In the run-up to this year's election, an Elway poll described voters as angry, but not engaged.

For example, Elway reported on October 16 that only 22 percent of voters were following the election closely, but that 52 percent were dissatisfied with state government. Elway summed up the depressing combo by saying the electorate was "not happy but also not very engaged," which led me to write that Elway's synopsis of voter attitudes read like a report on 1970s Carter-era malaise. 

And guess what, voter turnout is currently at 49.21 percent—and only headed to about 54 percent, according to Lori Aguino, the state elections director. Those "I'm OK, You're OK" numbers would match Carter-era lows; 1978's midterm was just 52.47, "our previous low watermark," secretary of state spokesman Dave Ammons tells me.

Even if Aguino's right—there are 168,000 still to count from the counties—the final count would be far short of the 62 percent the secretary of state had predicted; a projection that was supposed to help Democrats. As it stands post election day: the Republicans picked up one official seat in the senate and four seats in the house.  

In 2002, the most recent midterm election year when similar to this year there wasn't a U.S. senate race to create some excitement, turnout was 56 percent.

The Seattle Times noticed this year's 70s despondency too noting that turnout is "the lowest since disco era."