Majority of unaffiliated didn't vote in primary
That statistic is important because the majority of all Utah voters — 55 percent — are unaffiliated. But because Utah generally votes so heavily Republican anyway, that party's primary often chooses not only its nominees but also the eventual winners (who often face only token opposition in the general election).
So if unaffiliated voters choose not to vote in the primary, it means few Utah voters are likely choosing the eventual winners.
In last month's primary, for example, voters dumped incumbent U.S. Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, for challenger Jason Chaffetz by a 60-40 margin. And in a bitter state treasurer's race, Richard Ellis defeated Mark Walker by a 59-41 margin.
The Republican primary in Utah is "closed," meaning only registered Republicans may vote in it. However, voters who are unaffiliated with any party may reregister at the polls to declare themselves as Republicans, and then vote. Utah Democrats allow anyone of any party to vote in their primaries.
"It depends on which figures you use. We don't have a precise way of measuring that," said Mark Thomas, office administrator for the lieutenant governor's office.
He said figures show that 2,950 people registered as Republicans on Election Day or from June 10 to June 24 when early voting was available. That amounts to 3.3 percent of those who voted in the GOP primary.
New-voter registration is prohibited by law in that time frame, so reregistration should have occurred only among unaffiliated voters choosing to participate in the Republican primary. "But some of the (county) clerk's offices could have been reporting earlier registration changes a bit late" to the state, Thomas said.
Meanwhile, state figures show that 1,284 people reregistered on Election Day itself, or about 1.4 percent of all those who participated in the primary.
But county clerks reported that only 707 people statewide (0.7 percent of those who voted) registered using a special Election Day form — but Thomas said county clerks may simply have failed to click the proper boxes on report forms for all who reregistered on Election Day.
Only 89,855 people voted in the GOP primary last month. That turnout was 14.3 percent of all people registered as Republicans on Election Day, and 5.7 percent of all Republicans and unaffiliated voters (and 5.3 percent of all Utah voters).
Recent comments
I, for one, have no problem with open primaries. I would have voted...
arc | July 11, 2008 at 8:24 a.m.
I am unaffiliated, and I voted in the primary...its not my fault...
Mike | July 10, 2008 at 9:44 p.m.
The extreme Republicans who run the party have done everything they...
Phil | July 10, 2008 at 5:07 p.m.
