For the second time in two weeks, turnout was reported light this morning as District 2 voters decide who will fill the board of supervisors seat formerly held by Michael Mayfield.

Fewer than 50 ballots had been cast at St. Aloysius High School and City Auditorium in the first 80 minutes of voting in a runoff between William H. Banks Jr. and Larry &#8220LD” Prentiss, but poll managers at both precincts said they expected turnout to rise this afternoon.

At City Auditorium, 37 votes had been cast by 8:10 a.m., 10 more than were cast in the same period during the special election on Nov. 8. Poll manager Carla Jones said she was pleased with the early turnout.

&#8220It’s good for 8 in the morning,” she said. &#8220People should start coming on in now.”

Nine ballots were cast in the first hour of voting at St. Aloysius, two fewer than in the same period during the special election. Poll manager Sophie Smith was not surprised with the low turnout.

&#8220It’s very, very slow this morning,” she said. &#8220But two weeks ago, it picked up during lunch and from 4 until 7. We expect the same thing today.”

Today’s winner will serve as Warren County supervisor for the District 2 for the next two years.

Polls at six precincts are scheduled to be open until 7 p.m.

Banks and Prentiss, the interim appointee, finished atop a five-man field in the Nov. 8 special election. Neither received a majority, necessitating today’s runoff.

Banks, 54, received 44 percent of the vote, or 478 votes, and Prentiss, 53, received 36 percent of the vote, or 389 votes, in the special election.

Banks carried the St. Aloysius and City Auditorium precincts, as well as the Cedar Grove and Eagle Lake precincts. Prentiss carried Kings Center and International Paper Company.

Prentiss owns LD’s Catering Service, Restaurant and Lounge; Banks owns 3MW Cash for Titles.

Only 1,084 votes were cast at six precincts across Warren County Nov. 8 – a fraction of the 6,508 residents listed as eligible to vote.

The special election was needed after former Supervisor Michael Mayfield unseated four-term North Ward Alderman Gertrude Young in the Democratic primary in early June and went on to win the general election, trading his county post for a municipal seat. After being elected supervisor in the northern county district for three terms when he ran for North Ward alderman, Mayfield began a four-year term as a city official July 1.

Before Prentiss was appointed to fill the spot until the special election, Banks was identified by the Warren County board as one of two finalists for the interim appointment.

District 2 is in the northwest part of the county and includes the Eagle Lake community and U.S. 61 North.