Voter Turnout Higher Than Anticipated

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach says turnout in the state’s primary elections exceeded his expectations, with nearly 23 percent of the state’s 1.7 million registered voters participating.

Kobach reported Wednesday that 392,000 Kansans cast ballots.

He had predicted that 310,000 people would participate, a turnout of 18 percent.

But Kobach said turnout spiked in areas with hotly contested state Senate primaries.

Greeley County in western Kansas had the highest turnout, nearly 65 percent. The county lies in the 39th Senate District, where Senate President Steve Morris, a moderate Republican, trailed in final results for his primary race against conservative state Representative Larry Powell.

Wyandotte County, home of Kansas City, Kansas had the lowest turnout at 11 percent.