The Latest: Voter turnout among lowest since tracking began

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Latest on the results in legislative races from Alaska’s primary election (all times local):

3:20 p.m.

Voter turnout in Tuesday’s primary is one of the lowest the state has seen since it started tracking turnout in 1976.

Division of Elections Director Josie Bahnke said turnout was estimated at 15.4 per cent. If that stands, she says it would be the lowest since ’76. Turnout in the 2000 primary was 17.2 per cent.

Bahnke says the division still has question ballots from Tuesday to count and include.

The high mark for primary turnout came in 1982, when it was nearly 58 per cent.

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12:40 p.m.

Wasilla state Rep. Wes Keller has mixed emotions about losing his Republican primary.

He says a part of him is relieved, knowing the difficult legislative session that lies ahead with the state’s multibillion-dollar budget deficit still unresolved. But he says rejection is never fun.

Keller was one of several legislators who lost primary elections Tuesday.

Other Republicans who lost their races include Reps. Lynn Gattis and Craig Johnson, who sought to run for Senate seats. Rep. Bob Lynn lost his primary as did Rep. Jim Colver, who was targeted by his own party, which saw him as having Democratic leanings. Races involving two Democratic lawmakers were undecided.

Pollster Marc Hellenthal noted there were mixed results Tuesday, with other incumbents with primary challenges winning. The best he can tell is that those who prevailed worked the hardest campaigning in their districts.