Election inspectors throughout the county had more cooperation from voters than they did Mother Nature during Tuesday's general election.

Only one person was noted to have complained by the new state law which requires voters provide picture identification when applying for a ballot. Those unable to provide photo ID are allowed ballots after signing an affidavit of identity on the reverse side of the application.

“We only heard of one complaint. I think everyone was prepared and we had no problems with that,” county Clerk Michelle Crocker said.

Meanwhile, election inspectors in Cleveland Township used flashlights and headlamps to examine IDs much of the day after power went out at 10:40 a.m. Electrical service had not yet been restored when ballots were delivered to the county Clerk’s office in Leland about 9:30 p.m.

“We got through it, but there was no heat,” election worker Ruth Shaffran said.

Township resident Jerome Bufka pitched in by bringing in a generator. Supervisor Tim Stein provided some headlamps. After voting, township residents Robert and Chris Shimek returned to the polling place with hot coffee and hot water for tea for inspectors.

“Just putting my hands around the cup felt good,” said Shaffran, who along with other workers wore her winter jacket and covered her lap with a blanket for much of election day.

The voting machine’s battery backup allowed inspectors to deposit the ballots using the sleeve, which ensures privacy. But after the battery wore down, workers had to contact the county Clerk for instructions.

“I called Lansing and was told that a hand count was the thing to do,” said Crocker, adding that completed ballots were deposited in an auxiliary bin prior to the hand count. “Had they gotten power by the time the polls closed at 8 p.m., I would have had them ‘zero out’ the machine and run everything through.”

Additional lights were set up on the exterior of the township hall so voters could safely navigate the stairs of the structure, located at the intersection of M-22 and Co. Rd. 669.

“We also had to tell them to watch out for the (electrical) cords running across the floor,” Shaffran said.
A lack of electricity proved a minor inconvenience Tuesday for election inspectors and voters in Glen Arbor Township, where there was no power from 7:30 a.m. to noon. The 4 1/2-hour challenge was met with a township-owned generator.

“It was a little cold, but overall things went fine,” township Clerk Bonnie Quick said.

Overall, voter turnout was low countywide as the bulk of electorate had only one issue — the BATA millage renewal request — before them.

Twenty-three percent of the county’s 18,244 registered voters went to the polls. Turnout was highest in Elmwood Township’s two voting precincts, where those going to the polls faced a local fire millage and ballot questions from the Traverse City Area Public Schools.

Only 29 of the 107 residents registered to vote in the City of Traverse City turned out to the polls, despite the hotly contested mayoral race.

For her part, Shaffran – who was still chilled Wednesday morning – is happy there were so few questions on the ballot in Cleveland Township.

“It it would have been the presidential election, it could have been disastrous,” she said.