A 100-foot line is marked at Slauson Middle School polls before voting begins on Election Day.

It’s a long two-sided ballot. In addition to national, state and local races, Ann Arbor has three major ballot questions – all on the ballot’s back side: A parks millage renewal, a proposed new tax for public art, and a $65 million bond proposal for a new downtown library. You’ll also be asked to vote for six state ballot proposals, the University of Michigan regents, several judicial positions, a raft of county offices, and many other races. To view a sample ballot for your precinct, visit the Secretary of State’s website.

If you’re still in the last-minute research mode, here’s a collection of Chronicle election-related articles. You can find a nonpartisan analysis of state ballot proposals on the Citizens Research Council of Michigan website. More information is also available on the League of Women Voters vote411.org website.

Remember that you’ll be asked to show a photo ID to vote. If you don’t have one, poll workers will ask you to sign an affidavit in order to vote. Not sure where to vote? The Secretary of State’s website can help you to find your polling place.

Check back here throughout the day for briefs filed from the field, or add a comment with your own election day observations.

6:50 a.m. Ward 5, Precinct 2 (Bach School, 600 W. Jefferson St.): About 30 people have lined up down the hall waiting for the polls to open. A poll worker emerges from the cafeteria and says they’re nearly ready: “Hang in there!” A couple of people are reading paper copies of the New York Times, and several are texting or listening to their iPods. Dan Ezekiel, chair of the Ann Arbor greenbelt advisory commission, lives in the neighborhood and is in line – like a few others, he’s brought a mug of coffee from home. One guy wears a skunk hat. When asked about it, he says “If it’s making a statement, I can’t hear it.”

Outside in this heavily Democratic precinct, two distinctly Republican yard signs are placed at the corner of Fourth and Jefferson – “Fire Obama” and “Romney/Ryan” – but signs for Democratic candidates far outnumber those. The Jefferson Market & Cakery, across from the school, is taking a balanced approach. “Obama” and “Romney” cookies will be available by mid-morning. A woman walking by with her dog asks The Chronicle if a photo ID is required – she’s left hers at home. Anyone who doesn’t have a photo ID will be allowed to vote, but will be asked to sign an affidavit.

7:01 a.m. Ward 5, Precinct 4 & 5 (Slauson Middle School 1019 W. Washington) Four years ago the line of voters was at least 200 feet long at this point, stretched from the doors to the sidewalk. This year there’s no line. Steady stream of voters arriving, though. Some aren’t clear if they should be entering on the lower level or the upper level.

7:25 a.m. Ward 5, Precinct 1 (Ann Arbor District Library 343 S. Fifth Ave.) The basement room is crowded – maybe 50 people waiting in line or in the process of voting. A poll worker calls out: “Thank you for coming out to vote and thanks for your patience.” David Canter, the former head of Pfizer’s Ann Arbor campus who’s now executive director of the University of Michigan North Campus Research Complex (NCRC), is one of the early voters.

Three people are bundled up outside the library, passing out campaign lit. Margaret Parker, former chair of the Ann Arbor public art commission, is drumming up support for the public art millage. A couple approaches but they aren’t interested in voting – they’re looking for directions to the federal building. Two other campaign workers are there to pass out literature in support of state Proposal 6. They tell The Chronicle that they’re from Belleville, and are being paid hourly to sit the polls. They look cold and bored. No sign of people from campaigns supporting or opposed to the library bond proposal.

7:50 a.m. Ward 1, Precinct 3 (Community High School 401 N. Division) Soaking up the irony of nickname “Commie High” as a polling place in a democratic election. Folks in line talk about the long complicated ballot. One voter ventures that New Jersey’s ballot is worse than Michigan’s. Asked if it’s required that you vote on every question, precinct worker indicates that no, that’s not required: “Vote for what you know,” she says. There are 10 voting carrels here plus the AutoMark machine. Early rush is over.

With no line, one woman takes at total time of 17 minutes and 41 seconds to vote. Precinct worker listens to challengers from Democratic Party, who explain that their intent is not to challenge the right of people to vote, but rather to ensure that it’s a democratic process. Challengers offer to run errands “if you run short of supplies.” To me, this sounds like an offer to make a donut run. “Did anybody see a green coffee cup?” Cup is immediately located, but there’s minor disagreement about whether it’s green or blue. Small talk includes possibility of hanging chads – no, not here, because it’s done by optical scanning.

8:31 a.m. Ward 1, Precinct 4 (Community Center, 625 N. Main St.) Long wait to vote here – people are taking about an hour. Yolanda Whiten, director of the Ann Arbor Community Center, is trying to manage logistics by wrapping the line inside the building as much as possible, but at least a dozen people are in line outside. Whiten says that people inside are complaining that it’s hot and stuffy. Those outside are cold. On average, everybody is fine.

Through the windows of the building Sandi Smith and Linda Lombardini are in line, and use hand signals to indicate they’ve been in line for 30 minutes. Based on bicycles parked outside, seven people in line to vote arrived here on two wheels. Guy with sign hanging around his neck is supporting the Democratic ticket for Michigan Supreme Court. Exit polling being conducted by Edison Research. She says she’s supposed to ask every third person to fill out the form. The only race being queried is for U.S. President. Lots of questions on the survey about demographics and attitudes on the economy.

