JULY 29, 2004

Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land today released her estimate of voter turnout for Tuesday’s primary at close to 1.4 million voters.

"Based on past primary turnouts, absent voter activity and information provided by local officials, we expect close to 1.4 million voters will participate in this year’s primary," said Land, Michigan’s chief election officer. "There is not a formula for calculating turnout. These projections are made by reviewing past primary elections in concert with the current election climate."

Currently, there are 6,916,340 residents who are registered and eligible to vote. This reflects an increase of 131,016 over last year. Michigan’s voting age population totals 7.5 million, of which 91.7 percent are registered to vote.

Michigan’s geographic and population size make it the largest state to administer elections on the city, township and village level as opposed to the county or state level.

There are nearly 7,079 jurisdictions nationwide that accept voter registrations and conduct elections, and Michigan is home to 1,775 of them (1,242 townships, 272 cities and 261 villages) – and 25 percent of the nation’s election officials.

"Our record of successful elections is a real tribute to the many local officials who perform their jobs so well," Land said.

Land reminds voters participating in the primary that they must cast their ballots under one political party. Casting votes in a partisan primary for both Republican and Democratic candidates invalidates the partisan section of the primary ballot. Non-partisan offices and proposals appear after the partisan section of the ballot.

The polls are open on Tuesday at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Those interested in more information about their ballot or polling place are encouraged to visit www.michigan.gov/vote.

Registered voters who want an absent voter ballot mailed to them must submit their application in writing to their city or township clerk by 2 p.m. Saturday, July 31. Registered voters eligible for an absent voter ballot may also vote in person at the city or township clerk’s office anytime up to 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 2.

Michigan residents can obtain an emergency absent voter ballot through 4 p.m. on election day, if they become suddenly ill, or if they must leave their community due to sickness or death in the family.

All absent voter ballots must be received by the clerk’s office no later than 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 3. For more information, contact your local clerk’s office.

The Secretary of State’s Bureau of Elections will monitor election returns and will post unofficial results for state and judicial offices, as they are available, on its Web site.

Go to www.Michigan.gov/sos and click on "Elections in Michigan."

See below for interesting Michigan election facts.

Michigan Election Facts

Residents were casting ballots well before Michigan’s statehood in 1837. Little-known details of Michigan’s election past, compiled in the books "Michillaneous I" and "Michillaneous II" by Gary W. Barfknecht, reveal that:

• The first election in Michigan was conducted in 1792. Though Michigan was part of the United States, the British still occupied several forts. The British allowed Michigan voters to select representatives to the Provincial Assembly of Upper Canada.
• Michigan’s first participation in an American election was in 1798. Voters in Detroit verbally announced their choices for a delegate to the Northwest Territory Assembly.
• On Nov. 8, 1836, Michigan residents voted for the first time in a U.S. presidential election and helped to put Martin Van Buren in office.
• The first women to vote in Michigan were Mary Wilson of Battle Creek and Nanette Gardner of Detroit, who managed to cast ballots in the 1871 election. In 1919, Michigan was the first state to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women the right to vote.
• Michigan initiated the secret ballot in 1891.
• Voting machines were first authorized for use in 1893.

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