The Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office today released statistics detailing primary election voting patterns in both turnout and the use of absentee ballots:
History of State Primary Turnout Based on Minnesota’s Eligible Voter Population:
| Date: | #Eligible | #Voted | %Turnout |
| 2000 | 3,506,432 | 602,690 | 17.19% |
| 2002 | 3,518,184 | 535,972 | 15.23% |
| 2004 | 3,609,185 | 279,132 | 7.73% |
| 2006 | 3,667,707 | 514,373 | 14.02% |
| 2008 | 3,725,529 | 419,474 | 11.26% |
| 2010 | 3,806,763 | 589,814* | 15.5%* |
*Note: This preliminary number is unofficial and may change. Election results remain unofficial until local election officials verify their numbers, canvass their results and report them to the State Canvassing Board, which certifies county canvassing reports on Tuesday, Aug. 17.
History of Absentee Balloting in Minnesota Primaries:
| 2010: | 31,112* | (as of 1:25 p.m. on 8/11/2010) |
| 2008: | 21,160 | |
| 2006: | 19,859 | |
| 2004: | 18,958 | |
| 2002: | 18,850 | |
| 2000: | 21,749 | |
| 1998: | 25,257 | |
| 1996: | 20,450 | |
| 1994: | 22,764 | |
| 1992: | 18,990 |
6,933 (presidential primary April 7)
1990: 17,048