8:10 a.m. Ward 1, Precinct 10 (Arrowwood Hills Community Center 2566 Arrowwood Trl.) The center is full of voters, with a line that snakes outside around the building. There’s maybe a 30-45 minute wait for the 15 or so voting stations. Some people are browsing the sample ballots that are available. There’s a sign taped to a door that states “No kids in closet.” It appears this dictate is being followed. One man is with a small boy who’s wearing a Superman cape.

8:40 p.m. Ward 1, Precinct 5 & 6 (Northside School, 912 Barton Dr.) Outside, another Prop 6 hourly worker – they’ve been at all the polls so far. Also handing out campaign lit is local attorney David Cahill. He reports a long line for Precinct 5, but virtually no wait for Precinct 6 – and he’s right. Poll workers speculate that it might be because there are more students in Precinct 6, and they’re likely to vote later in the day. A mix of disgruntled and good-natured folks are in line for Precinct 5. One woman wonders if the precincts have been gerrymandered, to account for the huge difference in voter turnout. Wendy Rampson, the city’s planning manager, is working today as an electronic poll book specialist and stops to chat briefly before leaving to check another polling station.

A woman dressed as Rosie the Riveter votes in Precinct 6. Stopping in the school hallway, she strikes a pose: “Rosie got ‘er done!” In a small world moment, she introduces herself – Cindy Overmyer – and says she’s a Chronicle reader. Then she remembers another connection: She’s a Teeter Talk alum.

8:46 a.m. Ward 1, Precinct 1 & 2 and Ward 4, Precinct 1 (Michigan Union, 530 S. State St.) Campaign worker for Michigan Supreme Court candidate Bridget Mary McCormack is outside handing out literature. A sign inside – that’s likely relevant for some student voters in these precincts – advises that if you’ve renewed your driver’s license since the last time you voted, and your address on the license has changed, the voter file has been automatically updated with your correct voting location. A member of the League of Women Voters is wearing a T-shirt with the letters LWV stylized as the Superman logo.

9:25 a.m. Ward 1, Precinct 9 and Ward 2, Precinct 6 (Clague Middle School 2616 Nixon Rd.) Campaign workers are out in force here – there are even a couple of candidates: Democrat Adam Zemke, who’s running for state representative in District 55, and Republican Cindy Kallgren, running for U.S. Congress in the new District 12 against incumbent Democrat John Dingell. Campaign volunteers for Jim Fink and Carol Kuhnke joke that they’d be willing to have their picture taken together. The volunteer for Fink is wearing a retro campaign button from when Fink’s grandfather ran for judge decades ago. Kathy Griswold arrives – she’s treasurer for the Protect Our Libraries campaign, which opposes the library bond proposal. And there are a couple of volunteers from the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, who are doing surveys to see if people had difficulty voting. They’re also offering snacks.

Inside, there are long lines in the gym, but there’s room to fit everyone inside. Like Northside, there’s a big difference in turnout between the two precincts. And again, it’s attributed to student housing versus single-family homes.

9:42 a.m. Ward 2, Precinct 2 (Palmer Commons, 100 Washtenaw Ave.) Polling location is marked with usual signs plus chalk on sidewalk outside building. Canvassing well beyond the 100-foot line at this University of Michigan campus location are twins from Ann Arbor, who are both attending the University of Michigan, because neither one wanted to attend MSU. They’re handing out lit for Michigan Supreme Court candidate Bridget Mary McCormack and Washtenaw County 22nd circuit court judge candidate Carol Kuhnke.

An election inspector who’s worked the last three years at this location characterizes voting in the first 10 minutes today as exceeding the number of votes in all previous years combined. A young man inquires whether he can vote in person, using his absentee ballot. Yes, but this requires a call to the city clerk and some additional paperwork. This proves moot when it turns out that his absentee ballot is from Colorado. But he’s registered here, so he votes in person. Some folks who’ve already voted are lingering in a pod inside the room where the precinct is set up. They’re encouraged to head outside the polls by former city councilmember Joan Lowenstein, who’s working the polls.

Outside the voting room,  a  poll challenger with the Republican Party is on the phone with his state level organization. He’d been told by poll workers, who’ve consulted with the city attorney, that he can’t use the Romney ORCA app for his smartphone – which allows tracking of activity at the polls. The explanation he’s been given is that no electronic devices are allowed inside the polls. He’s asking for confirmation of that. On a related note, Verizon has poor coverage here and it was necessary to switch to the University of Michigan guest access wireless to file from this location.

10:10 a.m. Ward 2, Precinct 9 (Thurston School, 2300 Prairie St.) People are waiting about 30 minutes to vote here, but the line doesn’t go outside and is moving steadily. In a twist, it’s voters (in line), not poll workers who are reading books. Usually, the opposite is true during elections when far fewer voters turn out and poll workers fill their time reading, chatting, knitting and such.

One man exits, declaring: “I mostly voted for women!” Only one campaign worker is here handing out lit: for three women running for Michigan Supreme Court (Connie Kelley,  Sheila Johnson and Bridget McCormack), and one woman running for the 22nd Circuit Court (Carol Kuhnke).

10:35 a.m. Ward 2, Precinct 3 & 4 (Angell School, 1608 S. University) Outside the building a canvasser for Prop 6 has left his sign and gloves unattended – but he’s just on a short break and returns. An Organizing for America volunteer is circulating outside the polls looking up voter registration on her tablet and providing general informational assistance. Young woman arrives and wonders aloud, “I wonder if it matters if I’m actually registered or not.” (Answer: Yes, the precinct workers are trained to think that matters.) A different woman observes the shorter line and expresses relief – because she’d been here at 7:02 and the line was long enough that she wasn’t willing to wait. Precinct worker says it was all the way down the hall and out the door.

