Vote Count Shows Carson With Lead

INDIANAPOLIS -- The grandson of the late U.S. Rep. Julia Carson was leading his Republican challenger for the right to succeed her with more than half of the votes counted in Tuesday's special election.

With 73.5 percent of the 7th Congressional District's precincts reporting, Democrat Andre Carson led with 52.8 percent of the vote. State Rep. Jon Elrod had 44.2 percent, and Sean Shepard, a Libertarian, had 3 percent (refresh this page for updates).

The winner will represent the district, which covers much of Indianapolis, in Washington for the rest of the year. The special election, which ran from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, was necessary because Julia Carson died in December after a battle with cancer.

Turnout for the election was steady, with heavy voting in some areas, Marion County Clerk Beth White said. She said it was difficult to tell exactly how large turnout would be but that the sunny, warmer weather might have helped.

After the special election, the campaign won't really pause because in just eight weeks the district's voters will select candidates for the November election to a full two-year term for the congressional seat.

Carson will face seven challengers in the May 6 primary, including state Reps. David Orentlicher and Carolene Mays and former state health commissioner Woodrow Myers. Two political unknowns have filed against Elrod for the GOP nomination.

Tuesday's candidates were among the first people in line at the polls.

"We'll be going to a lot of polling sites, meeting as many voters coming in as we can," Elrod (pictured, right) said.

Carson (pictured, left), a member of the local City-County Council, said he felt "humbled by the support in the community."

"(I've got) big shoes to fill," Carson said, referring to his grandmother, who died in December after a battle with cancer.

Shepard said he felt that because no other race was on the ballot, he'd draw more votes than members of his party normally do.

"Today, there is no straight-ticket balloting. So, we're hoping we can do a little better than usual," Shepard said.

The district is predominantly Democratic, and Carson had a large fundraising advantage over Elrod, along with more than $150,000 in spending by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Carson's behalf.

A worry for Carson going into the election was low voter turnout. Similar special elections in other states have drawn fewer than half the voters of the previous general election.

Elrod said a higher turnout would likely mean more people voting for Carson based on party affiliation.

"I never encourage lower turnout," Elrod said. "We are certainly encouraging anyone we can to head to the polls."

Carson said he believed his campaign's television advertising, mailings and get-out-the-vote efforts would be effective.

"We have so much support and so many people are excited across the city," he said. "I think we'll be able to get this thing through."

Some problems were reported at the polls Tuesday morning. There was either equipment trouble or people who didn't show up or have the proper materials at seven precincts, 6News' Julie Pursley reported.

Polls opened with some delays, said Angie Nussmeyer, a spokeswoman for the Marion County Clerk. All 445 polling sites were open by 7 a.m., she said.

Julia Carson, a Democrat who first won election to Congress in 1996, was the first black to represent Indianapolis in Congress -- from a district that is nearly two-thirds white.

Whoever wins will be young and have little political experience.

Andre Carson, 33, has been a member of Indianapolis City-County Council since August. Elrod, 30, is a first-term state representative, winning election in 2006 by eight votes over a five-term Democratic incumbent.

Carson, whose grandmother raised him in a Baptist church, converted to Islam more than a decade ago and, if elected, would join Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., as the only Muslims in Congress. His religious identity has drawn little attention during the campaign, and Carson said he doesn't believe it hurts him politically.