Turnout a low 22.3% for Ohio primary

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Voter turnout for Tuesday's primary election in Ohio was smaller than in the last comparable primary, for Ohio governor and other statewide offices in 2006.

Numbers available from the Ohio Secretary of State's office on Wednesday show 22.3 percent of the state's registered voters cast ballots Tuesday, down from the 24.3 percent turnout for the May 2006 primary.

This year's primary also was a far cry from the record 44.5 percent turnout in Ohio's 2008 primary, in which Democratic voters selected Hillary Rodham Clinton as their presidential candidate and Republicans nominated John McCain.

Tuesday's ballot was led by a Democratic contest for U.S. Senate and statewide ballot questions on a technology jobs program and the site for a Columbus casino.