DEARBORN – For most of the races on Tuesday’s ballot, winning the primary meant winning the election. However, most polling places in Dearborn looked like classrooms during lunch break. 

It was a gloomy day; it rained throughout the morning and afternoon, as all Arab American candidates lost their bids for their respective democratic nominations, except one who ran unopposed.

Voter turnout was expected to be low throughout the state, as this was the first primary where both major parties had already named their gubernatorial candidates for the general election in November— republican incumbent Rick Snyder and former democratic congressman Mark Schauer. 

In east Dearborn, most polls seemed deserted not only of voters, but also of volunteers for most of the day. The polls opened at 7 a.m., but only seven ballots had been cast at one precinct by 10 a.m. 

In the absence of voters, poll workers tried to pass time by reading books or using their smartphones. At Woodworth Middle School, one poll worker laid her head down on the table, apparently sleeping, as others stretched and yawned. 

The Arab American News toured six polling locations in Dearborn and only witnessed a few campaigners— a couple of Warren Evans supporters, a set of Bill Wild volunteers and a campaigner for 19th District Court Judge Mark Somers (although the judicial race is not until November). 

Outside Woodworth, an Evans supporter, who was frustrated by the lack of voters, said he was planning to take off his campaign shirt off and seek shelter from the rain inside the school. Campaigning is banned within 100 feet of the polls.

The low turnout in Dearborn could be explained by the fact that the Wayne County executive race was the only competitive contest in most of the city. State Rep. George Darany and State Senator Morris Hood, incumbents who represent 90 percent of Dearborn in the legislature, ran unopposed in overwhelmingly democratic districts.

On the democratic side of the ballot, there was also one name only for the governor and Wayne County commissioner races, while 12th Congressional District candidate Debbie Dingell did not face a major challenge from her primary opponent, Ypsilanti attorney Ray Mullins. 

However, the 9th State House District, which includes parts of Detroit and some northern Dearborn neighborhoods, saw a showdown between incumbent Harvey Santana and Dearborn School Board President Hussein Berry. 

Berry not only lost to Santana, but he also will not be able to run for reelection to the school board.

Dearborn City Council President Susan Dabaja said the rain might have discouraged people from coming out to vote. She added that voter turnout is always higher in presidential elections.

However, Dabaja said she hopes the maximum number of voters participate in every election and praised the efforts of community organizations in highlighting the importance of voting.

“My hope is as many people as possible come out to vote. If we can get 100 percent, it would be a dream come true,” she said. “Each year different individuals and organizations are encouraging the community to vote. People are becoming more appreciative of their right to vote, which will hopefully lead to a higher turnout.” 

Ali Baleed Almaklani, the executive director of the Yemen American Benevolent Association (YABA), bemoaned the low Arab American voter turnout, describing it as “a misery.”

“It doesn’t matter who you vote for. We need to vote, so we can be a part of the decision. Voting gives importance to the community,” Almaklani told The Arab American News while visiting the polling station at Salina Elementary. “When we vote, politicians start to recognize us. Voting is our right. We can’t just sit home and not take advantage of it.”

Almaklani said Yemeni Americans, like the rest of the Arab community, are divided between Evans, Ficano and Wild in the Wayne County executive race. 

“What is important to me is that the most qualified candidate wins. We need to vote based on merit, not personal relationships,” he said. 

Salina is the only Dearborn polling location witnessed by this reporter that had more than one set of campaigners. Two young Arab American women were passing out campaign literature for Wild, as two men campaigning for Evans stood nearby. 

“I am volunteering for Bill Wild because what he’s done in Westland is amazing, and I think he would be the right person for the county,” said one of the campaign volunteers.

On the other side, Jamal Saleh, who was campaigning for Evans, said he supports the former county sheriff because “it’s time for change.

“Ficano is not delivering on what he’s promising and Evans is the right person to fix the county,” Saleh added. 

At Becker Elementary, only 35 people had voted seven hours after voting started. 

“Nobody is voting, especially not young people,” said one poll worker. “The people who voted today so far are the same faces we have seen for the past 30 years. We need younger people to vote. Maybe we should let them vote on a phone app.”

As it has been the case in recent years, the polls in west Dearborn were less vacant than those on the east side of the city. For example, by 7 p.m., more than 395 people had voted in Dearborn High School’s two precincts on the west side, compared to 115 in William Ford Elementary’s two precincts in east Dearborn.

Conner Blankship, 19, who was voting at Dearborn High, said he headed to the polls because his parents urged him to vote. 

“People my age are generally not interested in the election,” he added. “They don’t find it as interesting. They think it doesn’t affect them as much because they’re not yet fully active members of society. But it really affects their future.”

In Dearborn Heights, where community activist Rashid Baydoun was making a bid for Michigan’s 11th House District, the Arab American community came out in larger numbers than in Dearborn. Canfield Community Center in Dearborn Heights was among the most crowded polling stations in the city. The center drew mostly Baydoun supporters.

Despite his loss to Julie Plawecki, Baydoun was the highest vote getter in Dearborn Heights. However, he failed to appeal to voters in other parts of the district, which includes neighborhoods in Livonia, Westland, Garden City and Inkster.