Low Voter Turnout Expected Tuesday
Oklahoma elections: Less than 50 percent voter turnout expected in Tuesday’s general election
by Rick Green
If this election runs true to past experience, less than half of Oklahoma’s registered voters will cast ballots Tuesday on statewide races that will include governor and both U.S. senators.
The ballot also will include state legislative races, state questions and congressional contests.
General elections in which an incumbent governor is trying to win re-election have typically seen voter turnout in the range of 43 to 45 percent, state Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said Monday. Four years ago, when there was no incumbent governor, turnout was a little above 50 percent.
“Now just because that happened in the past doesn’t mean it will happen going forward, but the pattern over the last 20 years has been fairly consistent,” Ziriax said. “I haven’t seen anything in 2014 to make me think it will be a lot different.”
Weather also may limit the turnout Tuesday, with rain and gusty winds likely across a wide section of the state.