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Voter Turnout in Oakland County – Where Does Your City Stand?
(Kurt Metzger, March 11, 2020)
The 2020 Michigan Presidential Primary is history, and it is time to take a brief look at how our Oakland County communities fared.
Overall, while turnout was up, from the 2016 Primary, across the state, Oakland County experienced a surprising dip from 40.2 to 36.7 percent.
School and community bond issues were unanimously approved, and county voters heavily endorsed the DIA millage with a 76 percent Yes vote.
Turning to the voter turnout numbers across the county, we saw many of the usual trends in terms of high and low propensity to vote.  The fact that there was only a contest on the Democratic side (both were in play in 2016), tended to dampen turnout in communities where Republican voters dominate.
The perennial champ, Huntington Woods, did it once again with a 64.0 percent turnout.  In fact, they had 5 of the top 7 performing precincts!  Pleasant Ridge was the perennial bridesmaid, coming in second with 59.5 percent, followed by Lathrup Village (55.4%) and Ferndale (51.5 percent).  Southfield township, comprised of Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms and Franklin, rounded out the top 5 with a 49.6 percent turnout.  All but Southfield township register a gain of between 4 and 6 percentage points over 2016.  The township actually dropped by 2 points.
On the other end of the spectrum we have Pontiac with a turnout rate of only 19.5 percent.  Pontiac accounted for 13 of the 14 lowest performing precincts, with three not even achieving 10 percent.  Following a Pontiac were Holly Township (25.0%), Hazel Park (27.0 percent), Royal Oak Township (27.4 percent), and Walled Lake (28.6 percent).
 
Whether you are working for Democrats or Republicans, there is no need for sophisticated databases to understand where to put turnout efforts in Oakland County in advance of November.

Community Registered Voters Ballots Cast
Pontiac 45,469 8,882 19.5%
Holly Township 9,395 2,351 25.0%
Hazel Park 12,165 3,280 27.0%
Royal Oak Township 2,588 708 27.4%
Walled Lake 5,506 1,573 28.6%
Keego Harbor 2,164 642 29.7%
Rose Township 5,095 1,570 30.8%
White Lake Township 25,542 7,913 31.0%
South Lyon 9,282 2,880 31.0%
Waterford Township 56,825 18,114 31.9%
Wixom 10,819 3,460 32.0%
Madison Heights 21,240 6,900 32.5%
Springfield Township 11,438 3,742 32.7%
Commerce Township 34,040 11,224 33.0%
Oxford Township 16,678 5,516 33.1%
Groveland Township 4,660 1,548 33.2%
Rochester 10,829 3,615 33.4%
Highland Township 15,680 5,256 33.5%
Milford Township 13,856 4,657 33.6%
Auburn Hills 15,340 5,195 33.9%
Brandon Township 12,649 4,295 34.0%
Orchard Lake 1,995 689 34.5%
Troy 60,766 21,245 35.0%
Orion Township 28,916 10,119 35.0%
Southfield 62,364 22,737 36.5%
Rochester Hills 55,203 20,285 36.7%
Independence Township 28,463 10,532 37.0%
Lyon Township 15,390 5,718 37.2%
Oakland Township 14,794 5,501 37.2%
Novi 42,732 15,970 37.4%
Oak Park 24,981 9,352 37.4%
Bloomfield Hills 3,805 1,431 37.6%
West Bloomfield Township 53,437 20,308 38.0%
Addison Township 5,023 1,914 38.1%
Clawson 10,281 4,184 40.7%
Birmingham 18,121 7,630 42.1%
Royal Oak 49,845 21,022 42.2%
Farmington Hills 63,051 27,512 43.6%
Berkley 12,984 5,774 44.5%
Sylvan Lake 1,523 686 45.0%
Novi Township 130 60 46.2%
Lake Angelus 246 115 46.7%
Bloomfield Township 36,856 17,684 48.0%
Farmington 7,632 3,747 49.1%
Northville 2,671 1,318 49.3%
Southfield Township 12,368 6,137 49.6%
Ferndale 16,297 8,388 51.5%
Lathrup Village 3,781 2,095 55.4%
Pleasant Ridge 2,442 1,453 59.5%
Huntington Woods 5,554 3,556 64.0%