Election Day runs smoothly across Lansing amid increased scrutiny
Election Day is here. For those who have not voted early, today is the last day to submit a ballot. Across the state, hundreds of poll workers are stationed at voting locations. At the same time, poll watchers, challengers, and members of the public are engaging with the election process.
Outside of the Hannah Community Center, individuals from different organizations sat at least 100-feet from the entrance, including volunteers with Rep. Tom Barrett’s campaign. “We’re just out here talking to undecided voters and seeing if people have any questions about [Barrett],” one volunteer, who declined to be identified, told City Pulse.
“It’s mostly just them trying to get an understanding of where [Barrett’s] priorities lie, so they don’t have specific policy questions,” he said. According to the volunteer, “plenty of people” had stopped at the table throughout the morning.
Inside the polling site, Lindsay Oswald, a precinct co-chair, said the day was running smoothly. “[Voters] have been asking normal voter questions about where they should go next and how to fill out the ballot,” she said.
Oswald said there were a couple of poll watchers at the site, but was unsure about U.S. Department of Justice monitors.
In October, the department sent notices to seven Michigan municipalities, including Lansing and East Lansing, informing them that DOJ monitors would be present at certain polling locations.
Monitors are considered poll watchers and cannot speak with constituents inside of the voting site, touch election equipment or ballots, or interfere with election administration.
At the Gier Community Center, precinct chairperson Jill Dombrowski said DOJ monitors and Secretary of State officials were at the center earlier in the day. “They were following procedure. They were respectful.”
She noted that the DOJ monitors conducted exit polling once they left the center. “Which is allowed,” she said, “but it is something we want to kind of keep an eye on.”
“Since the [DOJ] people were here, then the [state officials] people were here to watch to make sure they were doing okay.”
Dombrowski has worked elections since 2016. Constituents are more attuned to the details of the election process this midterm season, she said. “We have these signs printed that say ‘No campaigning within 100 feet of the voter entrance,’ and someone actually called the Secretary of State to say this sign … wasn’t far enough away.”
“We put our 100-foot sign at the 100-foot mark,” Dombrowski said, pointing to a sign closer to the center’s parking lot. “We just put this here because maybe they weren’t able to see that one [over there].”
According to Dombrowski, that level of attention to detail is out of the norm. “But each election is its own special snowflake,” she said.
Throughout the morning, the center had a handful of poll watchers from nonpartisan groups, and one challenger from the Michigan Republican Party.
And even with other voting options available, Dombrowski said it’s great to see the community participate in the election process. “It’s just wonderful to see so many people want to come in person … all the election workers, that’s why we’re here.”
Polls close at 8 p.m., but voting continues until the last person in line has submitted their ballot.
