JOHNSON RELEASES TURNOUT FIGURES

HELENA—Today Secretary of State Brad Johnson released an initial estimate of turnout in the 2008 Presidential primary election.

Johnson said, “With preliminary figures, it looks like more than 45 percent of registered voters cast a ballot. This is a great indication of Montanans' enthusiasm and dedication to our electoral process. It’s also a testament to the skill and professionalism of Montana’s county election officials. They managed one of the biggest elections in Montana history, with tremendous voter interest, in a way that reflected credit to the entire state. Lines were short and well controlled and everything went smoothly. Because of the exemplary local officials who run them, Montana’s elections are some of the cleanest, fairest, most efficient in the country. Last night, the rest of the nation had a chance to see that.”

The figure of 45 percent voter turnout would be the highest primary election turnout since 1994, the year Congress passed the National Voting Rights Act that changed how voter turnout statistics are measured. The number is likely to increase slightly as final figures come in from counties.

The initial estimate is just slightly shy of the 47 percent predicted by Johnson’s office before the election. Final reporting from counties is expected to drive the number higher.

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