BAY MINETTE, Alabama — Baldwin County election officials are expecting a flood of voters at the polls Nov. 6 in an electoral “perfect storm” fueled by polarized political ideologies in the presidential race, the 1-cent school tax and the Stockton Landmark District amendment.

 That interest is expected to eclipse the 70 percent county turnout for the 2008 election.

Probate Judge Tim Russell said he was seeing more interest in coffee shop discussions, more yard signs and “major” Internet dialogue.

 “I have only been probate judge for 2.5 years. I am seeing lots of interests,” Russell said. “For those who have been around, they tell me they sense historic voter turnout.”

 Jody Wise Campbell, absentee election manager and Circuit Clerk, said she had received 2,800 requests by late last week and 150 applications are arriving daily.

“This is more than I have ever done, but I wasn’t the absentee election manager in 2008,” she said. She also said she noted an increase in absentee ballot requests since the first presidential debate.

The deadline for returning absentee voting applications in person or via mail is 4:30 p.m. Nov. 1. For more information, call 251-937-0261.

 Huey “Hoss” Mack, who is in charge of election security and transportation of ballots from polling sites to Bay Minette for tallying, said there was a “distinct possibility” for record numbers of voters.

 “You have two presidential candidates that are polar opposites,” Mack said. “In previous elections, if your candidate didn’t win, you felt there was not much difference between them. I think that distinct dichotomy of political thought is one of the factors to spark the turnout.”

 The sheriff added that an amendment protecting the Stockton community from annexation by Bay Minette should bring North Baldwin voters out in droves. Mack will have more deputies patrolling polling sites, and has reviewed transportation capacity of vans for transporting the large number of expected ballots.

 Russell said aside from passionate issues which may bring 75 percent of the voters to the poll, the growth of the county since the four-year presidential voting cycle has statistically added 12 percent to the eligible voter pool.

 “Do the math,” Russell said. “At a 3 percent yearly growth in county population, that’s 12 percent and more people eligible.”