Get in line

Star Tribune Thu, 22 May 2008 16:42:58 GMT
Minn. voting chief aims for 80 percent turnout in '08

ST. PAUL - Minnesota's top election official is planning for a voter turnout in November that would break state records, both as a percentage of people voting and in the number of ballots cast. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said Thursday he is waging a campaign to push turnout of eligible voters above 80 percent, a threshold Minnesota hasn't surpassed since 83 percent went to the polls in 1956. That would mean more than 3 million ballots are cast. In 2004, the last presidential election year, a tick above 77 percent of eligible voters took part â€" some 2.8 million votes overall.

[[keywords: Officials;Elections;Metro;]]