Michael Steinberg with 6 votes (.25 percent).
On the Republican side, 45.88 percent of Sumter County favored Donald Trump (1,381 votes), while 22.92 percent cast their ballot for Ted Cruz (690).
Trailing behind were Marco Rubio with 548 votes (18.21 percent), Ben Carson with 235 votes (7.81 percent), John R. Kasich with 115 votes (3.82 percent), Jeb Bush with 17 votes (.56 percent), Mike Huckabee with 10 votes (.33 percent), Rand Paul with 4 votes (.13 percent) Chris Christie with 3 votes (.10 percent), Carly Fiorina with 2 votes (.07 percent), Lindsey Graham with 2 votes (.07 percent) and George Pataki and Rick Santorum each received 1 vote (.03 percent each).
The measure on county alcohol sales by the package passed by a narrow margin of 54.34 percent. There were 2,872 yes votes to 2,413 no votes (45.66 percent).
The measure on county alcohol sales by the drink passed by a margin of 54.86 percent with 2,939 yes votes to 2,418 no (45.14 percent).
Qualifying for the May 24 Primary Election is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon Friday.