At this dual precinct location, the opening question is, “What precinct are you?” The most frequent answer is “I don’t know,” followed by “I have no idea.” One response: “Precinct?” One young man appears and asks if he can register now, or if you have to register “in advance.” He’s disappointed at the answer as he turns around and heads out the door. Two young women return to the polling place and ask if they can re-enter to obtain their “I voted!” stickers. They are allowed to collect the stickers. Bicyclist finishes voting – and his choice of footwear is wingtips.

10:50 a.m. Ward 2, Precinct 8 (St. Paul Lutheran School 495 Earhart Rd.) A shuttle bus is parked outside for residents of Glacier Hills retirement community. Inside, one woman is taken aback by the line – “I’ve never voted when anyone else has been here!” Poll workers are trying to expedite by explaining the ballot to people who are waiting to vote, clarifying how to vote a straight-party ticket and giving reminders that there are also nonpartisan elections and ballot questions. A man emerges from the room after voting and declares: “It wasn’t that bad!” Among the voters spotted this morning at this precinct include the ever-dapper Lester Monts, UM’s senior vice provost for academic affairs.

11:40 a.m. Ward 4, Precinct 4 & 8 (Pioneer High School, 601 W. Stadium Blvd.) Before leaving Angell School but after gear was packed, observed a voter looking at the precinct map for 2-4 and noting that it resembled George Washington’s head. Looking forward to future claims of 2-4 as most patriotic precinct.

Here at Pioneer High School, candidate for 22nd circuit court judge Jim Fink is handing out literature and engaged in long conversation with two young people. He’s running against Carol Kuhnke for the non-incumbent spot on the bench. In the incumbent race for 22nd circuit court judge, Tim Connors has a volunteer on site. His opponent Mike Woodyard has a three-sign configuration: two landscape-oriented signs flanking a vertical sign with a small American flag affixed to the top. That configuration has also been placed at most of the other precincts visited so far. Supreme Court candidate Bridget Mary McCormack’s giant sign is embellished with a precinct-specific hand-written note: “Pioneer Mom.” Volunteers are wrangling the sign because it keeps blowing over. The gym is full of people. Poll worker is on the phone with clerk’s office asking for more pens when additional voting booths are delivered later in the day.

12:22 p.m. Ward 5, Precinct 6 (Eberwhite School, 800 Soule Blvd.) Canvasser for Prop 3 (25/25 clean energy) is handing out lit and asks an approaching voter, “Can I give you one of these?” “No, I’ve already decided.” Canvasser reports that only one person has engaged him in opposition to the proposal – a self-identified Republican he spoke with for about 15 minutes. It’s quiet here now, with no line, though almost 500 people have voted so far. Poll worker small talk turns to whether anybody brought a book. One observes that it’s a nice neighborhood for a walk.

A ballot is mis-marked, and the voter is asked to fold it in half and place it in an envelope for spoiled ballots. On stage is a large cardboard castle with what looks to be a set for an upcoming theatrical production. Sign says: “The Grand Loch Ness.” In the corner of the gymnasium is Nessie – about eight feet tall, three horns, and lots of glitter. A young tyke who’s accompanying her parents laments her lack of access to the polls: “But I wanted to vote with you guys!” It turns out that an “I voted!” sticker can also work as a belly-button coverup.

1:10 p.m. Ward 4, Precinct 2 (Mary St. Polling Place 926 Mary St.) So far 271 voters have cast their ballots, and election inspector Tom Bletcher expects that number might double by the time the polls close at 8 p.m. If that happens, it would likely break the record number of votes cast here in 2008, he said.

This historic polling station – which houses a bird rescue operation on other days – is one of the city’s quirkiest places to vote, and today it lives up to that reputation. A handwritten sign on the door asks visitors to “please totally ignore” a black dog with a white tail, if they spot it. The stray has been eluding capture for over a year, though a home has been identified for it. There’s a cage next to the building with a bowl of food awaiting. Bletcher says the dog has appeared throughout the day, but there’s no sign of it now.

The only campaign volunteers in sight are working for the Michigan Supreme Court candidates Kelley, Johnson and McCormack – they bookend the sidewalks on either side of the polling station, just past the 100-foot marker. Aside from paid hourly workers handing out pro-Prop 6 lit, McCormack has the strongest showing of volunteers at the polls today.

2:05 p.m. Ward 3, Precinct 6 & 9 (Scarlett Middle School 3300 Lorraine St.) With about 60 people, the line for Precinct 6 is three times longer than the one for Precinct 9. A couple walks in and isn’t sure which precinct they live in. When they look at a map and discover it’s Precinct 6, the woman sighs – that’s the longer line. City planning manager Wendy Rampson is here helping out at Precinct 6. Outside, again the only people handing out campaign lit are for Prop 6 and McCormack & Co.

2:44 p.m. Ward 5, Precinct 8 (Lakewood School, 344 Gralake Ave.) Outside, the lone representative of a campaign is working on behalf of the Michigan Education Association in support of state Prop 2 (collective bargaining). Total numbers are light here – today and traditionally. Poll workers report that all has gone smoothly. One minor glitch with the electronic poll book was quickly resolved.

