Michigan primary election today: Detroit clerk talks DOJ observers, voter turnout
Detroit clerk talks election monitors for primary today
Clerk Janice Winfrey gives an early update on primary day regarding the polls across Detroit and federal observers.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Polls across Michigan are now open and Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey gave an update on today's primary election this morning.
What they're saying:
All 157 polling locations are open across Detroit, said Winfrey, speaking from Fellowship Chapel - the newest polling site in the city.
Early voting numbers are up across the state, with Detroit being no exception, due to absentee ballots and early in-person voting.
Approximately 49,000 absentee ballots have been processed and counted. By the close of polls this evening, she said she anticipates that number to be about 60,000.
Winfrey said that just under 5,000 Detroiters have voted early in-person which is a higher total than the two previous primaries.
By the numbers:
The Detroit clerk said that she expects between 25,000 and 40,000 voters to go to the polls in the city today. But her office is hopeful to get 50,000 total.
If the city hit 50K, it would achieve a benchmark of 23 percent turnout, she added.
Federal observers in Detroit
The Department of Justice has sent four teams of two observers to East Lansing, Detroit and Lansing.
Winfrey said her office is transparent and that it is prepared for any monitoring, observers and pollsters.
"(The observers') focus is on the administration of provisional ballots and the availability and use of our assistance terminals which ensures voters with disabilities can cast their ballots privately and independently under federal law," she said. "We keep our process open, transparent and secure. We ask that you remember you can cast your vote safely and securely at any of our polling locations."
It is unclear where the observers will be stationed or if they will float from polling site to polling site.
Bus rides for Detroiters
Big picture view:
You can ride a DDOT bus for free on Election Day, on both fixed routes and paratransit.
Split-ticket voting
Remember:
How do I vote on Election Day?
Big picture view:
All registered voters in Michigan can vote at their polling place on Election Day.
Unregistered voters, or voters who have not updated their registration to their current address, must go to their local clerk’s office to register and may also vote at their clerk’s office using an absentee ballot.
What you can do:
Look up your polling place here.
The Source: Information for this report is from a press conference Tuesday morning with Clerk Janice Winfrey and previous primary coverage.