Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey on a call with community advocates Thursday said she expects more than a third of registered voters to cast ballots in the Nov. 3 midterm election.
Winfrey told community advocates she expects turnout to hover around 38-43%.
Winfrey mentioned that in the most recent election with an open governor’s race, the 2018 general election, voter turnout in the City of Detroit reached approximately 41%. There are 527,000 registered voters in Detroit.
Winfrey’s turnout projection matters because Detroit is the state’s largest Democratic stronghold, and high turnout there could benefit Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate and governor, Abdul El-Sayed and Jocelyn Benson.
On the line is a U.S. Senate seat, an open governor’s race and local races that will determine control of the state Legislature.
Elections chief Daniel Baxter said the city expects to have counted 80,000 absentee ballots by Election Day. Baxter told Michigan Chronicle the department has received 25,000 absentee ballots as of Thursday.
Early voting starts Saturday, Oct. 24 through Nov. 1.
Elections department officials were outside the City/County building Thursday afternoon recording a video about early voting ahead of the call with community partners and faith leaders.
The clerk stressed that voters should be confident heading into the polls or voting early that the process is safe and their ballots will be counted.
Some communities, including Detroit, will offer in-person early voting sites beginning Oct. 5. You can contact your clerk or visit mi.gov/vote to learn where you can vote early in person.
The last day to register to vote online or by mail is Oct. 19. After that date, you’ll need to register in person at your city or township clerk’s office with proof of residency. Oct. 20 is the final day to return your ballot by mail to avoid postal delays. Starting Oct. 21, the state encourages voters to return ballots in person at the clerk’s office or in a secure drop box.
Oct. 24 is the first day of statewide in-person early voting. All communities must offer in-person early voting at a designated early voting site starting on this day. The last day of statewide in-person early voting is Nov. 1.
The deadline to vote in person with an absentee ballot is Nov. 2 at 4pm.
Election Day is Nov. 3.
Polls are open 7am to 8pm. If you need to register to vote, you can register and then vote at your local clerk’s office until 8pm.
If you’re serving in the military or living overseas, your ballot must be postmarked by Election Day (Nov. 3) and received by Monday, November 9 to count.
If you wait until Election Day to register to vote you must apply in person at the city or township clerk’s office that runs your local elections. Same-day registration can be completed up until polls close on an election day.
In Detroit, same-day registration happens at the Department of Elections, at 2978 W. Grand Blvd.