Early voting light for Tuesday elections

Less than 1 percent of Wake County's 645,000 registered voters, 5,149, cast early ballots. In the 2011 municipal election, 5,784 early votes were cast.

Wake County elections officials said municipal elections generally have a 20 to 30 percent voter turnout, but they expected the bond issues facing voters to give an extra bump to Tuesday's turnout.

Countywide, voters will decide whether the Wake County Public School System will be able to issue $810 million in bonds to build 16 schools and renovate dozens of others.

In Raleigh, voters also will decide whether the city can issue $75 million in bonds to pay to widen numerous streets and install sidewalks and roundabouts.

In addition to the two bonds, Raleigh residents can vote on the city's mayor and City Council members.

Durham and Fayetteville have mayoral primaries Tuesday, and they also saw sparse early voting. Almost 1,900 voted early in Durham County, and less than 2,000 in Cumberland County, according to elections officials in both counties.