Standard poll worker instructions at this precinct for filling out the application includes admonishment to fill out the form completely –with “Ann Arbor” not A2, because while that’s fine for casual use locally, it’s not okay for federal elections. Also, “don’t vote for too many judges” is the chosen phrasing to encourage mindfulness about the number of candidates you can vote for in each race. City environmental coordinator Matt Naud appears – he’s here to vote.

Polling place here in the gym. Mascot on the wall is for the Lakewood Lizards. Two of four basketball rims are set at two feet lower than regulation. No one is yielding to any temptation to dunk.

2:30 p.m. Ward 3, Precinct 8 (Pittsfield School, 2543 Pittsfield Blvd.) Another long line winding through the halls of this elementary school. Sarah Prince, a former Ann Arbor News staffer, reports that she’s been waiting about 20 minutes. It takes her another five minutes to make it to the front of the line. People generally seem to be adhering to the school’s slogan, “Positively Pittsfield.”

2:54 p.m. Ward 4, Precinct 6 (Cobblestone Farm, 2781 Packard St.) Really busy here – looks like over 100 people. Voting takes place in the “barn,” and its unique configuration makes the line flow challenging. The upper level in the main room is used as a kind of staging area. Every few minutes a poll worker will shout “Five from upstairs!” and five people will come down to get in the main line. This strategy is effective in preventing the line from going outside into the cold. Reports are that it’s taking about an hour to get through. One woman says of the turnout: “I didn’t know this many people lived in my precinct.”

Outside behind the barn, the weekly Tuesday farmers market is setting up early – its normal hours are from 4-7 p.m. There are tons of campaign signs but no campaign workers in sight. However, a woman is enthusiastically handing out flyers for the market and telling potential customers that they can get a free tea latte from Hut-K Chaats. Other vendors include Darcy’s Carts, Berkshire Farms and Silvio’s Organic Pizza.

3:35 p.m. Ward 5, Precinct 10 (Abbot School, 2670 Sequoia Pkwy) On arrival at polling place, I met a Twitter follower in real life. The line, such as it is, is never more than two or three deep and people are moving through briskly. One voter has his ballot rejected by the machine. Diagnosis: “You over-voted!” Voter inspects his ballot and quickly identifies his mistake, where he voted for more candidates than allowed in one of the races. He’s sent back to the table where ballots are issued to formally spoil the ballot and get a new one.

Poll worker brings over a chair, as I am sitting on the floor. A slow wit, I miss the opportunity to inject Eastwoodian humor. The sign in the hallway notes that it’s the 50th anniversary year for Abbot Elementary School, first opened on Sept. 6, 1962. Hallway display includes what appears to be a class project: How to Eat Fried Worms.

4:15 p.m. Ward 5, Precinct 11 (Forsythe Middle School 1655 Newport Rd.) Before leaving Abbot, I encountered Jim Fink, again, who’s contesting the non-incumbent 22nd Circuit Court judge position against Carol Kuhnke. Exchanged standard who’s-stalking-who banter.

Here at Forsythe the line is about 45 people deep, including those who are filling out applications. Based on processing time for five people, it looks like they’re moving along at about 35 seconds per person. Good fodder for the next Municipal Math column. Poll workers are wrapping the line now so that it doesn’t go out the door. Long rows of chairs are set up – apparently in case the line gets longer, and based on bits and snatches of conversation it seems it was longer earlier in the day. Local musician Charlie Slick arrives to vote!

3:40 p.m. Ward 4, Precinct 5 (St. Clare Church/Temple Beth Emeth 2309 Packard St.) After the throngs at Cobblestone, it’s odd to enter a relatively empty room here. A poll worker reports that about 640 people have voted so far. There’s never been a really long line, but this afternoon people are coming in “dribs and drabs,” she said. It’s expected to pick up after 5 p.m., as people drop by after work.

Adjacent to the polling place, the small St. Frances of Assisi Chapel has an open door and a sign stating that prayers are welcome.

4:05 p.m. Ward 3, Precinct 3 (Tappan Middle School 2251 E. Stadium Blvd.) Nearly 950 people have voted here, and the line is about a 30-minute wait. Earlier in the day, I’m told it was as long as an hour and 45 minutes. My second encounter with a greenbelt advisory commission today – Liz Rother is waiting in line to vote. She’s holding a copy of “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” and points out that book’s author, Rebecca Skloot, will be speaking in Ann Arbor tomorrow night. [According to the event's website, that lecture has been cancelled due to illness, and will be rescheduled.]

Outside, local attorney Kurt Berggren is handing out lit for Carol Kuhnke and Bridget McCormack. As we’re talking, Dave DeVarti and Tim Colenback arrive – not to vote, but to see if the polling location needs additional voting booths. They’re joined by Yousef Rabhi, who’s running for Washtenaw County commissioner in District 8. Berggren makes the clearest sartorial statement of the group, decked out in maize corduroys, blue shoes, a Michigan jacket and a cap with the Schoolkids’ Records In Exile logo.

5:28 p.m.  Ward 1, Precinct 4 (Community Center, 625 N. Main St.) Circled back here at request of a reader to check on estimated wait times. The line is out the building up the walk to the street and wrapped up the hill. Counted 60+ people outside, plus whatever is inside wrapped through the hallways. Queries to those who are emerging from the polling place: “How long did it take you to vote?”Answers range between 1.5 and 2.0 hours. Among those who emerged was Kyle Poplin, editor of The Ann Magazine. Standing in line outside is local attorney Dennis Hayes. Although there was a problem with the electronic poll book earlier in the day, that’s been resolved. Paul Fulton, of the city of Ann Arbor’s IT department, is onsite. The electronic poll book is working, but the state’s limit of one poll book per precinct means that there’s just the one check-in point.

