VOTERS ARE UNENTHUSED.

Byline: Lisa Mascaro Staff Writer

SIMI VALLEY - A big Bush campaign sign greets travelers exiting from the Ronald Reagan Freeway into Simi Valley, one amid a cluster of placards for hopefuls that include GOP rival John McCain.

But Bruce Bradley, assistant registrar of voters for Ventura County, says it's going to take a lot more activity from the national candidates to generate voter interest in the host of local elections sharing space on the March 7 primary ballot.

``I don't think until the politicians start campaigning out here . . . until they start, I don't think there's a lot of interest right now,'' he said. ``People are too busy earning a paycheck.''

Voter turnout for previous presidential primary elections hovers in the low- to mid-40 percent range of the county's more than 300,000 registered voters, said Bradley, and this year he doesn't expect much difference.

Despite the primary being moved up from June to March and the open ballot that allows voters to cross party lines, Bradley said county turnout is expected to be standard.

The county so far has 365,247 registered voters, though a final tally won't be ready until this week, he said.

Still, local races are shaping up across Ventura County, where voters will hit the polls in less than one month to choose three supervisors and party candidates for Congress, Assembly and state Senate.

Looming over the local races are recent shakeups in county government, including a $15.3 million penalty for faulty Medicare billing that could leave the county in debt, and leadership changes in the Chief Administrative Office.

In one supervisor's race, incumbent John Flynn, who previously had just one opponent, is now facing a second challenger in Oxnard school board member Francisco Dominguez, who entered the race at the last minute calling for a change in leadership.

``I think they're all vulnerable,'' Bob Larkin, Ventura County Republican Party vice chairman, said of the incumbent supervisors. ``I think the people are kind of tired of it.''

But the leader of the county's employees union says local voters are more concerned about the quality of life on their block, rather than the workings of county government.

For that, says Barry Hammitt, executive director of the Service Employees Internation Union, incumbents should do just fine this season.

``I'm not sure the financial concerns are the major issues that are out there,'' Hammitt said. ``The questions of quality of life, education - those are the big issues that are on everybody's plate at this point. . . . We're getting no indications there are any concerns, any disaffections from the people.''

Also on local ballots are the races for the 19th Senate District, where Republican rivals Judy Mikels and Tom McClintock are battling for the party nod; the 37th Assembly District, where Republican Tony Strickland is preparing for a November showdown for a second term; and the 38th Assembly District, where Republicans Dr. Keith Richman and Simi Valley school board member Norm Walker are among those fighting for the seat.

Also on the ballot is the 23rd and 24th Congressional District seats, where a range of hopefuls are challenging the incumbents.

Those watching the races say the primary could provide a look at the 23rd Congressional District race, where Democrat Michael Case is trying for the seat held fast by popular Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Simi Valley.

Hammitt said the primary will be an indicator of whether Case has what it takes to mount a viable campaign against Gallegly, who has held the district for more than a decade.

``The primary's important for him. He's got to show he's credible,'' said Hammitt.

But with the primary weeks away, Bradley said he believes voters are just getting up to speed with the new earlier election day.

``This is the first open primary we've had for president . . . but coming this early, probably people aren't attuned to it,'' he said. ``(It) comes on as a surprise to people we're voting this early.''