An record high voter turnout of nearly 9,500 was expected for the coming primary election. The county had about 20,000 eligible voters, 14,876 of them in Lawrence.

Frank McDonald of Lawrence was named chairman of the Bob Docking for governor group to try to get the former Lawrence banker re-elected on the Democratic ticket. McDonald had long been a local and state Democratic leader and had been a driving force in getting Bob Docking’s father, George, to run for and win the governorship.