This slide presents in tabular form the trend in Democratic primary turnout in Texas from 1926-2002. Despite substantial population growth in that time, in raw numbers primary turnout has fluctuated around one million through the entire period. General election turnout has risen dramatically, however. The ratio of Democratic primary turnout to general election turnout, an indicator change in party competition, has dropped precipitately since the late 1950s. With one party, the Democrats, overwhelmingly dominant in earlier years the Democratic primary was the election in which offices were filled. The general election was in most cases merely a ratification of the Democratic primary results. Hence, the Democratic primary saw much higher participation rates than the general election. From the 1950s, this pattern began to change as two party competition developed in Texas. Today less than one fifth of those who participate in the general election vote in the Democratic primary.