Secretary of State Jan Brewer signed the official state canvass of the 2008 presidential preference election in her office on Feb. 15.

Brewer noted a record turnout of 51.28 percent of registered Republicans and Democrats voted in the Feb. preference election. In 2000 and 2004, about 30 percent of eligible voters participated in the Presidential Preference elections, she said.

The secretary, flanked by Arizona Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen, called the event the “conclusion of intense preparation by my office and the county elections’ departments.”

Pullen and Don Bivens, the chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party, were invited for the occasion. However, Bivens did not show up, prompting Brewer to state “I believe there is no one here representing the Democratic party,” after she introduced Pullen.

The Arizona party preference elections were won by New York Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton, who secured 50 percent of the party’s votes, and Arizona Republican Senator John McCain, who captured 47 percent of the Republican ballots cast.

In all, close to 1 million votes were counted in the Feb. 5 Super Tuesday election in Arizona. Republicans, cast approximately 542,000 votes, besting Democratic turnout by about 85,000 votes. About 457,000 Democrats cast ballots in the election, which was limited to members of the two major parties.

A total number of 1,947,035 members of both parties were eligible to vote in the presidential preference election.

Emily Bittner, a spokeswoman with the Arizona Democratic Party, said Bivens did not attend the official announcement because he was at a legal deposition.