Record Number Of Calif. Voters = Lower Turnout? It Could Happen
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Despite a record number of registered voters in California, some analysts are predicting the total turnout for Tuesday's election could fall below 50 percent.
KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reports about 17.8 million Californians are now registered to vote - more than for any other gubernatorial general election in state history.
According to the California Secretary of State's office, voter turnout in non-presidential general elections over the last 30 years has ranged from 50 to 61 percent of registered voters.
While officials in Los Angeles County would not speculate on voter turnout, more than 248,000 vote by mail ballots have been returned out of nearly 5 million registered voters countywide, according to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office.
Some voters, however, admitted to a lack of interest in voting despite having registered.
"I'm not really well-informed enough to vote," said one woman. "I usually just wait for the presidential elections."
And some California residents were still waiting for their turn to determine the political future of the most populous state in the U.S.
"I'm not a citizen yet," said one man.