Burnsville Logs In Voter Turnout of Almost 80 percent

Burnsville polls did brisk business on Election Day 2012. Nov. 6 will be remembered as one of the city's busiest, with 6,734 election day registrations and 33,980 votes cast. 

The 2012 Election gave Burnsville a voter turnout rate of 79.5 percent. This election's electoral attendance bests even 2008, previously a high-water mark for Burnsville, when the 33,112 voters came out to the polls (76 percent turnout).

With less than an hour left on the clock, election day activity was still brisk at Burnhaven Library, Burnsville City Hall and Eden Baptist Church. Officials there estimated that about 80 percent of the registered voters came out to the polls.

"It's way up. When you look at that versus last time—which was about 71 percent— it's a huge difference," said Susan Bastian, one of two head judges at Burnhaven. "And that's not even counting new voters."

In spite of the uptick in traffic, all went smoothly and according to plan, though there was a little confusion about the location of the polls. Bastian said there were a number of people who had to be redirected to the correct post-redistricting precinct. Otherwise, there was very little hassle and very little wait. Bastian said the longest anyone had to stand in line to vote was 15 minutes.

Burnsville's Precinct 15 had the highest turnout, at 84.1 percent. The lowest turnout was recorded Precinct 5, which clocked in at 68.5 percent.

Voter turnout was even higher in neighboring communities. Apple Valley and Rosemount recorded voter turnout rates of about 84 percent each. Overall, Dakota County recorded a whopping 96.4 percent turnout, a feat even in a state like Minnesota, which typically has higher voter participation than others. Minnesota's turnout was 76.11 percent this year, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State.