Commissioner of Elections says voter turnout was high than expect in some areas

Iowa’s Secretary of State is still enjoying the returns showing a higher-than-anticipated voter turnout for this week’s primary. Chet Culver says the republican turnout was 35-percent, and he thinks it would’ve been higher if not for the bad weather in seven eastern counties. Culver says his goal is to lead the nation in voter participation and he thinks this turnout signals “retail politics” is alive and well. He says the turn out taxed polling places at times.He says in western Iowa, auditors had to print extra ballots because turnout was so high, probably because of the four-way congressional race there. Other counties had poor turn out.In the east, severe weather had some county auditors reporting a one to 5-percent turnout with rain closing roads and bridges. He says the middle of the state was a mixed bag.In central Iowa, Culver says there was a combination of high and local turnout, depending on local races, especially in Polk County.