Seeing democracy in action, many registered voters came out for Tuesday's Delaware County election races.
"It's been a very good turnout," said Carl Murphy, one of Delaware County's election judges, who has been working for the election board for more than 30 years.
By 9 a.m., Gillespie Tower passed the number of voters they had at the end of May's Muncie primary. Last May, there weren't even 100 people passing through at the close of voting during the primary election, election officials said.
At 3:50 p.m. Tuesday, Gillespie Tower reached almost 300 voters, officials said. The increasing number of voters across the county added stress for some organizers.
"This day is a confusing day. There's a lot of stuff going on," Steven Craycraft, Delaware County clerk, said.
Wanting a candidate that is for people and not partisanship were sentiments echoed by many election organizers and voters.
"No matter who wins, it's got to be for a better Muncie," Jo Anne Jones, a resident of Gillespie Tower, said. She voted for Tyler, because of his position on jobs, fire protection and safety.
"We're [election organizers,] not Republican, we're not Democrat. We're here to make sure the people that want to vote get to vote," Kathi Wahlers, Board of Elections inspector, said.
One of former Mayor Sharon McShurley's campaign committee members, Ken Baskette, who has been on staff since January, stood outside Gillespie Tower to welcome voters. He praised McShurley's political and fiscal responsibilities.
"If she wasn't the mayor the last four years, this city would be in debt by a lot of money," Baskette, 48, said. "Unless she gets a second term, you won't see the groundwork she's done."
Despite criticisms, McShurley received from local citizens, Baskette said McShurley has taken trips overseas to encourage foreigners to bring business to Muncie.
"You can't just worry about jobs and say, ‘Well, we're going to see what we can do within the community. You have to look outside the community, outside the state and even beyond that," Baskette said.
Tyler's supporters said they want to see employment and other changes be made in Muncie.
Muncie resident Ron Meade, 52, said he wants to see the incoming mayor focus on unemployment. An owner of four rental properties from downtown Muncie to the south, Meade had his almost 2-year-old daughter, Linda Marie, by his side.
Walking out of Gillespie Tower, Muncie resident Rick Hovis said he voted "mostly Democrat" across the ballot.
"It's time for a change," he said.
Hovis said he was disappointed in McShurley when she took away the opportunity for fireworks to be displayed at the local reservoir.
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