Primary marked by strong voter turnout

GROSSE POINTES/HARPER WOODS — Voters in the Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods decided which candidates would be representing their parties in November when they cast ballots for the Aug. 6 primary election.

Incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, of Detroit, will once again represent his party in the general election. He defeated challengers Shakira Lynn Hawkins and Mary Waters in the primary. According to unofficial vote tallies available at press time from Wayne County, Thanedar received 54.14% of the vote to 34.19% for Waters and 11.41% for Hawkins.

“We were able to get $342 million for infrastructure projects and $15 million for community projects throughout the district for workforce development, infrastructure upgrades, surviving extreme weather events, and more,” Thanedar said in a post-election statement. “I’m especially thankful that I was able to bring federal dollars to municipalities that haven’t received federal money in decades.”

That local funding includes approximately $1.6 million for Grosse Pointe Park’s extreme emergency relief valve, or EERV, which Park City Manager Nick Sizeland said can be used for future upgrades and some qualifying reimbursement. Sizeland said the funding came from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Thanedar said he served as the ranking member of the Small Business and Homeland Security subcommittees.

In November, Thanedar will face Republican challenger Martell D. Bivings, who ran unopposed for his party’s nomination.

In the race for who would represent Democrats in the newly drawn State House District 10, state Rep. Veronica Paiz, of Harper Woods, defeated challenger Justin Counts, of Grosse Pointe Park. She earned almost 76% of the vote on the Democratic side. Paiz is currently serving as the District 11 representative. She will square off against Republican Griffin Wojtowicz in November, who ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Incumbent District 1 Wayne County Commissioner Tim Killeen, D-Detroit, ran unopposed in his bid to secure his party’s nomination. There were no Republican candidates on the primary ballot in this race.

Wayne County voters also approved a parks millage renewal by over 75% and an auditor selection amendment by just over 54%.

Voter turnout was strong in the Farms, where 31.39% of the city’s 9,483 registered voters — or 2,977 — cast ballots. This marked only the second time that all the city’s precincts were consolidated at The War Memorial, following the presidential primary in February.

“It is working out well,” Farms Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Derrick Kozicki said. “Each election here, we learn new things and make adjustments to improve the voters’ experience.”

If there’s ever a contest for most scenic polling location, the Farms would certainly rank high on the list: Voters got to cast ballots inside the ballroom, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking War Memorial gardens and Lake St. Clair. Kozicki said many voters commented on the view.

“Turnout has been very steady, despite the weather,” Kozicki said. “Even during the heavy downpours, people were still coming in.”

That observation was echoed by Jerome Pokorney, who was outside The War Memorial campaigning for incumbent Wayne County Sheriff Rafael Washington; Washington, a Democrat, won his race.

“Even during the hardest of rain, people were coming,” Pokorney said. “I was giving people damp (campaign) literature.”

Jon Turner, also campaigning at The War Memorial for Washington, likewise noted a “steady flow” of voters all day.

And this comes at a time when voters have more options than ever, with no-excuse absentee ballots and early voting available. Kozicki said the Farms “did very well” with early voting, with 254 voters casting ballots that way.

“Maybe it’s that cumulative effect,” speculated Maria Catalfio, who was campaigning at The War Memorial for Mary Waters. “The more opportunities you give people to vote, the more (likely) they (are to) vote.”

In recent years, Grosse Pointe Park has consolidated all its polling locations into one spot — Windmill Pointe Park. For the primary, about 30.92% of the city’s 10,438 voters — or 3,227 — took part.

“There’s been a steady stream of voters all day,” said Walter Evans, who was campaigning at Windmill Pointe Park for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Hill Harper. Harper lost the race to Elissa Slotkin.

Michael Florian, an election inspector for the Park’s Precinct 5, said it had been “very slow in the morning,” but turnout started to pick up greatly as people got home from work and headed out to vote.

Like Catalfio, Park Precinct 5 Chair Alison Kulas saw a benefit to offering voters various ways to cast their ballots.

“It’s really nice having the three different options to vote at your convenience,” Kulas said.

Those who cast ballots in-person were not only able to pick up “I Voted” stickers, but also to share their electoral experience on social media by taking snapshots at selfie stations in the Farms and Park. The Park’s station even had accessories for voters to don, including patriotic sunglasses, a cowboy hat, headbands and leis. Kulas said one first-time voter’s family made him pose in the hat at the selfie station.

“He was a champ (about it),” Kulas said of the young voter, who was excited about being able to cast his first ballot.

In Grosse Pointe Shores, 701 of the city’s 2,533 registered voters — or 27.67% — participated in the primary. Grosse Pointe Woods saw 33.91% of its 14,600 registered voters — or 4,951 — cast primary ballots.