Right now there’s more than two hours of voting time left before the polls close at 8 p.m., but The Chronicle is packing it in until the polls close and results are available. We urge readers who haven’t already voted to get out and do so, and to check back with us later tonight or tomorrow morning for election results. The Washtenaw County clerk will be posting unofficial results online, from city council through the presidential race: Washtenaw County election results. For the local races, if we’re able to report any results straight from precincts, we’ll share what we know, when we know it.

The Chronicle could not survive without regular voluntary subscriptions to support our coverage of civics and government affairs. Click this link for details: Subscribe to The Chronicle. And if you’re already voting for us, please encourage your friends, neighbors and colleagues to help support The Chronicle, too!

The permanent parking sign in front of Ann Arbor’s Mary Street polling station – for voters in Ward 4, Precinct 2 – reflects the building’s long-time use on election days.

This year, Ann Arbor city council seats have contested Democratic primaries in four of the five wards – but in Ward 3, incumbent Christopher Taylor is unopposed. There are no contested Republican primaries.

The four-way non-partisan race for 22nd circuit court judge is also on the ballot, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the November election.

Some Ann Arbor residents also get to vote in a contested Democratic primary for Washtenaw County commissioner in District 7, as well as for the county’s water resources commissioner.

For all of you procrastinators who are still researching the candidates, here’s a link to Chronicle coverage of the local races for Ann Arbor city council, District 7 county commissioner, county water resources commissioner, and 22nd circuit court judge.

Not sure where to vote? To find your polling place and view a sample ballot for your precinct, visit the Secretary of State’s website.

Check back here throughout the day for briefs filed from the field, or add a comment with your own election day observations.

7:10 a.m. Ward 5, Precinct 2 (Bach School, 600 W. Jefferson St.): I am voter number 2. Campaign reps are not yet in place when I enter, but on exiting a group of three is standing at the 100-foot limit with their candidate’s lit. Alex is encouraging people to vote for Carol Kuhnke for 22nd circuit court judge, and Steph is ready to hand people a brochure for Erane Washington, also for 22nd circuit court judge. John Katarski, an Ann Arbor public art commissioner, is campaigning for Ward 5 council candidate Chuck Warpehoski.

As we chat, Evan Pratt arrives and leaves after planting his campaign yard sign with the others that are already there. Pratt is running for water resources commissioner. Former planning commissioner Erica Briggs rolls up on her bicycle headed towards the polls.

7:25 a.m. Ward 1, Precincts 5-6 (Northside School, 912 Barton Drive): Carol Kuhnke, candidate for 22nd circuit court judge, comes out of the school after voting. She shows me a photo on her iPhone of her completed ballot – yes, she voted for herself. Phillis Engelbert, co-owner of the Lunch Room at Mark’s Carts, is here too – her son attended this school. The Lunch Room is running an election day special: Wear your “I Voted” sticker and get a free cookie. “We’d be happy to give away a lot of cookies,” she says. Inside, about 20 voters have passed through so far. There’s some discussion among poll workers about bathrooms – a moment of panic upon discovery that the staff bathroom was locked. Smaller kid-sized toilets will have to suffice.

8:10 a.m. Ward 1, Precinct 9 and Ward 2, Precinct 6 (Clague Middle School, 2616 Nixon Rd.): Mike Woodyard, a candidate for 22nd circuit court, is greeting folks in the parking lot after they voted. He’s not on the ballot until November, but is laying the groundwork for that election against incumbent Tim Connors. There are six other candidate reps handing out literature for Evan Pratt, John Dingell, Andy LaBarre, Christina Montague and Erane Washington. The volunteer for Pratt’s campaign is also giving out  candy.

Inside the school gym, poll workers for each precinct report about 18 voters have come through so far. The main issue has been spoiled ballots – you can vote for either Democrat or Republican candidates, not both. Several people have had to vote again after their first ballots were rejected by the scanner.

8:35 a.m. Ward 2, Precinct 9 (Thurston School, 2300 Prairie St.): It’s been slow – about 20 voters in the first 90 minutes. Poll workers are happy that this year they’re set up in an air-conditioned computer lab. The 2011 August primary was located in the school’s multi-purpose room with no AC, and it was stifling.

8:53 a.m. Ward 1, Precinct 8 (Skyline High School, 2552 N. Maple Rd.): “Is it time for lunch, yet?” asks one poll worker. It is not. They’re on voter number 28. Outside, the Skyline football coach instructs players that when they come inside from practice for snacks, they should use doors on the side so as not to conflict with activity at the polls. Campaigns for Carol Kuhnke and Doug McClure for judge are represented in person. Dan Smith’s sign for county commissioner draws from a color palette that’s unlike most of the other signs – light orange and black. It’s agreed they “stand out.”

It’s slow enough going inside that poll workers are now processing absentee voter ballots. Precinct delegates are on the ballot for this election, so all the ballots get processed at the precinct level. There won’t be any separate absent voter count boards that cut across entire wards.

