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Turnout in today’s election will be higher than expected thanks to contentious ballot issues and strong get-out-the-vote efforts, according to Maine’s secretary of state.

Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said he originally estimated turnout would be around 35 percent, but said Tuesday his initial estimates were probably too low. He said turnout would likely be as high as 50 percent. That could mean as many as 480,000 people.

Dunlap said past referendum elections 15 to 25 percent turnout, and that last year’s presidential election saw about 70 percent turnout.

Dunlap traveled the state Tuesday, visiting polling locations. He said the sites he visited reported “very steady to quite strong turnout,” and that problems at the polls had so far been minimal.

Question 1 would overturn a state law allowing same-sex couples to be wed. If it fails, it will be the first time a U.S. state has approved same-sex marriage by popular vote. Last year, Californians added an amendment to its constitution defining marriage as between a man and a woman. Twenty-five other states have done so as well.

• Turnout estimated at 60 percent (November 4, 2009)
• Secretary Dunlap draws on past jobs (December 12, 2005)
• Voter turnout sets new records for UM campus (November 3, 2004)
• ‘I never expected to have a day’ (May 13, 2002)
• Punk show benefits Coats for Kids despite turnout (February 3, 2003)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009, 5:37 pm. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.