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Write-in campaigns for the school board added juice to local elections Tuesday, fueling large crowds in some parts of the county, while others saw a lackluster turnout.

Sheffield Precinct Judge of Elections Carolyn O'Donnell said turnout was tremendous for the area, where two local residents, Mary Ann Paris and Jack Werner, waged write-in campaigns against incumbents Kirsten Turfitt and Katherine Oudinot for seats on the Warren County School Board from Region II.

"It's probably as good as the last presidential election," she said.

The count was around 500 at nearly 5:30, O'Donnell said, and she anticipated 700 by closing time.

O'Donnell attributed the large numbers to the school board issue, estimating 40 percent of voters asked poll workers for help with casting wrtie-in votes even while electioneerers outside of the precinct passed out information on how to cast such ballots.

Lori Elmquist said she voted at the Sheffield precinct.

While Elmquist said she considered the write-in candidates, she also said she didn't know if her vote would make a difference.

"I'd like to think they'll keep the schools open longer," she said, referring to Paris and Werner's stated opposition to the potential two high school plan for the district.

Another person at the Sheffield precinct, Carol Schrenker, said she voted and gave consideration to the write-in candidates.

"I think they're better for the school than the ones they have in now," she said.

Clarendon Precinct Judge of Elections Mary Valone said turnout was pretty good.

Valone also noted there were not many voters asking for help in casting a write-in ballot, with electioneerers passing out similar information there.

"We had a few," she said. "But nothing major."

Lori Mead said she voted at the Clarendon precinct and also considered write-in candidates.

"A long bus ride in the winter could be a catastrophe," she said.

Judge of Elections for the Warren Central precinct said workers there had not helped a lot of voters cast write-in ballots.

"The turnout here is minuscule," she said, citing apathy as the reason.

Tina Johnson said she voted at the central precinct and did not support the write-in candidates.

"I liked the selections that I had," she said.

Judge of Elections for the Warren West precinct Karen Eggleston said turnout was slow.

"It's been a long day," she said, noting few of the races were contested.

A few voters asked for assistance in casting write-in ballots, Eggleston said, but not many.

Many voters have cast write-in ballots before, Eggleston said, noting they can pick up fast on the machines.

When the machines first came out, Eggleston said there were lots of write-in campaigns.

Although all votes, both for candidates on the ballot and write-ins were recorded Tuesday night, the outcome of the school board races won't be known until Friday, when the county board of elections reviews and counts the write-in ballots.

Uncontested races in the county included district attorney, coroner and prothonotary which had incumbent candidates Ross McKeirnan, Jeremiah Borden and Susan Kosinski respectively running unopposed. Gregory Hammond, who won both the Democratic and Republican tickets for Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the 37th Judicial District, crossed filed in the May primary election and ran unopposed Tuesday. District Judge Cynthia Lindemuth also ran unopposed.