Voter Turnout Low in California’s Primary Election

Less people than normal are hitting the polls in today’s primary election, according to Riverside County Registrar of Voters Rebecca Spencer. She says she expects only about a 35% turnout this time around.

That’s down from about 40% in a normal primary election.

As of this afternoon about 130,000 Vote by Mail ballots had been returned, of the nearly 420,000 issued.

The low voter numbers can be blamed primarily on Mitt Romney already clinching the Republican Presidential nomination. He got the needed amount of delegates to claim it with a win last week in Texas.

Two California races though are still grabbing attention.

Proposition 29 would add a $1.00 tax to tobacco products. The money raised will go to cancer research and anti-smoking programs.

The issue has seen a lot of debate from both sides, each spending millions of dollars in big ad campaigns.

Voters are also trying out the new “Top 2 Open Primary” system they approved back in 2010. They can vote for any candidate they want despite political affiliation.

The top two vote getting candidates will then move on to November.

It means a big change on ballots. For those who have one you’ll notice 24 people are vying for U.S. Senate.

Some Riverside County judges races are also catching attention.

We will have all of your election results throughout the night right here as the polls close.