As states around the country reported record voter turnout for the Nov. 4 election, North Dakota maintained its average of about 65 percent, according to unofficial election ballot tallies on Wednesday.

This year about 320,000 ballots were cast; in 2004, about 316,000 ballots were cast. Secretary of State Al Jaeger said this year's turnout of 64.49 percent would have been higher if there had been the same amount of potential voters in 2004.

Since the last presidential election, North Dakota's voting population grew from 487,010 in 2004 to 495,111 in 2008.

"The turnout is the same, but we had more people voting than four years ago," Jaeger said.

He also said early voting in North Dakota has caught on, which accounted for about 35 percent of the vote this year. In 2004, it was 16 percent.

North Dakota's all-time high for voter turnout was 69 percent in 1984. Its low was 57 percent in 1996.

Both Burleigh and Morton counties had record voter turnout. Burleigh County residents cast more than 42,000 ballots, up from about 39,000 in 2004. Morton County residents cast nearly 13,500, up from 12,800 in 2004.

- Brian Duggan