Featured photo: A Flint resident and local business owner who helped organize “Joy to the Polls” music event is joined by Former Flint Mayor Dr. Karen Williams Weaver.
Written By Jameca Patrick-Singleton (posted by Tanya; editor)
November 3, 2020 was an unseasonably warm day in the city of Flint and the energy was high. It was Election Day and the ballot was filled with multiple important positions. Most notably this was the election cycle for the president of the United States, but Flint, MI also saw a myriad of other positions on the ballot from the local prosecutor, judges, Congress and Senate seats, college and community school board members and a proposal.
While presidential elections tend to bring out more voters, Flint has, in the past struggled with low voter turnout. However this year was different. The polls on Election Day had a sense of excitement. Many of the sites had live music or DJs spinning upbeat tempos. There was literally dancing in the streets at some sites while voters waited their turn to cast their ballot.
With COVID-19 ravishing the country many voters had elected to submit their ballots early through mail or by dropping them off at Flint City Hall or designated secured ballot drop off boxes. In the days leading up to the election, it became almost common to see lines of people outside of Flint City Hall waiting to vote.
In the end, the registered voters in Flint voted. Greatly exceeding the numbers of ballots cast in recent elections, Flint was able to play a critical role in deciding who was going to be the next president of United States, as well as who will sit in many county and citywide seats for the next two to four years.
**According to an MLIVE article written on November 8, 2020, the city of Flint accounts for 25% of Genesee County. In the November 3rd election, 223,909 ballots were cast by Genesee County residents which account for 66% of countywide registered voters**.
