Though reports were coming in from all over Macomb County yesterday that the turnout was just horrible, the final result was not too bad, 17 percent, especially given the sparsity of Tuesday’s primary ballot. Approximately 20 percent is the long-term average.
As you can see from the chart below (provided by the Macomb County Clerk’s Office), voter participation was pretty steady in every area of the county, even in some communities where no more than one contested race was to be decided on at least one side of the ballot.
One thing seems clear: the trend that began about a decade ago with absentee ballots comprising nearly half of the votes in primary elections has grown to the point at which we now have AVs as a clear majority of the ballots cast in many precincts and communities.
As a result, a lack of voters at your polling place, especially during certain times of the day, don’t necessarily mean anything anymore.
