OR: Low Turnout for Independent Party Primary

From the Statesman Journal:

The results are in from Oregon’s first online primary election: Fewer than 2,300 of the 57,000 members of the Independent Party voted. That’s turnout of 4 percent, far less than the two major parties get in their primaries. Independent Party leaders said Friday that’s also far more people than usually participate in conventions for other minor parties. 

The Independent Party has grown explosively since it was formed in 2007. Skeptics contend that’s a result of a quirk in the state’s registration law and most members mistakenly registered as Independents when they meant to be in no party at all.

The party conducted its primary election beginning July 8. Passcodes were mailed to party members, and the results were tallied by a San Diego company, Everyone Counts, whose representatives decrypted and processed the results in about an hour Friday at a downtown Portland law office.

Party leaders called it a success. “We put it out to the members, and the members spoke,” said Dan Meek, who along with Linda Williams is among the founders. Williams said the primary cost $17,000, including money she lent it.