All across the region, voters were undeterred by the rain and cold and headed to the polls to cast their ballot in the Democratic or Republican primaries in another round of presidential voting that included not just Connecticut, but Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware, too.

According to the website of Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, voter turnout was 46.86 percent for Democrats and 49.38 percent for Republicans, as of 10 p.m.

Locally, southeastern Connecticut moderators were describing turnout as "steady" or "moderate" through about mid-day.

"I got to vote today for somebody I liked, but I can't say it will be the same in November," said Ray Jones, pastor of Lighthouse Community Baptist Church, as he exited the Pawcatuck Fire Department building where he had just voted Tuesday morning.

Jones didn't want to say whom he voted for, or even what party he's registered with, but the Pawcatuck pastor did say that even if his candidate doesn't ultimately win, it's his responsibility to cast a ballot.

"I just feel it is part of my civic duty. I'm given this privilege to vote and I made sure to come out and do it," he said, adding he encouraged his congregation to vote, but didn't tell them whom to support.

"This has been a bizarre election cycle," Jones continued, and added that his two daughters were voting for the first time Tuesday.

In Waterford, Julie Watson Jones, the Democratic registrar of voters, said her office was busy Monday morning as unaffiliated voters rushed to meet a noon deadline to register with either the Republican or Democratic party and be able to vote in Tuesday's primaries.

Republicans were deciding between Ted Cruz, Donald Trump and John Kasich; while Democrats considered Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton and Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente.

Emotions at times were running high, with one person reportedly tearing up political signs supporting Trump at the Oswegatchie Elementary School in Waterford. A voter contacted Waterford police, who said they tracked down the person and the signs eventually were returned.

One voter leaving the polling station in Pawcatuck complained that Ben Carson's name was still on the ballot, but registrars and moderators said that was because Carson withdrew from the race too late to have his name stricken.

Another voter was annoyed that names on the ballots were not put in order of who is leading in the polls.

"They manipulate the system," said the man, who declined to give his name. "They should lay them out, high to low." 

The moderators said the order of the ballot is decided by the Secretary of the State's Office and determined by lot.

Polling officials across the region said the biggest problem Tuesday was people arriving at the polls intent on voting and learning that they were not registered with one of the major political parties, and therefore ineligible to vote.

"They'll say I voted Republican all my life, but they're unaffiliated, so they can't vote," said Chris Rose, the moderator at the Pawcatuck polling place. "And then they are upset, and understandably so."

Those registered with a political party had until Jan. 26 to change from one party to another, and unaffiliated voters could walk into their local registrar's office up until noon Monday to affiliate as a Democrat or Republican and vote on Tuesday.

Norwich registrars said their office had a rush of registrations leading up to the primary. Between 9 a.m. Friday and noon Monday, 147 people registered, including 70 as new voters with a party and 77 switching from unaffiliated to a party, according to Republican Registrar Dianne Slopak. 

"We've gotten a lot of calls of unaffiliated voters going to the polls thinking they can vote," Democratic Registrar Dianne Daniels said. "Unfortunately, we have to turn them away."

In North Stonington, registered Republican Meredith Farnham was on her way into the New Town Hall to vote but was somewhat pessimistic.

"I'm at a point where I don't think my vote matters anymore, with the (super) delegates and the electoral college," she said.

Democrat G. Russell Stewart, who was on his way out after voting, acknowledged that his preferred presidential pick may not make it.

"It's pretty late for Bernie (Sanders) to catch fire," he said, "but I want to feel it was worth voting if he doesn't get in."

Stewart is 82 and a former Democratic chairman in town and said he's never missed an opportunity to vote.

Tessa Baake, 18, a senior at Wheeler High School, voted for the first time ever Tuesday and was the first person in line in North Stonington when the polls opened at 6 a.m.

Baake, and fellow Wheeler student Andrew Carlson, 17, were volunteering at the polling place.

"It's a great opportunity to see what I'm learning in our AP government class in action," Carlson said.

In East Lyme, Dan Glynn was checking on Sanders' placards arranged within the allowed distance from the polling place at the town's community center off Society Road.

Glynn said he was an unaffiliated voter until two months ago, when he switched his affiliation to Democrat so he could vote for Sanders.

"He's the best. He's going to turn this country around. There's a big revolution coming," he said.

Across the parking lot, Jan Orsini was holding up a Sanders sign in an effort to sway voters.

"There's so many things I love about him, even on this cold, rainy day," she said. "He stands for what I believe in."

Merrill said Monday that the number of registered voters in Connecticut hit 1,970,098 in advance of Tuesday's primary.

Since January, a total of 93,823 new voters have registered — 46,492 as Democrats, 21,448 as Republicans, and 25,883 as unaffiliated.

All told, there are 757,825 registered Democrats in the state, 431,774 Republicans, and 780,499 unaffiliated voters.

a.baldelli@theday.com