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Officials Concerned but Not Surprised by Voter Turnout
Not even a local stop by a candidate for President could stop voter turnout in Tuesday's election from being as typical as it usually is.

That's according to Knox County Clerk Scott Ericson -- outside of Galesburg, he says voter turnout Tuesday hovered around 20 percent, and he was expecting it to be closer to 30.

Ericson tells WGIL he knows why turnout was so low, however.

"Usually in a presidential election, in a primary scenario, is what we're going to look at," Ericson said. "A lot of people just don't come out on the primaries because you have to declare a party, and some people are of the 'you know I don't want to declare a party, or I'm going to vote for the best person for the job.'"

Ericson says turnout was higher in areas where the proposed Abingdon, Avon, and Bushnell-Prairie City School Consolidation was held. Many there, he says, pulled non-partisan ballots, so they wouldn't have to declare a political party.

He says he does expect turnout to be higher in November when the presidential election and other races truly come into play, and when voters don't have to declare a party.

Voter turnout in Galesburg, by the way, was around 15 percent.
03 22 12 by Newsroom
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