Utah state officials say final election results show this year's voter turnout was the highest in nearly three decades.
Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox said Monday at the canvass that 82 percent of active registered voters cast ballots in the November election, in which Utah selected Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump with 45.5 percent of the vote.
That mark barely surpasses the 82 percent turnout in the 1988 election. Turnout was 80 percent in 2012, when Mitt Romney was the Republican presidential nominee.
Cox says Utah's surprise position as a "toss-up" state, due to perceived widespread dislike for Trump, likely fueled the increased interest. He says mail-in voting in 21 of the state's 29 state's counties also probably helped.
Fewer people cast straight party ballots, a controversial practice still allowed by Utah and nine other states
