CHRIS BIGGS
Secretary of State
image of the Kansas Secretary of State seal
STATE OF KANSAS
Memorial Hall, 1st Floor
120 SW 10th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66612-1594
(785) 296-4564
www.kssos.org

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NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Friday, October 29, 2010

Contact Information
Tyler Longpine, Public Affairs Director
Office of the Secretary of State
(785)296-4580
tylerl@kssos.org

SECRETARY BIGGS PREDICTS 47.5% TURNOUT FOR 2010 GENERAL ELECTION
Biggs encourages Kansas voters to cast a ballot

TOPEKA, KS – Today Kansas Secretary of State Chris Biggs announced that 47.5% of Kansas’ registered voters are predicted to cast a ballot in the November 2, 2010 General Election. If voter turnout predictions are realized, approximately 820,000 of the 1.725 million registered voters in Kansas will cast a ballot in the upcoming election.


Mid-term elections traditionally have lower turnouts than those in a presidential election year. Turnout for the 2006 midterm was 52%. In 2002 turnout was 52%; in 1998 turnout was 50%. If the actual totals are the same as the predicted turnout the 2010 election will see both a lower percentage of voters and a lower actual number of voters than previous mid-term elections.


Historic Turnout
Year
Number of Registered Voters
Turnout
Percentage
2006
1,663,017
864,294
52%
2004
1,694,365
1,213,108
72%
2002
1,615,333
840,243
52%
2000
1,622,131
1,083,264
67%
1998
1,513,685
751,505
50%
1996
1,438,894
1,076,237
75%
1994
1,273,648
836,251
64%
1992
1,365,849
1,161,927
85%


Secretary Biggs also released the statewide voter registration total. There are currently 1.725 million Kansans registered to vote; a total that reflects an increase of more than 72,000 registered voters since the 2006 mid-term election.


Registered Voters
Year
Republican
Democrat
Unaffiliated
Total*
2010
766,420
460,240
486,985
1,725,013
2008
741,786
449,058
451,631
1,652,971
2006
755,725
437,854
447,205
1,646,987
2004
730,049
428,728
421,946
1,591,428
2002
719,758
431,996
425,872
1,588,859
2000
696,480
430,410
416,971
1,557,692
*Includes Libertarian and Reform Party Candidates


“Advance Voting continues to grow in popularity,” said Secretary Biggs. “For those who can’t make it to the polls on Election Day or for those who simply want the convenience of voting on their own time Advance Voting is increasing turnout by making our election more accessible.”


As of 8:00 a.m. today 191,083 advance ballots had been mailed, 126,119 had been returned, and 53,284 additional ballots had been cast at satellite voting locations.


Advance Voting
Year
Total Voters
Advance Ballots Cast
Percent of Total
Votes Cast
2008
371,121
75,384
20.31
2006
298,972
51,653
17.3
2004
488,002
62,531
12.8
2002
410,630
47,617
11.6
2000
425,568
44,512
10.6


As he did in the primary, Biggs noted that the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office is predicting a 51 percent turnout and issued a challenge to Kansas voters to meet or exceed the border state’s predictions.


“This is an important election year for Kansas citizens,” said Biggs. “All statewide offices, the four US congressional seats, and one of the state’s two senate seats are on the ballot. There are also two constitutional questions to be decided. Although the predicted is less than 48 percent turnout, I again challenge Kansans to go to the polls and prove me wrong,” Biggs said. “We are privileged to live in a nation where we have open and free elections, and as such, voting is not just your right, it is your responsibility. I urge you to participate in democracy by casting your vote.”


To find out more about elections, go the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office, visit www.kssos.org


 
 
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