By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

The COMBAT election passed Tuesday, but it sure cost Jackson County taxpayers a huge amount to do it.

Overall, the estimated cost for the COMBAT portion of the election was $847,000.

A total of 46,700 votes were cast.

That amounts to a cost to taxpayers of $18.14 per vote, a staggering sum.

Why the high cost?

Because almost no one showed up to vote, as county officials aimed COMBAT for a low-turnout special election.

Turnout was 9.6 percent of registered voters in the Kansas City portion of Jackson County.

Turnout was 12 percent in the suburban parts of the county.

Overall, the turnout figure was a puny 10.8 percent.