An estimated 2 million Michiganders cast ballots in Tuesday's election, a new record for a Michigan August primary.

The previous record was set in 2002, with a similar dynamic: An open governor's seat; contested primaries in both parties, and the potential of a second woman in the governor's seat.

About 53 percent of the voters participated in Tuesday's Democratic primary and about 47 percent chose among the Republican slate.

That compares to 67 percent cast for GOP candidates in August 2010, the last primary with an open governor's seat and contested races for both Republicans and Democrats.

Voter enthusiasm was so high in Oakland County that some precincts ran out of ballots.

Election workers in communities including Ferndale, Berkley, Oak Park and Farmington Hills had to scramble to print more ballots so everyone could vote.

With 94 percent of precincts reporting statewide, 929,794 cast ballots in the Republican gubernatorial primary, where Bill Schuette defeated three opponents for the GOP nomination.

Meanwhile, 1,057,471 cast ballots in the Democrat gubernatorial race, where Gretchen Whitmer won in a three-way race.

In a Tuesday evening post on Facebook, Berkley City Manager Matthew Baumgarten said his city ordered the "the maximum ballots were allowed to order and we still had to go to our contingency plan."

"Incredible turnout today in Berkley and across Oakland County!!" his post said. " .. Berkley voters ROCK!! If you are at a polling place please be patient as our Clerks Office is making sure everybody has a chance to make their voice heard!"

The previous voter turnout record for an August primary was set in 2002, when 1.7 million Michiganders cast ballots to choose between two Republicans and three Democrats competing to replace John Engler as governor.

Democrat Jennifer Granholm and Republican Dick Posthumus were the winners of their respective primaries that August. Granholm went onto win in November to become Michigan's first woman governor.