8 June 2016

MT’s 2016 VEP primary turnout slightly below 2008’s VEP turnout

Montana’s turnout of its voting eligible population in yesterday’s primary was 36.1 percent, 5.2 percent higher than in 2012, but 2.4 percent lower than in 2008. Download Flathead Memo’s MT VEP turnout spreadsheet.

Below, a table of Montana primary turnout for 1920–2016.

In the Flathead, the VEP turnout was 28.4 percent, functionally equivalent to 2012’s 28.5 percent, but 6.2 percent lower than 2008’s 34.6 percent.

In the Democratic presidential primary, Bernie Sanders prevailed with 51 percent of the vote. Of Montana’s big counties, he won Flathead, Gallatin, Missoula, and (narrowly) Lewis and Clark. Hillary Clinton won Cascade, Silver Bow, and Yellowstone. Four percent of Montana’s Democrats voted for “No Preference.” In my opinion, those Democrats are very close to being brain dead.

Flathead Tea Party candidates Keith Regier and Derek Skees won closely watched primaries. Regier defeated Don Kaltschmidt in Senate District 3, piling up a majority in House District 6 that more than offset Kaltschmidt’s majority in House District 5. Skees defeated Jean Barragan. Regier, Skees, and county commissioner candidate Pam Holmquist, who defeated challenger Tim Harmon, appear to have coordinated their campaigns.

My congratulations to the winners, and thanks to all who stood for election.