Senate Primary Turnout Not Record Low
Voter turnout in New Jersey's special U.S. Senate primary was low, but not a record low.
With 98 percent of precincts reporting results from Tuesday's vote, nearly 482,000 votes were counted. That represents a little less than 9 percent of eligible voters.
The state saw worse primary turnouts when 6 percent of those eligible cast ballots in a 1999 election when only state Assembly seats were on ballots.
The lowest turnout for a New Jersey primary involving U.S. Senate candidates was 8 percent in 2008.
Tuesday's election came at the peak of vacation season and the primary was scheduled only two months ago.
Democrat Cory Booker and Republican Steve Lonegan are vying to serve the remainder of the late Frank Lautenberg's term.
Primary Election Results
6,205 of 6,337 precincts – 98 percent
Democrats
x-Cory Booker 207,891 – 59 percent
Frank Pallone 69,311 – 20 percent
Rush Holt 59,922 – 17 percent
Sheila Oliver 14,996 – 4 percent
Republicans
x-Steven Lonegan 99,265 – 80 percent
Alieta Eck 25,009 – 20 percent