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UPPER PENINSULA -- What's a typical voter turnout for any given election?

When I called around to talk to various county clerks in the U.P., many of them told me they couldn't give me a simple answer to my question.  That's because each election is uniquely different from the previous one.

We asked our TV6 Facebook fans: how often do you cast your ballot?

William Tolsma commented:  "I vote in both local and presidental elections.  Local elections are important as well since it is easier to impact your local government than it is to impact the national government."

Debbie Malta added:  "I've voted in every election since I turned 18, and I'm not about to stop now."

But according to retired N.M.U. Political Science Professor Dr. Robert Kulisheck, these veteran voters are in the minority.

"It was always important to look at voter turnout and the intensity of people concerned about elections," Dr. Kulisheck says.  "We found that over the years, the number of people who turn out to vote varies significantly, depending on the type of elections that take place."

Elections can happen up to four times a year in any municipality.  Certain elections come up annually, while other issues and races are more staggered.  Local elections usually have the lowest turnout, while mid-term or state elections tend to have a higher voter turnout.

County officials say that the highest voter turnouts typically happen during presidential elections.

"Voter turnout has been pretty low," says Alger County Clerk Mary Ann Froberg.  "It seems that people don't get out and vote as much as they should.  Hopefully for the presidential election, they will get out and vote and have their voice be heard."

Overall, it's hard to predict a typical voter turnout for each county.  In some areas, the range is smaller:  possible turnout in Alger County anywhere from 9-16 percent; Baraga County, 24-27 percent.  Other clerks see huge disparities:  3-50 percent in Schoolcraft County, 5-53 percent in Gogebic County.

But low turnout doesn't always mean defeat.

"If...the issue is not of extreme importance, they may not turn out to vote, so a low voter turnout sometimes means people are generally satisfied.  But it could also mean that people are alienated and angry," Dr. Kulisheck adds.

The next general election is the first Tuesday in November, although this is an odd year with less races.

If you're not already registered to vote, you must do so 30 days before an election.

For more information on how you can do that, visit the Secretary of State's website.