Dearborn's Single-Item Ballot Could Bring Low Turnout: Clerk

DEARBORN, MI —Dearborn is preparing for a unique election and local city clerk George Darany says it’s a good run up to next year’s presidential run.

“This is a very unique election in Dearborn because it’s the first time in anyone's memory that the only thing on the ballot is a bond proposal for the schools,” Darany told Patch.

On the ballot, Dearborn Public Schools will ask residents to approve a bond for school infrastructure that won't raise taxes. The $240 million bond proposal for the district would improve the schools with repairs and updates needed and advocates say the impact would be felt across all 34 buildings and 20,7000 students.

What does that mean a ballot with only one bond proposal mean in terms of engagement? The city expects a lower voter turnout, Darany said.

This is the first local election since Michigan voters approved no-reason absentee voting. Cities like Royal Oak — with heated mayoral races and city council seats open — have received a record number of absentee ballots for this election, according to reports. But in Dearborn, with no contended races, Darany says he expects a total voter turnout of around 10,000, including absentee ballots.

For context, Dearborn has just over 63,000 registered voters.

The city has a list of permanent absentee voters containing 5,000 residents and so far, about 2,400 of those voters have sent their ballots back to the city.

For last year’s governor’s race, the number of absentee voters went up to 6,400, Darany said.

“It’s a hard way to gauge how the new (absentee voting) law,” Darany said. “But it’s a good way to prepare for next year when we have three elections in March, August and November.”

For now, the clerk’s office works to make more people aware of the permanent absentee voter list. Dearborn’s registered voters can get on that list by calling the clerk’s office or stopping in to get an application.