COLUMBUS, Ohio – Unofficial results indicate voter turnout for Tuesday’s election likely will be among the lowest on record for a midterm election in Ohio.
Ballots were cast by about 3.1 million people, or about 40 percent of the roughly 7.75 million registered voters in Ohio, according to results made available online by the Secretary of State’s office. County elections boards also reported about 161,000 outstanding absentee and provisional ballots.
The turnout was even lower in Franklin County where the Board of Elections’ unofficial data show 291,505 voters – or about 36 percent – turned up at polling places. That includes 99,278 who cast absentee ballots in person and by mail and 7,730 provisional ballots cast, spokesman Ben Piscitelli said.
Statistics kept by the state show turnout has ranged from about 48 percent to 62 percent for Ohio’s midterm elections since 1978, when that type of tabulation began. Turnout was about 49 percent for Ohio’s last midterm election, when Republican Gov. John Kasich was elected for his first term in 2010.