Even before Galesburg residents went to the polls Tuesday to elect new Aldermen voter turnout was expected to be low, despite three competitive city council races.The last eight municipal consolidated elections have seen an average of 18 percent of registered voters casting a ballot.
Municipal elections typically yield lower turnout than federal and state races.
Even as far local elections, years when the mayor isn’t on the ballot tend to draw about half the voters than years the mayor is being elected.
But looking at historic election data for Galesburg suggests turnout on Tuesday may have been the lowest turnout ever, at less than 8 percent.
Data available on the City of Galesburg’s website shows there was no election of any kind dating back to 1989 that had lower turnout.
A deeper dive in election archives is needed to verify that 2019 was a record low year, but voting participation has trended downward in recent years.
Voter turnout from ’89 to ’01 was about 29 percent.
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