Thursday, August 2, 2012

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is predicting that fewer than one in five voters will cast ballots in Tuesday's primary elections.

The 18 percent turnout forecast Thursday by Kobach would be the lowest for a Kansas primary since 2006.

Voters will be choosing nominees for the state Legislature, U.S. House and the State Board of Education.

Kobach says the lack of heated, top-of-the-ticket races is working against the odds for higher voter participation.

Attention has focused mainly on contested Republican races for the state Senate, where conservatives are seeking to oust moderate GOP incumbents. Kobach says those races may draw more people to the polls in some districts, but he doubts they'll raise overall turnout significantly.