Rain is nowhere to be found in the local forecast for Tuesday’s primary elections, as the National Weather Service predicts more hot weather with high temperatures in the upper 90s.

But, party bosses in Warren County believe other factors may drive turnout in their respective primaries.

&#8220I’m expecting a really nice turnout tomorrow,” Warren County Republican chairman Karoline Finch said this morning. &#8220I’ll be disappointed if it doesn’t turn out that way.”

Voter interest seems to be higher this year, Finch said.

&#8220I have not felt this much excitement about the candidates in a long time,” Finch said.

Though the race for governor has not electrified voters this year – Gov. Haley Barbour has no primary opponent – Republican voters have many fiercely contested statewide and local races promising to bring out more primary voters.

Those include races for lieutenant governor and secretary of state, where television ads have been most plentiful.

Vicksburg native Delbert Hosemann is among four candidates seeking the GOP nod for secretary of state. State Auditor Phil Bryant and state Sen. Charlie Ross, R-Brandon, have waged a pitched battle for the party’s nomination in the lieutenant governor’s contest.

Races for state Senate and two House districts have been the main course in local politics.

In the Senate race, attorney Briggs Hopson III, Rep. Chester Masterson and James &#8220Buddy” Terrell vie for the GOP spot for District 23. In House District 54, attorney Ryan Sadler and businessman Alex Monsour are competing for Republican voters.

For local Democratic officials, the typical Mississippi summer weather may not mean a heightened turnout, as is traditional with the party’s base.

&#8220I would say it will be moderate because we have so many unopposed candidates,” Warren County Democratic Executive Committee chairman Mary Katherine Brown said this morning.

In all, 17 names will appear unopposed on Democratic primary ballots in Warren County Tuesday. State law allows the presence on primary ballots of candidates’ names who do not face opponents.

On the county level, 12 Democrats are unopposed, including legislative candidates Jennifer Thomas and Eric Rawlings.

All but eight offices are contested on the Republican primary ballot.

Voters seem to be talking about the election in terms of specific races, Brown said.

&#8220They’re talking about the local candidates. Everybody’s talking about Gary Anderson’s race,” Brown said.

Anderson, former state fiscal officer under former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, is battling for the Democratic nomination for state commissioner of insurance against 32-year incumbent George Dale.

Warren County voters will choose party nominees in three races for the Board of Supervisors. One of them, in city-based District 3, will determine the overall winner as no Republican or independent is in the race.

District 3 Supervisor Charles Selmon or former bank executive James Stirgus Jr. will take the seat in the Democratic primary.

District 1 Supervisor David McDonald faces real estate broker John Arnold for the Republican spot in the northeast Warren County district.

To the southeast in District 5, Joe Wooley and James W. McCoy, both Army Corps retirees, vie to represent the party against unopposed Democrat Frank Gardner and three independents, including incumbent Richard George.

District 2 Supervisor William Banks faces county road employee Michael Gates for the party’s nomination in the northwest Warren County district.

Tax Assessor Richard Holland and Circuit Court District 9 District Attorney candidate Ricky Smith are both unopposed in the primary.