Turnout far exceeded expectations in today's Alabama special election for the U.S. Senate between Democrat Doug Jones and Republican Roy Moore, won narrowly by Jones.

Secretary of State John Merrill had estimated turnout would be about 25 percent.

But more than 1.3 million of Alabama's 3.3 million voters participated for a turnout of 40.4 percent, according to unofficial results from Merrill's office.

Both campaigns stressed the importance of turnout in the bitterly contested race and implored their supporters to go to the polls.

Only 18 percent of Alabama's 3.3 million registered voters turned out for the Aug. 15 Republican and Democratic primaries in the special Senate election.

For the Sept. 26 GOP runoff between Moore and Sen. Luther Strange, turnout was 15 percent.

Updated at 12:57 a.m. on Dec. 13.