Voter turnout statewide primaries in 1966: 33.5% Voter turnout
in 38 states with such primaries in 2006: 15.4% (the lowest in
history) Ratio of voter turnout for those over 70 vs. those
under 45 in Oregon’s 2006 primaries: 3.5 to 1 As the
presidential nomination season is heating up, have you ever
thought about the word "primary"? Going to the dictionary, one
finds that the first definition is, "first or highest in rank,
quality, or importance." Well, in the case of voter turnout, the
first shall be last. Primary elections indeed determine who wins
the great majority of our nation's elections for Congress and
state legislature – most districts are safe for one party, and
winning the primary is tantamount to winning the general
election. But in contrast to turnout in November elections,
turnout in primaries is sinking like a stone. Plunging Turnout
in Primaries: In 2006, for example, the Committee for the Study
of the American Electorate reports that turnout in statewide
primaries around the nation plunged by