olls will open at 7 a.m. today for the state primary election, but state election officials aren't expecting a huge turnout.
Secretary of State William F. Galvin said yesterday he expected only 10 percent of the state's 3.8 million registered voters to turn out - breaking the record-low mark of 11.8 percent set in the 1996 primary.
''I hope I'm wrong about the 10 percent, but frankly I don't think so,'' Galvin said. He urged voters to head for the polls, noting that the possibility of recounts increases as the turnout shrinks.
Galvin, whose office will supervise the election, noted that large sections of western Massachusetts - including all of Berkshire and Franklin counties - have no contested races. Across the state, 93 of 160 state representatives and 21 of 40 state senators are running unopposed.
Suffolk County, a traditional political hotbed, has only three statewide legislative races. In a GOP state Senate primary, Vincent Dixon of Cambridge and John Hugo of East Boston are battling for the right to face Democratic incumbent Robert E. Travaglini, also of East Boston.
Elsewhere in Boston, two Democratic incumbents have challengers. Senator Dianne Wilkerson of Roxbury is facing Hassan A. Williams, and Representative Shirley Owens-Hicks of Mattapan is being opposed by Shirley Shillingford.
Near Boston, Democratic primaries include contests between Representative Ronny M. Sydney and Frank Smizik, both of Brookline, and Representative James J. Marzilli Jr. and Richard Arena, both of Arlington.
Voters in Worcester County will have several choices to make, including incumbent-free races for two state representative seats and one state senator.
