Turnout for Lexington mayoral primary plummets to lowest level in at least 37 years
When Fayette County voters went to the polls Tuesday, it amounted to the lowest turnout for a Lexington mayoral primary since at least 1985.
The Fayette County clerk’s office reported Tuesday evening that turnout in the May 17 primary was only 19%, according to unofficial returns.
Reached late Tuesday via text message, Fayette County Clerk Don Blevins declined to say much about the election results, but attributed the low turnout to “very few races that generated strong voter sentiment.”
In a follow-up email he sent Wednesday, Blevins said he was “somewhat surprised it was that low.”
He agreed with Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams’ assessment in which he described the election as “a sleep primary.”
“The Mayor’s race normally is the driver for this cycle, and Linda’s [Gorton] dominance in that field shows why most people did not feel the need to turn out. My guess is this is the foremost cause,” Blevins added in his email.
When voters turnout in such low numbers, Blevins added, it “can produce almost random results.”
“For example, the low turnout could explain why Dan Wu did so well in the Council-At-Large race. His core supporters were motivated to vote- a credit to his campaign, no doubt. The long-serving Council Members didn’t have the same level of voter motivation, with thinking like ‘oh, he will be fine and I’ll just vote in the fall,’” he continued. “Similarly, Angela Evans had a motivated core of support- clearly- and I believe Larry Roberts supporters felt the same way as the above. That said, I am very surprised by her margin of victory,” Blevins wrote.
Statewide, voter turnout for the May 17 primary was expected to be low. Ahead of Election Day, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams revised down his turnout prediction from around 25% to under 20%.
Here’s a round-up of Fayette County’s voter turnout from previous mayoral election years, according to unofficial data from the Kentucky State Board of Elections. Information older than 1982 was not immediately available Tuesday.
May 22, 2018: 25.3%
May 20, 2014: 22.5%
May 18, 2010: 27.7%
May 16, 2006: 28.8%
May 28, 2002: 32.5%
May 26, 1998: 29.2%
May 25, 1993: 31.1%
May 23, 1989: 27.8%
May 28, 1985: 30.8%
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This story was originally published May 17, 2022 at 10:00 PM.