Primary Voter Turnout At 46 Percent So Far, At Least 34-Year High

ANNAPOLIS (AP) -- Maryland elections board officials say voter turnout for a presidential primary is the highest in more than 34 years in the state.

Nikki Charlson, deputy administrator of the state elections board, said Wednesday about 1.6 million people cast ballots during early voting and on Election Day. That's about 46 percent of registered voters. Absentee and provisional ballots have not been counted.

Voter turnout this year is higher than the 1982 presidential primary, when it was about 45 percent. Other presidential primary years after that had lower voter turnout until Tuesday.

Helping to drive turnout this year, Maryland's primary came as the presidential primaries are still unresolved, unlike in recent years. Also, Baltimore just moved its local elections to the presidential year, helping to boost turnout in the state's largest city.

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