Vote.Run.Serve-Livonia’s co-founder got a chance to serve as a poll inspector during last week’s primary election at precinct 19B. The role is just one small part of a fairly lengthy process that starts weeks before with the distribution of absentee ballots and ends in the early morning hours the day after the election.

The experience was a refreshing reminder that so many are patriotic Americans in Livonia looking to serve their country by spending a long day ensuring this city’s election was ran with integrity.

There is no shortage of points to reflect on, but here are a few points from the experience worth mentioning:

Hiccups – generally the in-person vote at precinct 19B went smoothly. Only one voter was not found in the qualified voter file (QVF), the computer database used to verify voters. The person was redirected to the clerks office where he was able to take advantage of same-day voter registration and vote an absentee ballot.

Turnout – Voters continue to prefer absentee voting, even as concerns regarding in-person gatherings have subsided. In the whole, Livonia in-person turnout was approximately a third of overall turnout. Compared to our last mid-term primary in 2018, in-person voter turnout was down substantially. Livonia’s current precinct structure is tailored to the expected turnout; precincts are merged in elections with projected lower turnout to save money and make the process simpler for voters (such as last year’s local elections). It will be interesting to see how the volume of in-person voters continues over time.

Livonia saw more democrat voters than republican voters this election, Republicans turnout was down more than 10% when compared to 2018, compared to an approximate 5% reduction in democratic voter turnout in the same period.

Poll challengers – Three organizations filed and were granted permission to be poll challengers in Wayne County (note – the definition and rights of a poll challenger can be found in MCL 168.733). Livonia’s clerks office advised poll inspectors during training that all of Livonia’s voting centers may have poll challengers. Reports indicate that most, if not all, Livonia voting stations did not have poll challengers.

️ Results – perhaps the most exciting part of the night.

Each precinct must produce in-person result tape at the end of the night immediately after polls close, which are reviewed by every poll inspector. These tapes are used in the hand count audit conducted after the election results are certified. Audiences are enabled to the precinct result table under MCL 168.907. We have included a picture of the precinct result tape as an example.

Livonia’s clerks office has posted their results here. https://livonia.gov/…/Aug-2-2022-UNOFFICIAL-Primary…

Photo: Image of Governor results from one Livonia precinct