Tuesday’s light voter turnout lower than 2007
Sean HarkinsOnly 13.7 percent of registered voters in Alpena County made it to the polls on Tuesday.
Those numbers were slightly higher - 17.8 percent - among City of Alpena voters, who had a city council race and ballot question regarding the city-owned civic center on their ballot.
"It is (disappointing). You go through all the motions and all the expense and gear up and everything and then a few people show up to express their opinion, but they're all willing to give you their opinion afterwards," Alpena County Clerk Bonnie Friedrichs said.
Voters throughout the county voted for, and approved, a school millage and re-elected unopposed incumbents to the Alpena Public Schools Board of Education and Alpena Community College Board of Trustees.
"That's about the same (turnout) we've generally had on a school election. Normal for schools, disappointing for a general election," Friedrichs said.
The numbers didn't compare favorably to the last city council election in November 2007, when voters elected two council members and a mayor, and voted on a Dial-a-Ride millage request and requests to sell property near Starlite Beach and get rid of the beach's bathrooms.
In 2007, 28.5 percent of the city's voters hit the polls, and 16.8 percent of all voters in the county cast a ballot.
The November 2006 election, which included two Department of Natural Resources-related ballot questions and the gubernatorial race, had a 51 percent turnout in Alpena County. The 2004 presidential election had a 64 percent turnout, while the 2008 presidential election drew a 62 percent turnout.
Friedrichs said the board of canvassers cleared the votes on Wednesday and no changes were made to Tuesday's numbers.
"Everything went fairly well. No major problems in the voting process, no complaints," she said.
Sean Harkins can be reached via e-mail at sharkins@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5688.
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MarkJohnHunter
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11-12-09 5:34 PM
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The process fo getting what you want in an election is easier than you think. First choose an election where the turnout will be low. Then go to the groups with high voter turnout and speak to them with you side of teh story. Do not give them the balanced story, just the facts you want them to know. Then you can convince them to sell the Civic Center. If a large turnout voted, then it would be much harder to control the outcome.
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ExcellTrinity
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11-04-09 11:30 PM
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17.8% is just awful. It should never dip below 30%. Evidently 83% of Alpena voters didn't really find the issues necessary for the added effort of picking up a pencil. I'm proud to be part of the 17.8%. I plan on getting involved.
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