High turnout in Idaho, record in Bannock County

Idaho election officials predicted this years election could bring more people out to the polls than ever before.

With votes being tallied, it appears 2012 is the second biggest turnout the state had had, behind the 2008 presidential election.

Secretary of State Ben Ysursa said three out of every four registered voters in Idaho cast their ballot during this election.

“Obviously it was a great turnout. And that makes for long night and evenings in counting, but that’s what democracy is all about,” Ysursa said.

In some counties and regions, election workers had an especially busy job county ballots.

“I think that you could certainly see a trend that eastern Idaho turnout was very healthy,” Ysursa said.

Most every county in eastern Idaho had a turnout extremely close to the 2008 numbers, but Bannock county bucked that trend.

Although statewide we may not have reached a record turnout, Bannock might have.

Election officials said 84 percent of registered voters made it to the polls in the county.

“The highest that I can remember. And I think it is the highest ever,” Bannock County Clerk Dale Hatch said.

A presidential election year drove many to the ballot box, along with a statewide referendum on which way education should be headed.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that the propositions were a major catalyst in increasing the turnout,” Ysursa said.