DETROIT – Voters in Detroit and surrounding cities are taking to the polls to help decide future leadership and the vitality of their neighborhoods.
Detroit looking forward
Detroiters are getting ready to head to the polls to cast ballots for City Council and to narrow the field of 16 mayoral candidates down to just two. Those two will later face off during the general election come November. Candidates for Detroit police commissioner and city clerk also will be on the ballot.
Complete list: Detroit mayoral primary election candidates
With 550,000 registered voters, election officials are predicting a 17 percent voter turnout. City Clerk Janice Winfrey says she is not anticipating any problems.
"We are ready. We are trained and we expect a smooth process tomorrow," Winfrey said.
There has been no shortage of drama and confusion in this mayoral race. Mike Duggan had to launch a write-in campaign after getting thrown off the ballot. Then, the barber Mike Dugeon entered the race this past month as a write-in candidate, which experts predict will cause even more questions at the polls.
Still, Winfrey says she confident it will go smoothly.
"Write-ins are what we do at the Department of Elections. There's a write-in for almost every election, and so we're very used to it," she said.
Polls now open until 8 p.m.
To find out where to cast your vote in the city, go here.
ClickOnDetroit.com will post election results right here after the polls close. It's not clear when the Detroit mayoral results will be available.
Follow the latest #Decision2013 social media chatter right here.
Other races to watch in Metro Detroit
Detroit's primary mayoral election will get most of the attention on Tuesday. However, there are plenty of elections in other communities.
Allen Park is operating under an emergency manager and the city wants votes to OK nearly seven mills for police and fire services.
The Farmington Public Schools district wants voters to approve $222 million in bonds to remodel schools, add new technology and refurbish playgrounds and fields.
Benny Napoleon voting.