Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Elections Turnout topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Kalamazoo County reports historically high August primary turnout: 67,851 ballots
Summary
County Clerk Meredith Place told commissioners the Aug. 4 primary saw 67,851 ballots cast (about 36% turnout), the highest for recent August primaries, with roughly 60% of ballots cast via absentee or early voting; the official canvass will begin the next day.
Kalamazoo County Clerk and Register of Deeds Meredith Place briefed the board Aug. 5 on the administration of the Aug. 4 primary, calling it a successful operation amid an unexpected statewide Qualified Voter File outage. "Because of the preparation, Kalamazoo County successfully administered an election with 67,851 ballots cast," Place said, calling the turnout roughly 36% and the highest for the last three August primaries.
Place outlined the staff work behind the result: a countywide early-voting operation, recruitment and training of hundreds of election inspectors, extensive equipment checks, and cross-department coordination for security and access. Approximately 60% of ballots were cast by absentee or early voting, she said. County canvassers will start the official canvass the following day to verify tabulation and certify results.
Place urged the board to recognize election staff and local clerks for extended work during the period and recommended a follow-up agenda item after the election so staff can present a fuller review of lessons learned and process improvements.
