This is BS. I live in a Republican district in the Inland Empire, and there was a high turnout.
Maybe there were more of us stuck with filling out provisional ballots than it seems, leading some to the erroneous conclusion that we didn't show up.
The following is a summary comparing voter turnout in the Republican vs. Dem strongholds from 2002 to 2006.
The Inland Empire (Riverside, San Bernardino) definitely did not turn out in great numbers compared to 2002.
The Orange County numbers are very curious. 200,000 new voters were registered but there were more than 50,000 fewer voters overall.
| Voter Turnout-2002 vs. 2006 |
|
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| Largely populated counties |
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| County |
Reg'd 2002 |
Ballots Cast 2002 |
% T/O 2002 |
|
Reg'd 2006 |
Ballots Cast 2006 |
% T/O 2006 |
|
Difference |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statewide |
15,303,469 |
7,594,228 |
49.60 |
|
15,837,108 |
7,076,810 |
44.70% |
|
|
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|
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| Democrat Strongholds |
|
|
| Los Angeles |
3,976,189 |
1,768,369 |
44.40% |
|
3,914,138 |
1,762,547 |
45.00% |
|
0.60% |
| Santa Clara |
731,633 |
373,267 |
51.00% |
|
749,866 |
379,712 |
50.60% |
|
-0.40% |
| Alameda |
662,339 |
350,914 |
52.90% |
|
678,765 |
306,810 |
45.20% |
|
-7.70% |
| Contra Costa |
484,640 |
268,415 |
55.30% |
|
486,441 |
260,155 |
53.50% |
|
-1.80% |
| San Francisco |
449,396 |
224,990 |
50.00% |
|
418,285 |
177,400 |
42.40% |
|
-7.60% |
| San Mateo |
332,070 |
174,449 |
52.50% |
|
350,427 |
162,810 |
46.50% |
|
-6.00% |
| Sonoma |
232,808 |
124,870 |
53.60% |
|
234,891 |
138,128 |
58.80% |
|
5.20% |
| Monterey |
154,137 |
87,878 |
57.00% |
|
145,540 |
62,123 |
42.70% |
|
-14.30% |
| Marin |
140,393 |
80,488 |
57.30% |
|
147,311 |
76,238 |
51.80% |
|
-5.50% |
| Santa Cruz |
135,554 |
78,780 |
58.10% |
|
142,415 |
72,017 |
50.60% |
|
-7.50% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
| Republican Stronholds |
|
|
| Orange |
1,298,892 |
641,784 |
49.40% |
|
1,497,365 |
588,335 |
39.30% |
|
-10.10% |
| San Diego |
1,411,808 |
683,062 |
48.30% |
|
1,381,835 |
625,586 |
45.30% |
|
-3.00% |
| Riverside |
649,670 |
309,952 |
47.70% |
|
754,986 |
260,591 |
34.50% |
|
-13.20% |
| San Bernardino |
616,402 |
294,151 |
47.70% |
|
751,652 |
276,454 |
36.80% |
|
-10.90% |
| Ventura |
391,160 |
199,708 |
51.00% |
|
391,077 |
143,814 |
36.80% |
|
-14.20% |
| Fresno |
344,359 |
155,205 |
45.00% |
|
331,968 |
154,177 |
46.40% |
|
1.40% |
| Kern |
259,786 |
138,087 |
53.10% |
|
289,233 |
132,106 |
45.70% |
|
-7.40% |
| San Luis Obispo |
140,659 |
83,903 |
59.60% |
|
155,495 |
81,290 |
52.30% |
|
-7.30% |