9 a.m. Ward 2, Precinct 7 (King School, 3800 Waldenwood Lane): Three dozen people have voted. Poll workers have started counting the 185 or so absentee ballots from their precinct. One worker thought there would be closer to 300 – could be a sign of a lower-than-normal turnout. A voter’s ballot is rejected – turns out he voted for two 22nd circuit court candidates, not just one, as the ballot indicates. There’s some confusion about that, as the top two vote-getters in that four-way race will advance to the Nov. 6 election. But you can only vote for one of them.

9:18 a.m. Ward 5, Precinct 10 (Abbot School, 2670 Sequoia Parkway): Joel Batterman outside campaigning for Chuck Warpehoski for Ward 5 city council. First two people approaching the building were not there to vote – as one was an employee at the school. The other woman, with a kid, responds to Batterman’s query about whether she’s voting elsewhere – by saying she’s not even sure what’s on the ballot.

9:35 a.m. Ward 3, Precincts 6 and 9 (Scarlett Middle School, 3300 Lorraine St.): Andy LaBarre, a candidate for District 7 county commissioner, is outside this Ward 3 polling station in his campaign’s distinctive green T-shirt. However, he’s somewhat upstaged by a representative of his opponent, Christina Montague, who is holding a cute baby girl. Inside, about three dozen people have voted at Precinct 9, but only two dozen at Precinct 6, which is set up across the gym. Despite fewer votes, one Precinct 6 poll worker jokes that “we’re more charming.”

A mother is voting with her two kids, and explains each step in the process. She is initially uncertain which precinct she lives in – a poll worker tells her it’s best to keep that information in mind before the Nov. 6 election, when it will likely be much busier because of the presidential race.

10:23 a.m. Ward 5, Precinct 4 and 5 (Slauson Middle School, 1019 W. Washington St.): Outside, a young woman campaigning for Carol Kuhnke reflects on her Kuhnke for Judge T-shirt and her intention to vote later. She’ll need to cover up the campaign message before entering the polling place. Wonders if it would suffice to turn it inside out.

Inside Jim Rees has just voted. He notes that he attended Slauson as a kid. The school still has the same bike racks as when he attended. A voter remarks to a poll worker that he’s glad election day is here – because he can now get the campaign signs out of the yard.

Poll workers engage in some “pro-active education” for voters who are receiving their ballots.

10:40 a.m. Ward 3, Precincts 4 and 7 (Allen School, 2560 Towner Blvd.): The only campaign volunteer on site is a rep  for Christina Montague, who exuberantly states that she hoped this would reflect the election outcome. A few minutes later volunteers for Andy LaBarre – including his wife Megan – return from a bathroom break. LaBarre and Montague are competing in the Democratic primary for District 7 county commissioner. It’s the only primary being contested for the county board.

Inside the school, Precinct 7 reports 61 voters so far, compared to 47 in Precinct 4. Peter Schermerhorn, a former Green Party candidate, is Precinct 7 chair and recalls a more dramatic primary in 2010, when he was at Scarlett Middle School during a tornado warning. To his surprise, he learned that there are no emergency shelters in the schools. The weather outlook today is considerably calmer.

10:57 a.m. Ward 5, Precinct 11 (Forsythe Middle School, 1655 Newport Rd.): Adam Zemke outside campaigning. He’s running for the Democratic nomination for 55th District state representative, along with Andrea Brown-Harrison. Voter departs precinct by telling poll worker: “Thanks for all the good work you folks do.” Spoiled ballots are a theme here, as in other precincts, as voters inadvertently try to vote both sides of the ballot. Procedure for spoiling ballot includes folding the ballot in half and inserting it into an envelope. They’re on voter 144. The observation “It’s a perfect square!” gets a laugh – so this is an easy crowd.

Poll worker notes that people seem more comfortable this time around getting their driver’s license scanned as a part of the electronic poll book record-keeping process. He was part of the pilot for the spring election, where EPBs were used in a limited number of precincts.

11:51 Ward 1, Precinct 4 (Community Center, 625 N. Main St.): Poll worker reading a book called “Leaky Boots” to pass the time. They’re on voter 42. Noon-time rush is not materializing. After five minutes of dead silence, no voters in the polling place, a voter arrives. Stop watch started. Thoughts: What if voting were an Olympic event? How would it be scored? Butterfly ballot, butterfly stroke. Four minutes 12 seconds measured from arrival at the door to crossing threshold on the way out. If she had not paused to peel the back off the “I voted” sticker and throw it away, she could have gone under four minutes. Not sure if that’d be a ward record.

12:45 p.m. Ward 4, Precincts 4 and 8 (Pioneer High School, 601 W. Stadium Blvd.): Daniel Marcin, a Democrat who’s challenging incumbent John Dingell for the District 12 U.S. House of Representatives seat, is one of only two people handing out campaign literature outside of Pioneer. The other is Margaret Connors, wife of incumbent 22nd circuit court judge Tim Connors – though he’s not on the ballot until Nov. 6. Margaret Connors, shading herself from the sun with a colorful umbrella, is supporting Carol Kuhnke in the other four-way judicial race for 22nd circuit court.

Signs point to the polling station for two Ward 4 precincts, located inside Pioneer’s BIG gym. In Precinct 4, 95 votes have been cast, compared to 45 in Precinct 8. It’s slow.

Outside, Marcin notes that he has replanted a Dingell sign that had fallen over, and Connors had done the same with a sign for Doug McClure, one of the candidates running against Kuhnke. There are no sign shenanigans here.

