Oakland County

Clerks navigate presidential primary rules

By Eric Czarnik
C & G Staff Writer

Democrats, Republicans and independents will flock to the polls Feb. 28 for Michigan’s presidential primary, but local clerks say following some of the election rules is no party.

Oakland County Clerk/Reg-ister of Deeds Bill Bullard Jr. said this year’s presidential primary is operating a little differently, thanks to a new state law passed by the Michigan Legislature last year.

This February, voters will need to indicate whether they want a Republican or Democratic ballot, and that information will be recorded. The choice of party is also needed on absentee ballot applications in order for poll workers to process them, he said.

This is a departure from the August 2010 primaries, in which voters were told to vote for one party, but did not have to request a particular ballot or have their preferences recorded, he said.

Bullard said the election rules might upset some people, such Democrats who want to vote for a GOP nominee, or independents who cringe at identifying with either major party.

“Their name is going to be on the list as having voted in the Republican primary,” Bullard said. “You’re going to be getting some Republican literature in the mail.”

Bullard predicted that most voters in February’s primaries will be choosing a Republican nominee, since the only named candidate on the Democratic ballot is President Barack Obama.

In addition, Michigan Democrats intend to pick their nominee during a May caucus, and some have criticized the state laws for putting the president on the February ballot anyway.

West Bloomfield Clerk Cathy Shaughnessy had some concerns with the state law’s effect on confidentiality and the secret ballot. She confirmed that data on residents and their choice of party ballot may be subject to Freedom of Information Act searches for a limited time.

“It is FOIA-able ... so it’s really not private at that point,” she said. “Anybody could come and FOIA that information, and we would have to provide (it). That information will remain available for 22 months. At that time, all that information will be destroyed.”

Although the state will not link voter names with their specific candidates of choice, Shaughnessy still wishes that the party data would be exempt from public exposure.

“I don’t think we should make any judgment on what ballots they choose in a presidential primary,” she said.

Shaughnessy said she is not expecting a huge turnout in West Bloomfield, and she expects everything to go smoothly on that day. Still, she said she and other local clerks have to follow federal guidelines, since the primary is a federal election.

“We have to fully staff all 27 precincts,” she said. “I’m not allowed to combine precincts, even though it would save a huge amount of money.”

She also noted that the presidential primary will be the last time West Bloomfield voters vote in their current precinct locations, which will soon undergo redistricting.

To learn more about Oakland County elections, visit www.oakgov.com/clerkrod/elections. To learn more about West Bloomfield elections, visit www.wbtwp.com or call (248) 451-4848.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Eric Czarnik at eczarnik@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1058.