Voter turnout in Washington is on pace to set a dismal mark as the lowest ever for an off-year election.
As of Thursday evening, fewer than 38 percent of registered voters had returned ballots for the Nov. 8 election.
If those numbers stand, it’d be the smallest turnout since Washington began holding statewide elections in odd-numbered years in 1973. And it would be the lowest in any election going back to at least 1936, when the state began permanent voter registration, according to Secretary of State Kim Wyman’s office.
The previous low came in 1985, when just over 40 percent of registered voters participated.
While straggler ballots were still being counted, David Ammons, a spokesman for Wyman, acknowledged this year may set a “dubious record.” Wyman’s office had predicted 46 percent turnout.