NASHUA — The city clerk is predicting a low voter turnout for next week's state primary election, anticipating about 7,000 registered voters will hit the polls in Nashua.

“It will be a small turnout,” City Clerk Paul Bergeron said yesterday while testing the ballot machines in preparation for Tuesday's election. “It will probably be similar to the 2008 primary numbers.”

There are currently about 45,000 registered voters in Nashua, where the population fluctuates around 86,000 residents.

However, Bergeron explained that about 13 or 14 percent of the city's residents are foreign born, meaning some of them may not be American citizens and therefore unable to vote.

In 2010 there was a U.S. Senate primary race, which drew larger crowds to the polls, but that won't happen this year, explained Bergeron. The most votes will likely take place in Ward 1, with the least votes being tallied in Ward 4, predicts the city clerk, who is reminding residents that they can register to vote the day of the election.

Bergeron was busy yesterday morning testing the nine ballot machines that will be used Tuesday throughout the nine wards in Nashua.

“In the 20 years I've been doing this, I've only ever had two or three issues with a ballot machine,” said Bergeron, expecting this year would be no different.

Three boxes of ballot sheets will be delivered to the three largest polling sites, while two boxes will be delivered to the remaining six polling stations, according to Bergeron. A moderator, ward clerk, three selectmen, four ballot inspectors and up to two voter registrars will be stationed at each polling site, he said.

Tuesday's election will serve as practice for the general election on Nov. 6. “That one will be a massive turnout with probably 40,000-42,000 voting. We will really need to build up our staffing for that election,” added Bergeron.

A full slate of local candidates have filed to run for state representative seats in the state's primary election, including some old and new faces that will be on the ballot next week.

Overall, 27 Democrats and 33 Republicans in Nashua will seek a spot in the state legislature. There will be 27 available state representative seats, three each for Districts 28-36.

The Nashua legislature is predominantly Republican, however two years ago it was mostly Nashua Democrats in the House of Representatives.

“We are looking at maintaining our majority,” Andrew Cernota, chairman of the Nashua Area Republican City Committee said on Tuesday. “We have contested races in the Republican primary, and that is a testament to our progress.”

Having the election so close to Labor Day weekend may put the political event in the shadows, but Cernota said the public is starting to pay attention.

“There are big issues at stake in this election, and our candidates are excited to make sure the strides that were made in the 2010 election are preserved,” he said.

Dave Tencza, chairman of the Nashua Democratic City Committee, encouraged all Democrats to get out and vote to show their support for various candidates.

“Obviously, the Nashua Democrats are hoping to win our seats back in the House. I think we will. We are not going to stay where we are now,” predicts Tencza. “People know how extreme their views are now, so we hope to get back the majority.”

State representative candidates include: District 28, Ward 1: Democrats Sylvia Gale, Angeline Kopka and Jan Schmidt; Republicans Kevin Avard , Tom Lanzara, Sean McGuinness, SuzAnne-Marie Rak and Carl Seidel. (Polling site is at Broad Street Elementary School) District 29, Ward 2: Democrats Paul Hackel, Ward Shaff and Suzanne Mercier Vail; Republicans Kenneth Ziehm II, Michael Balboni, Michael McCarthy and Donald McClarren. (Polling site is at Charlotte Avenue Elementary School) District 30, Ward 3: Democrats Mariellen MacKay, Brian Rhodes and Cindy Rosenwald; Republicans Doris Hohensee, David Schoneman and Lisa Scontsas. (Polling site is at Amherst Street Elementary School) District 31, Ward 4: Democrats David E. Cote, Mary Gorman and Stacie Marie Laughton; Republicans Elizabeth VanTwuyver and Richard Heitmiller. (Polling site is at Ledge Street Elementary School) District 32, Ward 5: Democrats Jack Kelley, Rita Gail MacAuslan and Michael Pedersen; Republicans Anthony Dubois, Don LeBrun, David Murotake, Barry Palmer and James Summers. (Polling site is at Main Dunstable Elementary School) District 33, Ward 6: Democrats Efstathia Booras, David B. Campbell and Ken Gidge; Republicans Michael Buxton, Troy Saunders and Greg Surbey. (Polling site is at Fairgrounds Middle School) District 34, Ward 7: Democrats Douglas Carroll, Michael Garcia and Timothy Soucy; Republicans Jacqueline Casey, Duane Erickson, Edith “Dee” Hogan and Timothy Twombly. (Polling site is at Dr. Normand Crisp Elementary School) District 35, Ward 8: Democrats Daniel Hansberry, Roland LaPlante and Mary Nelson; Republicans Bill Joransen, Michael Reed, Peter Silva and Ed Stebbins. (Polling site is at Bicentennial Elementary School) District 36, Ward 9: Democrats Linda Harriott-Gathright, Marty Jack and Michael B. O'Brien, Sr.; Republicans Willard Brown, Bill Ohm and David Robbins. (Polling site is at New Searles Elementary School) Polls in Nashua will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

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Kimberly Houghton may be reached at khoughton@newstote.com.