Election-Campaign Law

Preliminary residual vote rate for Minnesota

By Charles Stewart III

Based on the preliminary turnout figures on the Minnesota Secretary of State’s web site and the election returns reported, the Minnesota residual vote rate is 1.1%, approximately double its 2004 rate of 0.6%.  Past experience suggests that residual vote rates tend to rise in most states at this point, though there may be something different about Minnesota’s reporting pattern that would overcome that.  While it’s dangerous to establish a trend with just two points, there is at least a little evidence already emerging that residual vote rates may have risen in ‘08 nationwide.

Full post as published by Election Updates on November 07, 2008 (boomark / email).