Election Official Predicts Record Turnout In Texas Primaries

AUSTIN (AP) – Turnout for next week’s election will likely set a new Texas record, Secretary of Stare Phil Wilson said Wednesday.

Based on early voting numbers, Wilson projected a turnout Tuesday of 26 percent of the registered voters in Texas.

“The number of voters participating in the Texas primaries is greater than anything we have seen before,” Wilson said. “If the voting trends continue through election day, Texas will set a record for turnout in a primary election with 3.3 million Texans casting a ballot.”

The previous record in Texas was set in the 1988 presidential primary election with more than 2.7 million Texans voting. As of Tuesday, more than 680,000 Texans had voted in early voting, more than doubling the 2004 numbers.

Due to the high turnout expected, Wilson is encouraging Texans to take advantage of the last two days of early voting.

“It is exciting to see people of both parties energized about participating in the democratic process in our state,” Wilson said. “And because of the high turnout, I would encourage Texans to take advantage of the convenience of early voting and avoid the lines that may be encountered on election day.”

Early voting ends Friday.