Michigan’s Presidential Primary yesterday resulted in a record for votes cast in a Michigan Democratic Primary, surpassing 2016 turnout by nearly a third, as Joe Biden swept to victory over Bernie Sanders, including widespread support in the Tri-County region of Michigan’s Great Southwest.
Voters were clearly in a sharing mood Tuesday, as well, approving millages for schools, police, special education roads along the way.
The Michigan Democratic Party released the following statement on behalf of Chair Lavora Barnes on the Democratic primary turnout explosion. In total, more than 1.5 million Michiganders voted in the Michigan Democratic primary, setting a record for voter turnout. Here is what Barnes had to say this morning: “Last night, Michigan saw a turnout explosion, setting a record for votes cast in a Michigan Democratic primary and increasing turnout by over 28.8-percent over 2016. From his attacks on health care and access to clean water to his failure to grow manufacturing jobs in our state, Donald Trump has broken promise after promise to Michigan and yesterday, Democratic voters showed they’re ready to hold him accountable for that fact.”
Barnes went on to say, “I’m so proud of the dozens of Michigan Democratic Party organizers who have been working since 2017 in communities throughout our state to get out the vote, playing a critical role in this historic turnout. With the statewide, grassroots organization we’ve built, I know we’re ready to turn every corner of Michigan blue this November.”
Berrien County was solidly behind Biden’s campaign, giving him 11,149 votes in the primary with Bernie Sanders trailing at nearly half that with 5,704 votes. President Trump scored the easy win in the Republican primary with 10,533 votes in Berrien.
Van Buren County voters backed Biden with 4,862 votes compared to Sanders’ 3,197. Trump took the GOP with 4,895 votes in Van Buren.
Cass County residents supported the Biden train with 2,907 votes for the former Vice President as compared to Sanders’ tally of 1,264, while Trump scored 3,064 votes in the Republican primary there.
The St. Joseph Township Police & Fire Millage was overwhelmingly supported 1,936 to 907. New Buffalo Schools successfully garnered millage renewal support 963 to 215. Eau Claire Schools passed their millage renewal more than 2-to-1 with a 360 to 153 vote, and Chikaming Township voters approved a public safety millage proposal by a more than 2-to-1 margin with 751 in favor and 319 against.
Cass County’s Newberg Township proposal was passed 195 to 63.
In Van Buren County, voters gave the thumbs up to a County Road Millage Renewal, 10,479 to 4,156. They also supported the Veteran Services Millage 9,518 to 4,616, the county’s Public Transit Millage by a vote of 10,073 to 4,541, and the Van Buren Intermediate School District Special Education Millage by a vote of 7,939 to 5,871. In Van Buren’s Antwerp Township, voters gave the green light to a road proposal 1,359 to 1,028.
