State's voter turnout typical, despite early surge

Of Arkansas' nearly 1.76 million registered voters, 64.65 percent cast ballots in the Nov. 8. general election, according to Secretary of State Mark Martin's office.

That share of Arkansas' registered voters who voted in the general election fell short of the 70 percent turnout forecast by Martin's election officials. More than 1.1 million registered voters cast ballots Nov. 8. A 70 percent turnout would have been the largest turnout in a presidential election year since 72.13 percent of registered voters cast ballots in 1992, when then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton was elected to his first term as president.

Compared with other presidential election years, this year's 64.65 percent lagged the 66.65 percent turnout in the 2012 election, but exceeded the 64.52 percent turnout in the 2008 election, based on state records. This year's share also outdistanced the 62.62 percent turnout in the 2004 election, the 59.34 percent turnout in the 2000 election and the 64.57 percent turnout in the 1996 election, based on state records.

When asked why this year's general election voter turnout lagged the forecast, Martin spokesman Chris Powell said Monday that turnout of almost 65 percent was consistent with previous presidential election cycles.

"I think what drove our projection was the record turnout we saw in the primary and the pace of early voting," he said.

"A higher percentage of people early voted this general election than in previous years. It was nearly 55%. Early votes comprised 44% in 2012 and 40% in 2008," Powell said in a written statement.

According to the secretary state office's certified election results, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump got 684,872 votes in Arkansas compared to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's 380,494. That's a margin of 60.57 percent to 33.65 percent.

Trump is a New York real estate mogul and reality TV star. Hillary Clinton is a former U.S. secretary of state, U.S. senator from New York and former Arkansas and U.S. first lady.

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Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson got 29,829 votes in Arkansas, or 2.64 percent, according to the secretary of state's certified election results.

Independent candidate Evan McMullin received 13,255 votes in Arkansas, Green Party candidate Jill Stein picked up 9,473 votes, Constitution Party candidate Darrell Castle got 4,613 votes, independent candidate Jim Hedges received 4,709 votes and independent candidate Lynn S. Kahn tallied 3,390 votes, according to the certified results.

Voter turnout exceeded 70 percent of registered voters in Clark, Conway, Fulton, Little River, Madison, Marion, Montgomery, Pike, Prairie, Saline, Stone and Van Buren counties with Van Buren County leading the way with 73.61 percent of its registered voters casting ballots, according to the secretary of state's office.

Energized voters in a presidential election year, several close races for Van Buren County offices and good weather led to the strong turnout in that county, said Jeff Hall, election coordinator in the county.

Voter turnout fell short of 60 percent in Ashley, Crittenden, Desha, Johnson, Nevada, Ouachita, Phillips, St. Francis and Woodruff counties, with Newton County having the worst turnout with 45.88 percent of its registered voters casting ballots, according to the secretary of state's office.

Newton County Clerk Donnie Davis said he doesn't know why voter turnout lagged there.

Among the state's largest counties, voter turnout was 67.84 percent of registered voters in Benton County, 65.52 percent in Pulaski County and 63.87 percent in Washington County, according to the secretary of state's office.

Metro on 11/29/2016

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