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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

In an election cycle where many races felt up for grabs even with multiple incumbents running, voter turnout across the state and in Shelby County was relatively low.

Rather than matching the historic turnout seen during the 2020 General Election, the 2022 Primary Election saw lower numbers consistent with that of a non-presidential election cycle.

Statewide, this year’s voter turnout was 23.35 percent, as 849,733 of 3,638,986 registered voters actually casted a ballot in the Primary Election.

That was actually lower than 2018 when 25.6 percent of voters showed up to the polls, while it was slightly higher than 2014’s 21.6 percent.

It continued a downward trend for the state, which has been at 25.6 percent or lower in the non-presidential cycle featuring the race for governor since 2014.

However, every four years from 1986-2010 featured at least a 31 percent voter turnout across the state.

This year’s 23.35 percent is the second lowest primary turnout in a governor election year for the state since 1986.

As for Shelby County, 39,038 ballots were cast during this year’s Primary Election out of 164,756 registered voters for a percentage of 23.69.

Even with the low numbers, he county did have the fourth most ballots cast in the state, while they had the best voter-turnout percentage among the top four counties in the state.

Jefferson County had the most ballots cast in the election with 107,699 ballots, but the voter turnout was lower at 22.31 percent. Just behind was Madison County with 63,281 ballots cast, but their turnout was even lower at 20.92 percent.

Mobile County had the third most ballots cast with 56,630, but only 17.39 percent of voters showed up to the polls.

Many of the seats were determined during the Primary Election due to no Democrat opposition in the General Election, but several races are headed to a primary runoff, while others will be contested in the General Election.

Runoffs will take place on June 21, while the General Election is set for Nov. 8.