WAYNE COUNTY, PA — A higher percentage of eligible voters than usual participated in Tuesday’s municipal elections this year. 

About 38 percent came out to the polls in Wayne County, notably higher than in previous years: 29 percent in both 2017 and 2015, and 21 percent in 2013. 

Cindy Furman, director of the Bureau of Elections, said on Thursday that some of the races this year seemed to energize voters. 

One of the more highly publicized races included the bid for district attorney between Democrat Pat Robinson—the current DA—and Republican A.G. Howell. Howell won the election with 6,596 votes over Robinson’s 5,530, according to unofficial results. 

The commissioner’s race may have also drawn out more voters—unlike the last commissioner race in which three candidates were running for three spots. Democrat Jocelyn Cramer may unseat Democrat Wendell Kay, who has served as a commissioner for more than a decade. With only eight votes between the two candidates, the race is still too close to call. Republicans Brian Smith and Joe Adams were both elected to serve another four years. 

Voter participation was still far lower than in presidential or senatorial election years: 72 percent of registered residents in the county took part in the 2016 General Election.