Only 1 in 10 voters cast ballots in Minn. primaries

Only about 10 percent of Minnesota voters cast ballots in Tuesday's Minnesota primary elections -- the low end of what Minnesota typically sees in non-presidential primaries, Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said Wednesday.

Primaries usually range from 10 to 15 percent turnout.

Minnesota legalized no-excuse absentee voting this year, allowing voters to cast their ballots early without claiming they could not make it to the polls on election day.

The number of votes cast on absentee ballots yesterday aren't finalized but he expects that method of voting to become more common.

"Western states typically have moved higher as no-excuse absentee became known and common," he said. "We will see this year as a kind of a benchmark where are we in our absentee voting, and then going forward, if we follow the pattern of other western states."

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