As voters cast ballots on Tuesday for local boards and councils, school boards, county offices and judicial races, turnout for this year’s primary election in Centre County was the highest for a municipal primary in 24 years.
According to unofficial totals from the county Office of Elections, 29.76% of eligible voters —24,590 of 82,632 registered Republicans and Democrats — cast ballots in the May 16 primary. The last time turnout was higher for a municipal primary, which occur in odd-numbered years, was in 1999, when 31.68% voted.
In the previous five municipal primaries from 2013 to 2021, the average turnout was 20.9%. This year marked the sixth consecutive municipal primary that voter turnout increased.
Primary turnout for presidential election years in 2016 and 2020, as well the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate election in 2022, was about 37%. General primaries in 2014 and 2018, which did not have high-profile national or statewide races, had turnouts around 21%
| Municipal Primary Year | Democratic Turnout | Republican Turnout | Total Turnout – Percent (ballots cast) |
| 2013 | 12.21% | 16.61% | 14.34% (12,336) |
| 2015 | 13.32% | 18.01% | 15.69% (13,171) |
| 2017 | 23.68% | 21.16% | 22.43% (19,682) |
| 2019* | 26.62% | 25.24% | 23.53% (23,879) |
| 2021* | 31.57% | 33.00% | 28.55% (29,996) |
| 2023 | 31.18% | 28.28% | 29.76% (24,590) |
Of the 24,590 voters in the 2023 primary, 7,477 cast mail-in or absentee ballots. About 75% of those — 5,641 — were cast by Democrats.
The precinct with the highest percentage turnout was State College North in College Heights, with 49.7%
As of May 1, the last day to register before the primary, Centre County had 42,052 registered Democrats and 40,580 registered Republicans.
Related Coverage:
• Rater Wins Centre County Judge Primaries
• Five Candidates for State College Borough Council Advance
• 10 State College School Board Candidates Claim Nominations
