By Associated Press, 11/04/02

BOSTON -- Secretary of State William Galvin predicted a strong turnout in Tuesday's election, driven largely by interest in the governor's race.

Galvin predicted 2.45 million Massachusetts residents -- 70 percent of the state's 3.5 million active registered voters -- would cast ballots, up from 57 percent during the last governor's race in 1998.

Galvin disagreed with predictions that the negative tone of the hotly contested governor's race between Democrat Shannon O'Brien and Republican Mitt Romney would depress turnout. He said the record amount of money spent in the race, most of it on television ads, means most voters are well aware of the election. Green Party candidate Jill Stein, Libertarian Carla Howell and independent Barbara Johnson also are running for governor.

More than $25 million had been spent on the governor's race through Oct. 15, according to state campaign finance officials, easily surpassing the record of $19 million spent during the 1998 race between Republican Paul Cellucci and Democrat Scott Harshbarger.

Galvin, who was a Democratic gubernatorial candidate before withdrawing in January, predicted that $50 million would be spent by campaign's end. He called the amount "obscene."

More than 73,000 absentee ballots have been requested this year, Galvin said, up from 60,000 requested during the 2000 presidential election.

Other factors contributing to the strong turnout estimate are active races for district attorney in four counties, a high number of legislative races, and three statewide ballot questions.

The ballot questions would abolish the income tax, ban bilingual education, and ask voters' opinion of public financing of political campaigns.

But Galvin said the governor's race was the "engine" driving interest in this year's election.

Polls have shown the Romney-O'Brien race to be extremely close. If the two are separated by less than 1/2 of 1 percent of the vote on Tuesday, a recount would be triggered. The state's last gubernatorial recount was in 1962, when Democrat Endicott Peabody narrowly beat Republican John Volpe.

Polls on Tuesday will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.