Decision 2009

Council, school choices draw 22% of Detroit voters

Darren A. Nichols and Doug Guthrie / The Detroit News

Detroit -- A thirst for change, support for schools and civic duty brought Detroit voters to the polls Tuesday.

Whatever the motivation, though, turnout was significantly lower than the 39 percent who participated in the 2005 election. Elections Director Daniel Baxter estimated about 9 p.m. that about 85,000 residents cast ballots Tuesday while another 40,000 voted absentee -- about 22 percent of the city's 572,502 registered voters.

Many, including Mayor Dave Bing, blamed fatigue. Tuesday was Detroit's fourth election this year, necessitated by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's resignation in September 2008. Previous contests saw turnout of 14 percent to 17 percent.

"I look at these polls and wonder 'Where are the people?' " asked Silvia Alvarado, 60, of Detroit, who voted at Most Holy Redeemer Church on Junction near Vernor with her 2-year-old grandson.

"Detroit used to be Motown. Now it's No Mo Town because it's dead. ... All the corruption, all the troubles. Nobody cares anymore."

Five City Council incumbents faced 13 challengers, and many voters say the panel is in dire need of change. In the past four years, the council occasionally became the butt of national jokes because of frequent sparring and name calling and a federal investigation that led to this summer's resignation of Councilwoman Monica Conyers.

"We voted for those people, but I felt humiliated they would do something like that," said Philip Smith, 23, who lives on the city's northwest side. "Detroit has gone through a black hole and we've been like that for a while. It's time that we actually have changes to show what Detroit is really like. I'm tired of having negativity about Detroit

Eric T. Walton, 36, a substitute teacher and a Wayne State University graduate student, was motivated to vote Tuesday to change the City Council, which he called "confusing and embarrassing."

He said Conyers' antics were a new low. He said he wants new faces on council and supported several, including Andre Spivey, Raphael Johnson and David Cross. He still supported incumbents JoAnn Watson and Kwame Kenyatta.

"I like the young talent that is out there," Walton said.

Bing acknowledged a "cloud" continues to hang over the city from recent scandals.

"The fact of the matter is we can't keep doing what we have been doing," he said. "We have to change."

Other voters said they were drawn to the polls by a $500 million school board proposal to build facilities and a referendum to change the representation of the council to districts. Members are now elected city-wide.

"Voting by district is one of the most important issues," said Bill Paxton, 71. "It would be more representative of the city. You will get to see everybody. It would be more inclusive."

David Josar, Christine Ferretti and Mike Martindale contributed.