Moderators reported a steady turnout in Groton City’s municipal elections today, where at least two people showed up to vote but were turned away because they live outside city borders in Groton Town.

Susan Ucci, a fitness instructor, said she wanted to vote for Jay Dempsey, a friend running for city council, but she was told she lives just outside the city line. Ucci said she was unhappy with the city’s failed cable venture Thames Valley Communications, in which Groton borrowed millions of dollars and lost millions.

Ucci said she didn’t like “being unaware of it until it blew up in the newspaper.” Republicans seized upon the issue to mount a full slate of candidates for city council and a challenge to Democratic incumbent Mayor Marian Galbraith. Republican Town Councilor James Streeter is running against her.

At District 3 at the Groton Municipal Building, 312 voters had cast ballots shortly after noon. At District 2 at West Side Middle School, 350 people had voted by 1 p.m.

“I’m surprised,” said Jeanne Rogers, moderator of District 2. “I thought it would be slow because it’s a city election, but it’s been steady. People seem eager to vote.”

About 5,000 people are registered to vote at the two polling places combined.