Election turnout steady in Washtenaw County; results could come by midnight

The proposed Washtenaw County schools enhancement millage is bringing voters to the polls today, but not in droves.

Matt Yankee, acting director of elections for Washtenaw County, characterized the flow of voters as "fairly steady" based on his conversations with city, village and township clerks throughout the day.

In Lodi Township, turnout is estimated at about 20 percent, with a less than two hours remaining until the polls close at 8 p.m.

Voters today will decide the fate of a 2-mill, five-year schools enhancement millage that would raise $30 million countywide per year. The millage would cost the owner of the home with a $100,000 taxable value $200 per year.

School districts are threatening mid-year layoffs and program cuts if the hike fails. Opponents of the millage have complained school districts failed to provide adequate allocation details and haven't enacted enough cost-cutting measures to justify a hike.

Based on estimates taken at noon, about 15 percent of Ann Arbor voters had turned up to cast ballots, Ann Arbor City Clerk Jacqueline Beaudry said.

The University of Michigan College Democrats is reporting voting in record numbers at student precincts across campus. The group attributes the rise in turnout to its increased get-out-the-vote-efforts in key student precincts.The UMCD led a campaign encouraging students to vote in support of Proposal I, the Washtenaw County School Enhancement Millage.

“We want students to know their voices matter—especially on the local issues that affect them most," said Samuel Marvin, chair of UMCD.

When polls close, clerks from each precinct will remove the memory cards from tabulator machines and drive them to the Washtenaw County administration building at 200 N. Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor. Election software reads the memory cards, then counts and uploads the votes to the eWashtenaw site.

The results will counted in full by midnight in a best case scenario, Yankee said.

Washtenaw County school lines overlap with Livingston, Wayne, Monroe and Jackson counties, Yankee said. Polling places in those areas should fax results in tonight, but they technically have until 11 a.m. tomorrow to hand over results.

Interested parties can also call (734) 222-6730 for results.

Juliana Keeping covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at julianakeeping@annarbor.com or 734-623-2528. Follow Juliana Keeping on Twitter