Voter Turnout Exceeded Expectations

According to the Lansing State Journal, turnout in Tuesday's midterm election was the strongest in decades, based on preliminary numbers.

More than 3.9 million of Michigan's 7.4 million registered voters had cast ballots in the governor's race.

Voter turnout exceeded the 54.6 percent voter participation reached in 2006, the recent high for a midterm election, and could rival or exceed the turnout rates of 55.8 percent and 57.1 percent, reached in 1982 and 1978, based on records from the Michigan Secretary of State's Office.

Tuesday's vote would not approach the midterm record of 74.5 percent reached in 1962, according to data on the website of the Secretary of State's Office.

Long lines to vote were reported around the state.  Tuesday's election was the first one since the GOP-controlled Legislature banned straight-ticket voting, and that could have been a factor in slowing the voting process.

Long lines to vote were reported around the state. Tuesday's election was the first one since the GOP-controlled Legislature banned straight-ticket voting, and that could have been a factor in slowing the voting process.