More than 580,000 eligible Minnesota voters cast ballots in Tuesday’s primary, or more than 15 percent of Minnesota’s eligible voter population of 3.8 million.  

This figure includes a record number of absentee ballots, more than 31,000. 

“Despite heat, humidity and severe weather, Minnesotans made sure their voices were heard,” Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said in a statement. “While turnout in primaries is always lower than general elections, turnout exceeded all expectations and made this earlier primary a big success. Excellent coverage by the media plus spirited campaigning in the DFL Governor’s race were two of the major factors in this unexpectedly high turnout.”