Voters get early start

WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. – Shawn Nolan balanced his year-old daughter, Ella, on his hip with one hand and clutched a cup of coffee in the other as he waited in line at the polling place. He put down the coffee rather than the baby when it came time to cast his ballot for John Kerry.

Rosemarie Russell came with her two children in tow to cast her ballot for President Bush. Her 7-year-old son, Andrew, played with her 2-year-old daughter, Andrea, while she concentrated on her ballot.

“George Bush rocks!” Andrew chimed in.

Here, in this picturesque suburb of Detroit where flags fly from two-story brick homes, Precinct 20 was believed to be as divided as anywhere else in America on Election Day 2004.

As Michigan does not allow voters to register to vote by party, it was difficult to determine the township’s political demographics.

But the campaign signs decorating roadsides and lawns spoke of a split community of 67,100, an election that pit neighbor against neighbor and, at least in one case, divided a single household: One side of the lawn displayed Kerry signs, the other side Bush signs.

At Temple Israel, the home of Precinct 20, the line began before dawn – more than 30 minutes before the polls opened.

A steady rain pelted voters as they made their way across a parking lot to a covered walkway to the synagogue’s lobby.

Throughout the day, the line tapered off and then fired back up. All the time, there were challengers – a Democrat and a Republican – monitoring the process, watching the voters.

It was a sign to the precinct’s chairman, Bill Carroll, and his poll workers that this was no typical election day.

By all accounts, the turnout was high. Of Precinct 20’s 1,500 registered voters, more than 1,000 ballots were cast (including absentee) by 5 p.m. with three hours of voting to go.

Some voters brought magazines, others books. The waiting time at times increased to more than half an hour.

Murad Al-Tawil carefully read the long black-and-white election form, taking his time as he cast his first ballot ever.

Born in Iraq, he became an American citizen three years ago.

Now, standing at the plastic, portable polling station, he wanted to make sure he got it right in an election where so many have said every vote counts.

“It’s a good feeling when you choose your leader, when you have a say,” said Al-Tawil, 30.

Julie Glass, 20, spent an extra 10 minutes reviewing her ballot. She wanted to make sure the vote she cast in her first election counted.

Although Tonia Homer, 26, routinely votes in elections, she also took the time to read her ballot.

Glass voted for Kerry; Homer, for Bush.

Despite the poll workers’ efforts, the day at Precinct 20 was not without some confusion.

Renee Williams, 55, arrived at the polling station only to be told she was not on the West Bloomfield rolls.

State records show she moved to Detroit in July and registered there.

She denied it, producing a brand-new driver’s license with a West Bloomfield address.

She didn’t understand, she said. She voted at the same precinct in August, and her husband had voted just hours earlier this day at the same location.

After 40 minutes, Williams cast a provisional ballot, one that may or may not be counted depending on election officials’ findings.

“How can an error be made like that?” Williams asked. “At a time like this?”