DOBSON — A light turnout is expected across Surry County for a second primary today, but local voters are urged to prove the prognostications wrong.

Susan Jarrell, director of the county board of elections, said Monday that participation in Surry likely will be in the 3 to 5 percent range.

However, what is forecast and what actually transpires can be two different things, and Jarrell and her staff hope today’s turnout exceeds predictions.

“We certainly do,” she said. “That would be wonderful.”

The 29 polling stations around the county are open today from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. It costs $20,000 to $30,000 to hold an election in Surry County.

Today’s second primary is a sequel to the first party primary in May, when winners of a small number of races failed to garner the 40 percent of the vote needed to avoid a runoff with the second-place finishers.

Though the ballot is light, it contains some contests that have attracted interest.

Republican voters will have four races to choose from affecting statewide offices: a battle for the party’s lieutenant governor nomination between Dan Forest and Tony Gurley, Ed Goodwin vs. Kenn Gardner for secretary of state, Richard Morgan vying with Mike Causey for commissioner of insurance and John Tedesco vs. Richard Alexander for superintendent of public instruction.

Registered Democrats will choose a party nominee for commissioner of labor between Marlowe Foster and John C. Brooks.

Unaffiliated citizens who did not cast ballots in the first primary may choose to vote in either the Republican or Democratic runoff today. Those who did cast ballots on May 8 must remain with the party selected then.

No runoffs will be held on the Libertarian ballot.

During an early voting period for the second primary, which ended Saturday, 105 ballots were cast in Surry County, and 74 absentee-by-mail ballots were returned.