In 1998, the opening of the Eighth Congressional District seat led to a frenzied Democratic primary where then-Somerville mayor Michael Capuano triumphed over nine competitors.

A gubernatorial race between then Acting Governor A. Paul Cellucci and his Democratic challenger, Scott L. Harshbarger '64 helped buoy the statewide primary numbers as well.

But with Kennedy holding a seemingly insurmountable lead and no gubernatorial race or riveting Congressional race, voters stayed home.

While voter participation would seem to logically decrease with less competition, the paltry turn-out raised eyebrows for some.

"I don't disagree that the absence of contested elections is part of the story," says Stanfield Professor for International Peace Robert D. Putnam. "But the bigger part of the story is that America is caught in this declining tide of political participation."

But Thomas Professor of Government and of Sociology Theda Skocpol says yesterday's low turnout can not be viewed as part of a larger trend.

"We have to look at the general election," Skocpol says. "You can't really draw conclusions on whether Americans are giving up on politics from one election, especially if they're primary elections."

Brian S. McNiff, a spokesperson for Secretary of State William Galvin, says yesterday's record low turnout will not affect voter participation in November's general elections. He refers to 1996, when only 11.8 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in the state primaries.