Primary turnout smashed records for Democrats

This year's presidential primaries -- percentage-wise, at least -- drew the second highest average voter turnout ever, behind only 1972, says a report out today.

American University’s Center for the Study of the American Electorate said that turnout in the primaries reached nearly 57.4 million, or 30.3 percent of the eligible electorate, only slightly lower than the all-time high of 30.9 percent recorded in 1972.

Democratic turnout exceeded Republican turnout 36.7 million to 20.6 million, due in part because the GOP race effectively ended in March when John McCain won the Ohio and Texas primaries, three months before Barack Obama wrapped up the Democratic nomination in June over Hillary Clinton.

Democratic turnout averaged 19.4 percent of eligible voters, the highest since an average of 21.2 percent voted in 1972. GOP turnout averaged 10.8 percent, or about the same as in 2000 and below levels in 1980 and most primary seasons before that year.

Of the 30 states that held presidential primaries in both parties, 24 surpassed all previous turnout records. Democratic turnout records were set in 26 states, while the GOP recorded new records in 11, the report said.

“The level of presidential primary turnout speaks to the intense interest in this year’s presidential election. The turnout level for the other primaries speaks to the poor health of American democracy and the diminishing religion of civic duty. That combination makes it difficult to predict the level of turnout in what is still likely to be a high turnout in November’s general election,” Curtis Gans, the center's director, said in a statement.