Only 5 states had a higher Republican tournout during 2008 Primaries.

[cottonseed]

During this year's historic primaries only 5 states saw a higher Republican turnout. This may say a lot about what Michigan and Florida voters thought about their vote this year:

Alabama
Arizona
Utah
Michigan
Florida

http://elections.gmu.edu/Voter_Turnout_2008_Primaries.htm

I think we can find pretty obvious reasons the first 3 saw a higher Republican turnout. Michigan and Florida Democrats must have stayed home for some reason. What would that be? If these Democrats stayed home because they believed their contests would be invalidated, then wouldn't they now want their votes to be counted as well?

[Spider Jerusalem]

1. Actually, it's not just that people stayed home in MI and FL...

many voted in the GOP rather than Dem primary because they were told the Democratic primary wouldn't count for anything, which skews the result further.

[Lerkfish]

2. to be fair, republicans had an earlier presumptive nominee

and the other republicans very nicely stepped aside. That depressed turnout in the primary, since it was felt to be no contest.
It is not NECESSARILY an indicator for participation in the general. We can't let our guard down.

[AllentownJake]

3. Yes

However Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and the Super Tuesday states.

Mittens was still in it till Super Tuesday.

[TheDebbieDee]

4. Another theory explaining the high repuke turnout in MI and FL

that I heard today from Marc Maron on Air America (and I think the theory makes sense) was that MI and FL Democrats went to the polls in the primaries in their respective states and voted for Romney so that McCain and that Gomer from Arkansas, can't think of his name, would have to continue to spend money fighting Romney off.

It could have happened like that.......

ETA: Now, if MI and FL have closed primaries, well, then that blows that theory out of the water!

[Blue_In_AK]

5. Alaska had more Republicans show up for their

"presidential preference poll" than we did at our caucus, so I assume these statistics were just for primary states, right? Even so, I think we had about 9,000 people show up for the Democratic caucuses compared to about 250 four years ago, so I'm not complaining. The Republicans cast 13,770 ballots. McCain came in dead last, and Obama got more votes than anybody.