1:06 p.m. Ward 2, Precincts 3 and 4 (Angell School, 1608 S. University Ave.): Ward 2 city council candidate Sally Petersen and District 7 Washtenaw County commissioner candidate Andy LaBarre are chatting outside the polls as I roll up. Petersen is running against Tony Derezinski and LaBarre is running against Christina Montague. All are Democrats. Rebekah Warren is also here. She represents the 18th District in the Michigan Senate (which includes Ann Arbor) and does not need to run for re-election this year – so she’s here to help support LaBarre. Warren and Petersen introduce themselves to each other. Warren is married to Conan Smith, who is chair of the county board of commissioners but is not challenged in the Democratic primary.

Conversation turns to sports – lacrosse, marathoning … ice hockey. Petersen didn’t include college ice hockey in her campaign bio, but could have.

1:10 p.m. Ward 4, Precinct 9 (Lawton School, 2550 S. Seventh St.): One lone candidate rep is here – a volunteer for Carol Kuhnke’s campaign, standing in a patch of shade near the street. There have been 96 voters, not counting absentee ballots. A steady stream, but no lunchtime rush.

Carl Ent arrives. The former city police chief, who now works for the Bank of Ann Arbor, has no one ahead of him in line and dispatches with his civic duty quickly.

2:05 p.m. Ward 4, Precinct 7 and Ward 5, Precinct 7 (Dicken School, 2135 Runnymede Blvd.): There’s a significant size difference between these two precincts – which fall in different wards – and that’s reflected in the number of votes cast so far: 29 for Ward 5, and 184 for Ward 4, not including absentee ballots. One poll worker is knitting a lovely purple scarf.

Almost universally, poll workers are geeked about the new computerized poll books. One jokingly strokes the laptop and says: “We love the new box.” He then describes working the polls 30 years ago, when the large metal voting booths – with the curtains and analog levers – would have to be rolled in. One time a booth rolled over his foot and broke two toes, he recalls, so “I was glad to see those things scrapped.”

There’s a mini-rush of four voters. It’s their first encounter with the new system, which scans your driver’s license to pull up your voter information. While it’s way more efficient for poll workers, one voter offers a different view: “It’s a little creepy.”

This is the only polling station I’ve visited today where there were no volunteers from any campaigns handing out literature.

5:05 p.m. Ward 5, Precinct 2 (Bach School, 600 W. Jefferson St.): Artist David Zinn is outside the school talking to the only campaign worker in sight – Bryan Weinert, the city’s former solid waste coordinator who’s handing out literature for Chuck Warpehoski. Soon another former city staffer walks up: Betsy Lindsley, retired executive director of the Ann Arbor Housing Commission, who’s precinct chair here. She’s back from a dinner break, with a bag from McDonald’s.

Inside, they’ve topped 200 voters, with 213 tabulated and another five or so waiting to vote.

5:30 p.m. Ward 5, Precinct 6 (Eberwhite School, 800 Soule Blvd.): Of the roughly 1,500 registered voters in this precinct, 215 people have voted so far – that includes some of the absentee ballots. A poll worker expects whatever rush they might get to happen between 6-7 p.m.

Outside, there are no campaign workers but plenty of signs, including some for Republican races – Stuart Berry, who’s running unopposed in the Ward 5 city council primary, and for the two Republican candidates in the primary for District 12 U.S. Representative: Cynthia Kallgren and Karen Jacobsen.

5:50 p.m. Ward 5, Precinct 1 (Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave.): This precinct hasn’t topped 50 voters yet. With just over two hours left until the polls close, they’re at 47 votes, out of the nearly 1,300 registered voters in this precinct. Fred Beal of JC Beal Construction is on his way out, while a few minutes later sports columnist and raconteur John U. Bacon arrives. Only one of them was wearing a tie.

This precinct has the most distinctive display of the American flag, in two ways. Because they can’t affix it to the walls here in the library’s lower level, it’s draped artfully over a chair and placed under a light that acts as a spotlight behind the voting booths. The second visible flag is worn on the T-shirt of one of the poll workers – instead of stars, this flag is spangled with small corporate logos.

6:05 p.m. Ward 4, Precinct 2 (Mary St. Polling Place, 926 Mary St.): We wrap up this poll crawl with the city’s most distinctive polling station, featured in the photo at the beginning of this report. We’re greeted by poll workers who said they’ve been waiting all day for the two reporters who’ve visited them previously: from Al Jazeera and The Chronicle. It looks like The Chronicle will be the only repeat visitor.

Only 16 voters have walked through the door of this small ivy-covered building, which normally houses the Bird Center of Washtenaw. That alternative use had been highlighted earlier in the day, when FedEx delivered three large boxes of worms.

About an hour of voting time remain until the polls close at 8 p.m., but The Chronicle is packing it in until results start rolling in. We urge readers who haven’t already voted to get out and do so, and to check back with us later tonight for information on election outcomes. They’ll be published initially in the Civic News Ticker section of the website.

The Chronicle relies in part on regular voluntary subscriptions to support our coverage of elections to various public bodies. Click this link for details: Subscribe to The Chronicle. And if you’re already supporting us, please encourage your friends, neighbors and colleagues to help support The Chronicle, too!

The general election on Tuesday, Nov. 2 comes after eight games have been played on a 12-game schedule for the University of Michigan football team. The guys in the winged helmets are currently sitting at 5-3, which is better than the 2-7 record they’d achieved at the same point during their 2008 campaign.

