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Record Number Of Mass. Voters Cast Ballots In 2016 Presidential Election

Between early voting and Election Day, about 3.4 million ballots were cast by Massachusetts voters -- eclipsing the previous record of 3.18 million votes in 2012. Pictured here, voters wait in line outside East Boston High School on Nov. 8, 2016. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
Between early voting and Election Day, about 3.4 million ballots were cast by Massachusetts voters -- eclipsing the previous record of 3.18 million votes in 2012. Pictured here, voters wait in line outside East Boston High School on Nov. 8, 2016. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

A record number of Massachusetts voters turned out earlier this month to take part in the presidential election.

Secretary of State William Galvin said Monday that about 3.4 million votes were cast overall, eclipsing the previous record of 3.18 million votes in 2012.

More than 1 million of those ballots were cast early, exceeding expectations for the state's first early voting period.

Overall, Galvin said that 75 percent of registered voters participated.

Also a record was the number of blank votes cast for president. More than 77,000 people who cast ballots didn't vote for anybody at the top of the ticket — up from about 16,000 four years ago.

It's no surprise that Democrat Hillary Clinton received the most votes here — nearly 2 million, compared to less than 1.1 million for Republican President-elect Donald Trump. The Libertarian and Green-Rainbow candidates received about 185,000 votes combined.

Once the results are certified by the governor and the Governor's Council, Massachusetts members of the Electoral College will cast the state's 11 electoral votes for Clinton on Dec. 19.

With reporting by The Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom

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