Georgia Election 2018: Turnout declines in Republican runoff

July 24, 2018 Athens: Supporters fill the room for Secretary of State Brian Kemp's victory speech in the GOP runoff election at the Holiday Inn on Tuesday, July 24, 2018, in Athens.    Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: ccompton@ajc.com

July 24, 2018 Athens: Supporters fill the room for Secretary of State Brian Kemp's victory speech in the GOP runoff election at the Holiday Inn on Tuesday, July 24, 2018, in Athens. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Voter turnout in the Republican runoff for governor Tuesday was lower than the last time there was a similar match-up eight years ago.

About 10 percent of Georgia's registered active voters cast ballots in Tuesday's Republican runoff for governor, when Secretary of State Brian Kemp defeated Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle.

Turnout was higher in the 2010 Republican runoff for governor, which Nathan Deal won against Karen Handel, according to numbers from the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office.

In that race, about 12 percent of the state’s registered voters cast ballots.

Overall turnout in this year's runoff declined from the primary election, in part because there was no runoff for governor among Democrats. Stacey Abrams won a two-way race for the Democratic Party nomination for governor in May.

About 19 percent of Georgia voters cast ballots for governor in the primary, with slightly more Republicans voting than Democrats.

Many Republicans returned for the runoff. Turnout in the GOP governor’s race fell 4 percent from the primary to the runoff.

There are more than 6.1 million registered active voters in Georgia.