Election officials expected low voter turnout on Tuesday. That's due in part to all the changes surrounding this year’s primaries. That turned out to be true in Idaho's most populous county. Phil McGrane says voter turnout in Ada County was extremely low. “It was 16.74%.”
The Chief Deputy for the Ada County Clerk says that’s lower than normal. “For the past three primaries, in 2010, 2008, and 2006, it’s been just above 21%.”
McGrane says there are plenty of reasons why turnout was so low. Idaho held its first closed primary. It was a redistricting year and political lines were re-drawn to account for population shifts. And McGrane says…“This is the first year that the caucuses took care of selecting the Presidential nominee, so as a result, that was just one less thing on the ballot and that’s one of the things that motivates people the most in elections.”
The presidential candidates will be on the ballot in November. McGrane says that will send voters flocking to the polls. He expects 70% to 80% of registered voters to turnout in Ada County for the general election.
