Detroit city clerk says more security will be in place for Aug 2 primary

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The August Primary is right around the corner and that means you need to be on the lookout for changes as a result of redistricting. In Detroit for example the City Clerk says voting precincts reduced from roughly 500 to 450.

"Every voter, every Detroit voter was impacted by the redistricting, either their legislative district, or their poling place or precinct changed," said City Clerk Janice Winfrey.

All registered voters in Detroit got a new voter ID card. The city is expecting a 12 to 17 percent turnout for the August primary. The city is also expecting to count about 40,000 absentee ballots. And about the same amount of voters are expected to head to the polls.

"I think the adage is practice makes perfect," said Daniel Baxter, Detroit director of elections. "While every election is important, each gives us an opportunity to perfect our practices."

Over 3,000 poll workers were trained and were assigned to work this election. The clerk noted more than 800 Republicans expressed interest in working and election officials say they reached out to all of them. Hundreds have been trained and will be put to work.

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"That’s why it’s important for us to engage everyone who is interested in working the process," she said.

Election officials are also beefing up security at precincts and the Central Counting Board.

"I was threatened, half my staff was threatened for doing our jobs," Winfrey said. "That’s why we beefed up security.

"We’ve hired additional police officers that’ll be down here, 20 will be in this facility. Everybody has to go through a metal detector."(17)