A relatively small number of Californians are expected to cast ballots in tomorrow’s primary election. And a lack of excitement may have something to do with the anticipated low turnout.
Statewide Constitutional offices including Governor, Secretary of State and Attorney General are all on the ballot. But Eric McGhee, a research fellow with the Public Policy Institute of California, says turnout could fall to a record low. He cites a lack of excitement around the top races, many of which are uncompetitive.
“On top of all that we have made a change in California so that we no longer have citizen initiatives on the primary ballot," he says. "And those tend to be the kind of hot-button issues that really drive turnout.”
McGhee says primary voters tend to be older, white and Republican.
And, increasingly, people are choosing to vote by mail rather than going to the polls. Nearly 9 million mail-in ballots were issued for the primary. BUt, election officials say if you have not yet sent your ballot in, do not put it in the mail. Instead, drop it off at any polling place in the county the ballot was sent from.
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