Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette Early darkness and rainy weather did not hinder voters in Houghton and Keweenaw counties, who turned out in record numbers Tuesday.

HOUGHTON — Voter turnout in Houghton and Keweenaw counties seemed to be at near-record numbers, according to election workers who had been at their stations since 7 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Mary Babcock, Hancock city clerk, said at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday that if the rate of voters coming to the polls continued, this election’s turnout would surpass that of the 2016 presidential election.

Babcock declined to give a reason why the number of voters at the polls was so high.

Countywide, 14,566 voters cast ballots for a 59.78 percent turnout, more than 91 percent of the county voters who participated in the 2016 presidential election. Compared to 2014, the most recent midterm election, votes increased more than 39 percent.

“Some people were running very close to running out of ballots,” said Houghton County Clerk Jennifer Lorenz.

Mechanical problems were rare. In Osceola Township, one tabulator went down. County staff were able to restore it, Lorenz said.

In Calumet village, voters had several decisions to make, including whether to recall the village president and whether to disincorporate.

Workers at the Village Hall said they had seen a steady stream of voters there since voting began at 7 a.m.

Beth Salmela, Calumet Township clerk, said that voter turnout there also was heavy and on par with the 2016 presidential election.

“All four precincts in the township are reporting the same,” said Salmela. “I’ve been going around to all of them, and they’re all doing really good.”

She said she loved seeing high voter turnout, although it makes her job a bit more hectic.

Absentee voting had also reached a record high with this election, she said.

Shortly after noon, things had been “crazy busy” in Houghton, said Clerk Ann Vollrath.

“It’s almost like a presidential,” she said.

John Dodge of Houghton Township in Keweenaw County said that voting numbers have been spectacular.

“We’ve been at 75 to 80 percent,” he said. “We’ve been kind of looking at our list, and there are few people who are gone, like a voter who had lived on Mt. Horace Greeley, and that’s been closed how many years? We’ve had a couple who have moved out of state, but if we eliminate those people and say, ‘Here’s the list,’ it’s around 77 to 80 percent.”