MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota again led the nation in voter turnout for a presidential election.

It’s the second consecutive presidential election that the state had the most voters going to the polls, and the eighth time in the past nine presidential elections.

Still, overall turnout numbers were down from the previous two elections in Mower County.

According to the Mower County Auditor-Treasurer’s Office, 17,726 Mower County voters cast ballots in the 2016 election, about 88 percent of the county’s 20,044 registered voters. That’s down from the 2012 presidential election’s 18,675 — about 92 percent of the 20,356 registered voters — and from 2008’s 19,302 — about 88 percent of the 21,801 registered voters.

As was true statewide, absentee voting increased sharply in the county. In the first year of no-excuse absentee voting, 2,713 people cast absentee ballots, which was up from 1,488 in 2012 and 1,922 in 2008.

Nonprofit VOTE and the US Election Project compiled the state numbers. About 75 percent of eligible voters in Minnesota cast ballots in the 2016 election. Nationwide, about 60 percent of eligible voters went to the polls for the presidential election. That’s up one percentage point from 2012.

The Star Tribune reports experts say same-day voter registration has contributed to high voter participation. Minnesota has had same-day registration since 1974.

—The Austin Daily Herald contributed to this report.