Out of nearly 50,000 registered voters in Wilson, around 19,000 or 38 percent of all eligible voters cast their votes Tuesday in the primary election.

But while the voting appeared to go off without a hitch, the county's results were delayed for hours Tuesday night by technical problems with getting the votes counted. The final results were not announced until after 11 p.m.

The final numbers won't be certified until the Board of Elections' canvass next Tuesday.

Wilson residents who volunteered to take voters to the polls said they had a steady stream of people to taxi until the polls closed.

Carla Horne, owner of Carrons Funeral Home, said she began picking up people and taking them to the polls at the Whitfield Community Center on Walnut Street around 9 a.m.

"I used the family cars that we use for our business to transport people to the polls. We were taking six to eight people at a time," she said. "I tell you, we had a steady stream of people and took people to the polls until they closed. We worked all day long."

Mary Jones said that she was glad she could get a ride to the polls because she would not have been able to vote had Horne not picked her up.

Sandra Barnes of Edwards Funeral Home campaigned for candidates U. S. Sen. Barack Obama and State Treasurer Richard Moore across the street from the polls.

Barnes said that she was impressed with the number of young people who showed up to vote.

"I have been at the polls campaigning since Bill Clinton was running for office, and I have never seen this many young people show up to vote," said Barnes.

Inside the Whitfield Community Center, Election Judge Dianne Sauls said that she had 341 people to come there to vote.

Jimmy Tomlin, who talked to Obama about his proposed health care plan when the candidate was in Wilson, said he wanted to make sure he cast his vote and he brought others to the polls to vote also.

In Stantonsburg, Chief Judge Elsie Turner said that voter turnout at her precinct went from steady to busy throughout the day.

"We have had heavier turn out than usual. We already had 247 voters by 4 p.m., and 73 of our voters took advantage of the early voting," said Tuner.

She said that poll workers get to cast their ballots when there is a lull in voter traffic. But added that at times the lines went out of the door and described the parking lot as looking like a traffic jam.

Rita Jones from the Stantonsburg area, took her 14-year- old daughter Heather with her to vote after she picked her up from school.

"My daughter wants to be sure I cast my vote for Hillary, so I brought her along," she chuckled. "I thought I wouldn't have room to park. Usually I vote around this time, and the parking lot has never been this crowded. I am happy people are coming out to vote,"

Poll workers in Lucama said they were tired when the polls closed, but they were still excited about the day. They counted 578 votes at closing and said they had a steady stream of people all day.

Nona Braswell celebrated her birthday by working at the polls, and she said she never had a better birthday.

"It is great to see people coming out in Lucama to vote. We didn't see many new voters but we had an elderly woman that never voted before to come and vote for the first time," said Braswell.

janet@wilsontimes.com | 265-7847