First things first: The voter turnout in Flathead County for Tuesday’s election was abominable. Just 33.77 percent of voters cast ballots in an election as significant as any in recent memory.

Remember, we had two county commissioner races instead of one because of the need to fill out the term of the late Jim Dupont, and commissioners have a huge impact on our lives locally. The significance of the election is magnified today by the realization that the apparent winner in the District 3 commissioner race — Gary Krueger — is sitting on a 15-vote lead with 100 provisional ballots still waiting to be counted Monday. Yes, every vote counts.

We also had numerous two- and three-person races for legislative seats, and hotly contested races for governor on the GOP side and attorney general in both parties that should have brought out voters in large numbers.

Yes, you can make the case that turnout was diminished by the fact that Democrats didn’t have as much to decide as Republicans, but it is certainly to be hoped that as long as there is even one contested race on the ballot, voters will feel an obligation to participate.

In any case, Flathead County had the sixth worst turnout of any county in Montana. Lincoln County was a little better, with 35.7 percent turnout, and Lake County stretched that up to 39 percent, which was actually better than the statewide turnout of 37 percent.

All in all, not good enough. And those numbers come about in an election where more people than ever took advantage of the ease of absentee voting. According to Secretary of State Linda McCulloch, more than 61 percent of the total votes cast in Montana came in early.

Of course, the theory behind expanded early voting was that it would increase participation, but it doesn’t look like that is really the case — at least not substantially so. Thirty-seven percent turnout is abysmal no matter how you look at it.

But let’s not forget there is a down side to early voting as well. In particular, early voters are betting that they know enough to make an informed decision before all the facts are in. If juries did that, you would get a mistrial declared. But voters seem comfortable casting their votes, and then reading about the candidates and the issues later.

A case in point, of course, is the District 1 county commissioner primary involving the interim commissioner Cal Scott. Lots of people voted before it was revealed that Scott’s 2009 bankruptcy filing included 22 credit cards and more than $170,000 in unsecured debt.

Those early votes may actually have saved Scott’s candidacy. When the votes came in Tuesday night, Scott started with 30 percent of the vote and almost a 12 point lead over his nearest challenger, Kirk Gentry. Those early results were almost entirely from absentee ballots. But as the night continued and Election Day results were added in, Scott’s percentage dipped down to 23 percent, and Gentry went from 18 percent to 21.5 percent. The 12 point lead had dwindled to a point and a half!

Every vote counts, but so does ALL the information. The more you know, the better chance you have to make a wise decision. Let the early voter beware.