By. K.D. Norris
If voter registrations are any indicator, all indications are that next week’s Nov. 6 presidential-midterm election turnout could be record-setting in Michigan, in Kent County and in the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming.
There are nearly 7.5 million registered voters in the state of Michigan, about 459,000 in Kent County, about 54,000 in the City of Wyoming and about 36,000 in the City of Kentwood, according to information provided to WKTV. Those totals exceed the registered voter totals for the 2016 presidential election on the county and both city levels, and, according to Fred Woodhams, spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s office, “is a (state) record for a mid-term election.”
How total voter registration numbers will translate to actual voters at the polls, and those submitting absentee ballots, is unclear at this point. But Robert J. Macomber, Chief Deputy County Clerk with the Kent County Clerk and Register of Deeds Office, give some “indicators”.
“It’s always more difficult to predict turnout in a mid-term election, when a Presidential race is not on the ballot,” Macomber said to WKTV. “Kent County tends to turn out in the high 60’s percent range for Presidential elections and in the mid 40’s, when the Governor’s office is at the top of the ticket.
“However, there are indicators that can guide our clerks as they plan to allocate resources for Election Day, such as absentee ballot voting. We’ve seen those requests hit a record high statewide – over 1 million requests – which is about a 63 percent increase over the gubernatorial election in 2014. Whether those figures represent a shift in Election Day voters who now prefer to vote absentee, or that same increase in participation will be mirrored in the precincts on Election Day remains to be seen.”
Macomber pointed out, however, that “either way, our clerks are very well prepared to ensure that our elections are efficient, secure, and transparent.”
For example, the City of Wyoming, in anticipation of possible record numbers at the polls Nov. 6, offered some advice to the public for election day.
Megan Sall, Assistant City Manager for the City of Wyoming, told WKTV that voters can — should — check Michigan Voter Information Center (Michigan.gov/vote) prior to election day to verify registration, polling place, and see a sample ballot.
“Do your research ahead of time as the ballot is quite long with a wide variety of offices and issues,” Sall said in an email. “Exercise patience and expect to wait in line due to the length of the ballot and the high turnout we’re expecting. … (And) we love voter selfies, but you cannot take them with your ballot. Please wait until you leave your polling location.”
City of Kentwood, by the numbers
In the City of Kentwood, city clerk Dan Kasunic said there are 35,868 registered voters in the city this election cycle. That compares to 34,990 in the last mid-term in 2014, and 35,824 (according to the county) in the 2016 presidential election cycle.
Kasunic said, in the last mid-term election, there were 13,366 votes cast out of the 34,990 registered voters, about 38 percent. But this year he “expects 50 percent or better turnout.”
Another indication of Kentwood voter turnout is that there were 2,981 absentee ballots received in 2016 and that there are already 3,120 received as of early this week — and, Kasunic added, there are “more to come for 2018 … (and he expects) over 4,000.”
City of Wyoming, by the numbers
In the City of Wyoming, city clerk Kelli VandenBerg reported that there were 53,961 registered voters as of Oct. 30, with an average of 1,000 new registrations coming each month in September and October (the Aug. 2 total was 51,654 and the Sept. 25 total was 52,800).
Historically, in Wyoming, there were 46,758 registered voters in 2010, a total of 48,300 in 2012, with 48,791 in 2014, and 50,277 in 2016.
Wyoming also reported numbers on absentee ballots sent and returned, with there being an unusually high number sent this non-presidential election cycle: 4,257. There were 5,643 absentee ballots sent and 5,458 returned in 2016’s presidential cycle, but only 2,896 sent and 2,734 received in the last mid-term cycle in 2014. As of early this week, according to the city clerk’s office, there were 3,028 absentee ballots returned (out of the 4,257) with a week remaining for counting.
Kent County, by the numbers
Countywide the breakdown, according to the County Clerk’s office, is that there were 418,386 registered voters in 2010 (the last open gubernatorial election, without an incumbent running) with a turnout of 195,999 or 46.9 percent. In the 2014 gubernatorial election year there were 440,461 registered voters and a turnout of 189,517 or 43 percent.
In the 2016 Presidential election year, there were 453,437 registered voters with a turnout of 313,396 or 69 percent.
“Kent County’s number of registered voters has climbed steadily from 418,386 in 2010, when Michigan had its last (open) gubernatorial election, to 458,666 this year,” Macomber said in summary.
State of Michigan, by the numbers
According to Woodhams at the Secretary of State office, there are 7,471,882 registered voters this year, which is a record for a mid-term election, and that represents about 95 percent of the possible registered voters. As far as how many of those will show at the polls, state numbers are that there were abut 3.2 million voters in 2014, about 3.85 million in 2006 (the current record for a non-presidential election), about 4.9 million in the 2016 presidential election and about 5 million in the 2008 presidential election (the current record).
For really detailed historical state election turnout information visit here.
