Turnout in Runoffs Shows Precipitous Decline
FairVote's new analysis finds that, for the third congressional cycle in a row, turnout in partisan primary runoff elections for U.S. House and Senate has decreased. In fact, it was the second worst year since 1994, with an average dropoff of 43% between the primary and primary runoff.
Of 104 Congressional primary runoffs since 1994, turnout has fallen in 101 of them. Nine states have held runoff elections in partisan primaries over the past 12 years: Florida, Missouri, Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama and Arkansas.