Turnout for the runoff rolled in higher than expected on Tuesday.

“I’m tickled to death,” Hall County Interim Elections Director Charlotte Sosebee said. “We were pleased and almost in shock with 27.69 percent. That’s more than 10 percentage points higher than what I predicted.”

Sosebee said a few voters thought they could switch parties from what they voted in the primary, but otherwise voting went smoothly.

Many polls saw fewer voters than in the July primary, but numbers still were higher than what runoff elections draw historically.

“I was hoping we would get over 400, and we did,” said Tom Durrett, poll manager at the Gainesville Civic Center.

“I think people showed higher interest because of the local candidates.”