You're kidding me, right?

Seventeen percent? Are you kidding me, only 17 percent of Alpena County registered voters took part in the primary? That’s ridiculous.

What that really means is that 83 percent of registered Alpena voters need to keep their mouths shut on all things politics. You don’t get to make up for it in the general election because you didn’t care enough to get involved in the entire process.

This was a huge election in terms of local impact and too many people just didn’t care. Yes, there are probably those who had something that prevented them from getting to their polling place, but it’s doubtful there were that many. And those who knew they would be out of town in advance could/should have voted absentee.

I had a sinking feeling when I voted yesterday that the numbers were low, but I’d have never guessed that low. Of course if there is a silver lining — and it’s hard to figure a silver lining when so few people voted — it’s that the state turnout was about 18 percent according to the Secretary of State’s office. Wayne County had about a 10 percent turnout.

Still, 17 percent? Incredible.