Most southeastern Indiana counties saw voter turnouts lower than the statewide rate.
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(Indianapolis, Ind.) – Indiana’s voter turnout in the May 8, 2018 primary election was 20 percent, according to Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson.
As expected, the mid-term election primary turnout was lower than that seen in the 2016 primary, a presidential election year. About 870,000 of Indiana’s 4.4 million registered voters cast a ballot in the May 8 primary.
The 20 percent turnout last month is a marked improvement from the last presidential mid-term election in 2014, when only 13 percent of registered Indiana voters cast a ballot in the primary.
Turnout ranged from a high of 57 percent in Jay County, to a low of 10 percent in Vanderburgh County.
RELATED: Southeastern Indiana 2018 Primary Election Results
In southeastern Indiana, turnout figures were 19 percent in Dearborn County, 23 percent in Franklin County, 21 percent in Ohio County, 14 percent in Ripley County, and 28 percent in Switzerland County. All were increases from the local 2014 primary turnout.
Twenty percent of Hoosier voters cast an absentee ballot, up from 11 percent in 2010 and 16 percent in 2014.
“Candidates and issues continue to drive turnout in elections,” said Secretary of State Lawson. “Contested statewide and county races across the state brought voters from both parties out in significant numbers, and thanks to the preparations made by clerks and election administrators in all 92 counties, Indiana’s reputation for safe and efficient elections continues.”
There were some Election Day difficulties experienced in Dearborn County on May 8, when most of the county’s 45 voting machines fell victim to dead batteries. The problem did not affect the vote count, the county clerk and members of the local Republican and Democratic parties all agreed.
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