Michigan primary may see record turnout

[BigBearJohn]

http://woodtv.com/2016/03/07/2-million-may-cast-ballots-in-mi-presidential-primary/

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Election organizers across West Michigan are preparing for a huge turnout at the polls on Tuesday, increasing staff and ordering extra ballots.

The Michigan Secretary of State’s Office says there could be a record turnout across the state for the combined Democratic and Republican primaries. Secretary of State spokesman Fred Woodhams said 2 million people are expected to vote.

In 1972, when the first modern primaries began, voter turnout was close to 2 million. In the 2012 primary, 1.2 million people voted and 1.5 million voted in 2008.

When voters go to the polls on Tuesday, they’ll have to choose either a Democratic, Republican or nonpartisan ballot. That’s different than in years past, when only Republicans held a primary while Democrats had caucuses.

[PatrickforO]

1. Let's hope so. If they have that kind of turnout, it bodes well for Bernie.

We'll see, and I'm keeping fingers crossed.

[Betty Karlson]

4. Be prepared for some DWS shenanigans.

Or Bill strotting into Michigan as if Massachusetts was only for warming up.

[Funtatlaguy]

5. Is it ok that I really don't like DWS?

It is almost visceral.

[Betty Karlson]

8. Compared to me, that is a rather moderate opinion with regard to DWS.

Myself, I just want DINO-Debbie gone, gone, gone. Preferably yesterday. I can hardly remember the last time I loathed someone so much.

And thank goodness the first establishment voices are starting to agree that she is unqualified to be chair of the DNC in these times.

[senz]

9. Yes, I hope the MI Bernie campaign stays alert on primary day.

After MA, we should be ready for anything.

[Zorra]

12. For sure. nt

[longship]

2. That would be very good.

Myself, I will drive some 15 miles to get to my township hall to vote. Here, there are all sorts of impediments to voting, a national forest and the lack of paved roads being prominent. It doesn't help that ones vehicle is over two decades old. Thankfully it is a four cylinder Volvo which tend to be long lived. So in spite of having no exhaust system behind my otherwise functioning catalytic converter, I will be traveling, noisily but relentlessly, to my polling place tomorrow. Thank goodness for great Swedish drive train engineering.

Now about the lack of paved roads to my polling place I have other opinions, best not expressed here. 15 mile drive to get to the other side of ones township is ridiculous. But the national forest here is still beautiful!

My best to you all. Vote early and vote often. Vote for the Bernie of your choice!

[senz]

10. Sounds like a nice, if harrowing, drive

a bit of an adventure -- and certainly worth it. Drive carefully, and thank you for voting!

[corkhead]

3. I plan to be a part of it in the next couple of hours

Hope they bothered to get some Democratic ballots in my precinct. I live in a very rural red township.

[lebkuchen]

7. A question, Corkhead,

First, thank you for voting. Those of us abroad are doing the same.

?

Why don't stateside people vote absentee so that there is no worry about whether there are enough ballots or not?

[corkhead]

11. My understanding is that you had to have a reason to do so. I guess I could make one up.

I don't mind going to my polling place. I was there before 8am and there was no waiting, which is typical in Republican leaning gerrymandered voting districts like the one I live in.

This year they did something new. They made separate ballots for Democrats or Republicans and made you state your party preference in writing on the ballot application. After filling out that form, the next person checked it against the voter roster and highlighted my name with a color coded marker. Mine was blue presumably because of the ballot I requested. I couldn't stay long enough to see how the poll worker was choosing marker color for others but I did see one other voter who requested a Republican ballot get highlighted with a different color.

After that, a third person recorded my ballot number and party preference in a database, making me wonder if they were actually able to later look to see how I voted. They use fill in the dot scanners at this polling place.

One thing I found a little unsettling is that hey made absolutely no effort to hide your party preference from other voters (in fact they actually made it impossible to) which I think was a subtle way to intimidate the voter into conformity which I didn't appreciate.

[lebkuchen]

13. Thanks for this info

Do you think they got everyone's party info for future gerrymandering purposes?

Needing a reason to vote absentee is absurd. I don't state my reason. Anyway, you got there early and voted, and that's what matters.

Cheers.

[corkhead]

14. The legislature made this decision

I am sure that it was partly for the gerrymandering but I think they do it to try minimize the number of independents choosing to have a say in who is on the ballot in November by making you pledge fealty to one of two parties before voting in the primaries. This ends up favoring the establishment candidates and help keeps incumbents in their jobs. It certainly has nothing to do with promoting and expanding democracy.

[a2liberal]

6. we had a Democratic primary at least as far back as 2004

Definitely not new