The day afer the primary, I did a rough estimate of Allen County voter turnout and came up with 15 percent. I just got off the phone with the Election Board, and the official results have been certified -- 16 percent. Given my math-challenged brain, I'm pleased to have been so close. But 16 percent is about as dismal a turnout as 15 percent. According to the Secretary of State's Web site, the average turnout statewide was 23 percent. The lowest turnout was 13 percent, with three counties tied: Monroe, St. Joseph and Vanderburg. The highest turnouts were Pulaski (35 percent), Benton (42) and Orange (46). Quite a range.
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It's especially disappointing given interesting (and important) contested primaries on both sides of the ticket.
It makes you wonder why the Secretary of Staet's office spent $1.2 million on voter ID education ads, but invested virtually no energy in encouraging people to vote. Why so much effort educating people on something they aren't apt to do? Cart & horse.
The turnout would probably be better if it was less the private business of the Ds & Rs and a more public, inclusive affair. Libertarians, independents, and scratch voters are all limited in their participation by the partisan ballot format.
Most counties have one-party domination, and there the supporters of the minority parties don't show up because their party often fails to post candidates. Observe Lake County Republicans and Hamilton County Democrats for this phenomenon.
The 23% statewide turnout would actually have been worse had there not been the active effort to purge the rolls of the deceased, those who've moved out of state, etc., who were still on in 2004. That year was the big combined gubernotarial/presidential primary, and the statewide turnout was only 21%.
It's embarrassing, and needs an overhaul. Perhaps it's time to get the precinct committeemen and delegate to state convention elections of the primary ballot, and into party conventions where they belong. Perhaps it's time to expand ballot access. Perhaps- if we want greater turnout.