DETROIT BRACES FOR ANOTHER ELECTION; LOW TURNOUT EXPECTED

Category: Chronicle Archives Published on Sunday, 02 August 2009 20:00 Written by Michigan Chronicle

For the third time this year, the citizens of Detroit are called upon to cast their votes for candidates running for the mayor’s office, City Council, charter commission, Board of Education and city clerk.

In total, there are 234 candidates on the ballot for voters to choose from.  

Regarding the first two elections, there was a larger turnout for the February primary, according to election poll workers in an interview during May’s election.  One worker who preferred to be anonymous said voter turnout was low due to confusion.

“People didn’t know which election was the most important,” she said.  “They grew tired of taking time off to come down to vote.”

Much like the last election, city officials are expecting a low voter turnout at the polls tomorrow.  Out of Detroit’s 576,000 registered voters, only 20 percent are expected to come out.  Arguably, it was the aftermath of the optimism that many citizens felt in February after President Barack Obama’s election last November that brought out sizable numbers to the voting booths.  

Presently, in a city that is plagued by scandals that involve City Council members and other high profile political figures and a school board buried underneath mounting debt, many residents have expressed frustration with the elections.  

Former poll worker Shai Lynn K. Davis feels that bigger names inspired larger voter turnout numbers in the past.

“Citizens are tired and don't see many viable candidates for some offices,” said Davis. “Look at how we voted when a viable presidential candidate was in place like Clinton and Obama.”

Others are not daunted by the pessimistic attitude that many residents have concerning this election.  Local business owner and designer Teahoney Drew believes that people should go out and vote regardless.

“The low turn out is nothing new over these past several years,” she said. 
“I have only seen two large turnouts — when Kwame Kilpatrick was being re-elected and the largest for Obama. People complain, but will not make the sacrifice to help to make change."   

For more information on voting sites, visit http://www.publius.org/ and continue to visit www.michronicle.com for updated information about tomorrow’s election.