And 1st at 6:00 o'clock Election
Day in West Michigan. With a nur
of important issues on the ballt
and with just two hours away
from the polls closing,
we'll soon have an idea of how
West Michigan cast their vote.
We have team coverage tonight
watching voter turn out and
how counties are keeping your
votes safe at the polls. But
one of the biggest issues on
the ballot in West Michigan?
Wyoming voters are deciding on
a new public safety mileage.
13 On Your Side's Carla Byron is live
now in Wyoming with details. Ca.
Also put it into a perspective. Juliet,
the double precinct across the street,
they have around 3300 registered voters
and the last time that we check,
around 4:30, they told us that
they had 70 voters come in.
Now, that's not a large number.
This isn't a huge election,
but it is still an important on.
City officials say hiring more
officers and firefighters,
27 more to be exact,
would help reduce response time.
The mileage would raise roughly
$4 million for the city's public
safety department and would
cost residents $150.00 for every
$100,000 in taxable home value.
One man we talked to didn't
want to go on camera,
but he said he wasn't voting for the mileage
because he thinks it's it's unnecessary.
Another said he voted because he
thinks it's important to support
our men and women in blue.
Now we talked with one woman
who told us that she wants to
support law enforcement as well.
Take a listen.
I think it's important to fund
our police and fire department.
I feel like, um, there's been
a little more crime lately.
And I would like safer neighbors
and yeah, I would like them
to respond in emergencies.
So I voted yes for that.
A previous effort to raise fundr
the department through an incomx
increase was rejected by voters last year.
The polls are going to remain open until
8:00 PM, reporting live in Wyom.
Carla Byron, 13 on Your Side
Now there isn't something on
the ballot in every community,
but smaller elections like today
often can impact our lives the .
13 On Your Side's Josh Albertus
spoke with a county clerk today. He joins
us now live to explain why.
Well, these elections,
these off year elections like this one today,
often include mostly ballot proposals,
which is why a lot of voters skp
out and why it has a lot less tn
out than in years like presidenl
elections and midterm elections.
But that official we spoke to ty
and others are saying that this
election is just as important at
those more high profile contest.
Now we've been tracking some of these
important and even contentious proposals
and millages from a school bond proposal
in Grand Haven mired and potent.
Information to what Wyoming says is a
desperately needed public safety mileage.
These kinds of votes directly it
through us through things from
funding to local departments tow
much residents pay in taxes now.
We spoke to the Attawa County Ck
earlier today who said those kinds of
issues make it just as importano
vote at these elections as it io
vote in more high profile conte.
Our smaller local elections are really
where a lot of key issues are decided.
You know, when it comes to your taxes,
the taxes you pay to your schoo.
You know what?
What's going on in our schools,
other community issues such
as villages and bonds, I mean,
these are really important issus
that affect us and our families.
And so it's important to make yr
voice heard in these smaller elections.
Now giving concerns over electin
security in recent years, Roebuck also
laid out new procedures Ottawa is using
in which results are physically delivered
on encrypted flash drives by staff to
the clerk's office and are GPS tracked
to make sure results are both se
and accounted for at all times.o
we're moving away from the electronic
transmission of our unofficial results,
and we're actually sending
deputized staff into the field.
To collect the results data,
which is contained on an
encrypted flash drive.
And that flash drive is sealed
up by a bipartisan team and
then brought to us under SEALED.
But we're also using GPS technoy
to track those sealed containers
as they come into our office.
Now polls are set to close
across Western Michigan at 8:00
PM tonight. Anyone in line by
8:00 PM is allowed to vote,
reporting live in King County.
Josh Albertus, 13 on your Side
and 13 on Your side,
will be tracking the results as
they start to come in tonight.
You will see them scrolling at e
bottom of your screen or you can
find them online on our website.
13 on yourside.com/elections.
You can also text election resus
to the number on your screen to
get them right to your phone.
616-559-1310 and then be sure to
tune in to 13 On your Side Late
night at 11:00 o'clock for a rep
of what passed and what failed.