Primary Turnout Below 25 Percent

Fewer than 1 in 4 registered voters turned out for Tuesday’s primary elections. With nearly 99 percent of precincts reporting statewide, the turnout was 22,23 percent, according to data posted on the state Division of Elections website. That was roughly what Secretary of State Cord Byrd predicted Tuesday morning, as he pointed to a lack of statewide elections on the ballot. “We are probably expecting it to be about 20 to 25 percent, which is historically about where it would be with nothing pushing the ballot except for the local races,” he told reporters. The data showed five rural counties — Baker, Calhoun, Lafayette, Liberty and Taylor — topping 50 percent turnout.