Peninsula Daily News and news sources
Peninsula Daily News
and news sources
Jefferson County reported the highest voter turnout in the state for the Nov. 5 general election, while statewide turnout was the lowest in a decade.
Clallam County’s 53.23 percent voter turnout, with 24,841 ballots counted out of 46,668 mailed to registered voters, was below Jefferson County’s 64.6 percent — 14,710 ballots counted out of 22,772 returned — but still above the statewide turnout of 44.5 percent so far.
The statewide turnout missed the state Secretary of State office’s prediction of 51 percent.
Several thousand ballots left to be counted could edge the figure up statewide.
But Secretary of State Kim Wyman’s office said it will remain the lowest turnout since 2003, when just 40.5 percent of voters cast ballots.
November turnout was lowest in Yakima County at 37.5 percent
Since 1980, turnout in off-year elections has averaged 51 percent.
That compares with 79 percent in presidential-election years and 62 percent during midterm elections.
The turnout on the North Olympic Peninsula, although higher than the state’s, came in lower than many previous elections.
