WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — An August Election Day brought out voters in Macomb County. A primary for mayor in Warren has six candidates, with current Mayor Jim Fouts off the ballot after 16 years in office.
"It was a little different,” Warren resident Lorine Vaughn said of not seeing Fouts name. "I think if he was on the ballot, he might've would've won.”
The mayor was kept off due to term limits — a dispute he’s currently suing city council over. Voters were conflicted about his time in office.
"I don't think he was very effective,” Warren resident Scharone Waters said. “I think he contributed to the divisiveness of Warren, so happy to see him go.”
“You need fresh blood, but he has done the most spectacular job,” Warren resident Cindy Rice said. "He has been the best mayor ever. I loved having Mayor Fouts as our mayor.”
Throughout the day, turnout was relatively low. Roughly 250 ballots were cast in the two precincts at Butcher Education Center, normally two of Warren’s busiest precincts. Just city council, clerk and mayoral primaries were on the ballot.
“It's just a really local election. We don't have any state offices having a primary today," said Jennifer Jenkins, chairperson of Precincts 32 and 33 at Butcher. "So, it’s been a little lower than usual but otherwise, we’ve had an awesome turnout.”
Turnout was also relatively low at Eastpointe High School, which is usually the city’s busiest precinct. The city’s first Black mayor, Monique Owens, was up for her first reelection.
“It's just a lot of racists going on out here and people say she’s not doing her job, but she’s doing her job,” Eastpointe resident Sirquicia Bradley said.
Supporters of Owens, like Bradley, were coming out against three primary contenders after Owens' first term was filled with controversy. Owens has been charged with a felony for fraud during the pandemic and is being sued by residents for disrupting public comment at a council meeting.
Related: Michigan August Primary Election: Results in metro Detroit
Several voters 7 Action News spoke with cited those controversies as reasons for voting against her.
“I am not real happy with our current mayor,” Eastpointe resident James Pawlowski said. “That motivates me even more because I do think she's corrupt and needs to be replaced.”
“That don't really matter to me. I'm still going to vote," Bradley said of the fraud charge. "I feel like everybody needs a chance. You know what I'm saying? She hasn't done anything wrong. She’s done a tremendous big job in Eastpointe to me.”
In the end, the top two mayoral candidates in both Warren and Eastpointe will move on to the general election, along with a handful of council candidates in Warren. Voters are hoping even more people show up in November.
“I just think it’s important for people to go out and vote no matter what," Waters said. "Even if you don't think its important, it’s important.”
