Silent majority sounds off a day late

So primary election turnout was so huge that the results broke websites, they ran out of paper ballots in St. Clair and Madison counties and some Illinois counties set records.

St. Clair County’s turnout was 38 percent of the registered voters. Madison County drew out 42 percent of its voters and Monroe County got 46 percent.

If 40 percent is a wild success, what about the silent majority who stayed home? What are the chances that the 60 percent still feel the need to pontificate about Trump being a bully and a misogynist? Are they railing about Hillary’s lies? Are they wringing their hands about the demise of the political parties and dissatisfaction with all things status quo?

Well, consider that Trump won, but more than 60 percent of the Illinois Republican Primary votes went to someone other than Trump. Also consider that Hillary Clinton squeaked by Bernie Sanders in her home state.

A few more folks showing up, a few fewer candidates and the results could have been very different, at least in Illinois.

Before the election we were worried about the dead voting in East St. Louis and other fraud. It turns out some folks voted for the walking dead — 630 St. Clair County voters picked Republicans and 388 picked Democrats who long ago dropped from the race. We also voted in an actual dead person, with Janet Schmidt winning the Belleville Democratic Precinct 7 race despite passing away Nov. 30.

Taken together, it is a little dismaying. Not only are we failing to turn out an informed electorate, most of our electorate could care less.

November should prove interesting, or scary.

This story was originally published March 17, 2016 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Silent majority sounds off a day late."