Call it "democracy lite."

Despite the controversy over PAC money being used to discredit candidates, Kansas voters aren't exactly flocking to the polls to vote in today’s primary election.

So far, voter figures are in line with Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh’s prediction that turnout would be around 19 percent of registered voters. Thornburgh said he based that estimate on a smaller than usual number of contested primaries this year.

While election commissioners in most of Kansas’ largest counties were reporting light turnout, there were counties in which relatively high voter turnout is expected.

• In Sedgwick County, for example, several high-profile primary races are expected to push turnout to around 42 percent, according to Election Commission Elizabeth Ensley.

Shawnee County voters will choose which candidates advance to the general election in hotly contested campaigns for District Attorney. Republican incumbent Robert Hecht is being challenged by Eric Rucker, while two Democrats, Jerry Berger and Chad Taylor, are vying for the Democratic nomination.

• Lawrence and Douglas County voters will determine whether former Congressman Jim Ryun or Kansas Treasurer Lynn Jenkins will advance to the general election to oppose incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Boyda for the Second District congressional seat.
  

Ryun is among the candidates targeted by a negative-mail campaign funded by a Missouri millionaire and members of the Kansas Senate leadership.

In Douglas County, election officials were predicting turnout of around 18 to 20 percent, but a lower turnout is expected in Wyandotte County, where only 12 percent of voters cast ballots during the last primaries four years ago.

• Johnson County also might exceed Thornburgh’s prediction of 19 percent, though no numbers were available midday.

Voters there will determine the fate of a permanent one-quarter cent sale tax increase to fund construction of a new jail and other public safety initiatives.

In addition, Johnson County voters will decide whether District Attorney Phill Kline or challenger Steve Howe, both Republicans, will advance to the general election to face Democratic challenger Rick Guinn.

The Week in Review