Maryland Voter Turnout Ended Up Lower Than Projected

ANNAPOLIS (AP) -- Voter turnout in Maryland ended up lower than state elections officials thought it would be.

Linda Lamone, the state's elections administrator, said Thursday that voter turnout was about 66 percent for both Election Day and early voting.

With some long lines at polls on Election Day, Lamone initially projected hours before polls closed that overall turnout could reach 80 percent or higher.

In the end, about 2.5 million Maryland residents voted early and on Election Day. The state has about 3.9 million eligible voters.

Voter turnout hasn't been this low in a presidential election year in Maryland in at least 24 years. Since 1992, voter turnout was at least 70 percent in presidential election years.