NEW YORK (AP/1010 WINS) -- The dismal turnout in this year's Democratic primary for mayor was the lowest it has been in recent history, which could be yet another bad sign for the nominee hoping to unseat popular billionaire incumbent Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
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About 10 to 11 percent of New York City's 3 million registered Democrats voted in the contest between City Comptroller William Thompson Jr. and City Councilman Tony Avella of Queens.
Thompson pummeled Avella, winning 70 percent of the vote, to Avella's 21 percent.
Political analysts had predicted turnout would be low because Thompson was heavily favored, but it dipped below most expectations.
``What pulls people out is a real mayoral election and there really wasn't one,'' said Maurice Carroll, director of the polling institute at Quinnipiac University. ``Nobody ever saw an election quite like this.''
Another surprising finding was that tens of thousands of Democrats who went to the polls Tuesday voted in two competitive primaries for city comptroller and public advocate, but did not bother marking their ballots for anyone in the mayoral contest.
This year's weak turnout trumps the 18 percent showing in the last Democratic mayoral primary four years ago, which was considered poor at the time.
Turnout for Democratic primaries in the 1990s and 1980s generally ranged from about 18 to 23 percent. Interest surged in 1989, though, when more than 1 million voters showed up -- a turnout of 49 percent -- to cast votes when former Mayor Ed Koch faced a primary challenge in his run for a fourth term.
Koch lost to David Dinkins.
This year, analysts speculate that large numbers of Democrats stayed home because Thompson was already expected to win, or because they already may be satisfied with Bloomberg.
The mayor is not registered with any party and did not compete in a primary. He and Thompson face each other in the Nov. 3 election.
Both campaigns Wednesday chose to portray the weak turnout favorably for their candidates.
Thompson attributed it to Democrats thinking his win was a ``foregone conclusion'' while Bloomberg spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said Thompson had failed to inspire New Yorkers, who are happy with the mayor's leadership.
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