The top end of a voting machine tape from Ward 1, Precinct 5 from the Aug. 3, 2010 primary.

For me, the 2008 general election – and because I am quick to generalize, all elections – will always be linked to UM football. They’re linked in the form of Jonas Mouton, a linebacker I met in the course of my election day travels in 2008. Mouton was nearly denied the franchise when he tried to vote at the Pioneer High School precinct, but was finally able to cast his ballot.

Elections are, of course, not one bit like a football game, let alone a football season – that’s purely a writerly ploy to set up some kind of thematic backdrop against which I can ask readers a favor: We’re asking for help in collecting precinct-level election results on Tuesday night.

Otherwise put, on Tuesday evening, we’d like to ask that you play for The Chronicle’s team. To quote legendary UM coach Bo Schembechler, when we collect the precinct level results, “we’re gonna play together as a team. We’re gonna believe in each other, we’re not gonna criticize each other, we’re not gonna talk about each other, we’re gonna encourage each other.”

Veteran consumers of local online information know that election results for all the precincts in Washtenaw County will eventually be available on the county clerk’s website. As results are filed with the clerk, election staff upload them incrementally. With polls closing at 8 p.m., and poll closing procedures taking roughly 30-60 minutes to complete, the first results typically begin to appear on the clerk’s website towards 10 p.m. and are generally uploaded for the entire county sometime in the early morning hours, if not sooner. That’s pretty quick, actually.

But it’s not Denard Robinson quick.

So The Chronicle is making publicly accessible a Google spreadsheet with city of Ann Arbor election results that will contain data that’s available directly from the precinct polling places. Results should start to trickle into that spreadsheet around 8:30 p.m. and could be completed by 9 p.m. or so.

We experimented with this approach back during the Aug. 3 primary – a kind of non-conference game warm up – and what we learned is that it would be helpful to have more people on our team. If you’d like to help – by gaining editing access to the spreadsheet, or by texting, Tweeting, or calling in results to us – shoot us an email: dave.askins@annarborchronicle.com.

For readers who are willing to play on our team, but are daunted because they don’t know how to run any of our plays, I’ve put together a short election eve playbook.

Paper Tape

The optical scanning voting machines generate a paper tape with all the tabulated results from the paper ballots it scanned during the day. It’s similar in appearance to a cash-register receipt. This is what you’re waiting for.

Note that the poll workers generate the paper tape from the voting machines as one of the later steps in the regimented process for closing down the polling location. They generate two tapes as a part of their prescribed procedure, and then generate an additional tape, which they’ll affix to the wall outside the entrance to the polling place for public viewing. If a poll worker drops one of the paper tapes, do not yell “FUMBLE!” and start a scrum for it. That’s a personal foul and is penalized from the spot of the infraction with 15 yards and a loss of down.

Procedures

Be respectful of the fact that poll workers have already worked a long and tedious day. Don’t crowd them – that’s a 5-yard penalty for being off-sides. If they ask why you’re there, tell them, and ask where you can park yourself so that you are out of their way. Don’t try to chit chat with them. You’re not allowed to help them. Just sit on the bench and be patient.

Preferred Data

The ballot contains over a hundred different data points. If you volunteer to play on The Chronicle’s team, are we really expecting you to report every piece of data on the paper tape? No. Some of you will choose to do that. Others will choose to report just some of the races – those you have time for, or those you think are the most interesting. We’re not going to yell at you and make you do punishment push-ups for not reporting exhaustively. As Bo said, “we’re not gonna criticize each other, we’re not gonna talk about each other, we’re gonna encourage each other.”

Preferred Data Entry Method

It’s less work for The Chronicle if you opt to accept access to the spreadsheet and enter the results directly into the sheet. But some of you might want to just head over to the polls and send us a text message or an email with a result or two. That’s fine – a touchdown drive is sometimes made up of 3- and 4-yard runs.

Preferred Precinct

The most natural precinct to choose would be your usual voting location. If we hear from several people who are covering a particular precinct, though, we might suggest a different one that’s still close to your neighborhood. But if multiple people wind up collecting results from the tape at a single polling location, guess what we’d like you to do?

That’s right. Work together to double- or triple-team the paper tape. That way it’ll go faster for everyone.

Go team.

In Ward 5, the two candidates are Mike Anglin and Scott Rosencrans. In Ward 3, there’s a three-way race between Leigh Greden, LuAnne Bullington, and Stephen Kunselman.

The two wards combined comprise 20 precincts. In the 13 hours between 7 a.m. when the polls open and 8 p.m. when they close, The Chronicle aims to visit the polling locations for all 20 precincts. We’re pretty sure that we’ll run into some Chronicle readers along the way – we figure the sort of people who’ll read 5,000 words about a city council meeting will also find their way to the poll on election day.

See you soon.

And track our progress after the break.

7 a.m. Ward 5. Lakewood Elementary. A dozen Rosencrans signs line Gralake on the approach into the school. First Anglin signs appear at the polling place. But this is Rosencrans’ backyard. Two fans are blowing in the gymnasium. Staffing the polls [Note: By "staffing" we meant handing out literature outside the 100-foot boundary as prescribed by the election law, not acting as a poll worker. Apologies for any confusion.], dressed tip to toe in green to match Rosencrans campaign literature and signs, is Helen Bunch. That’s Scott’s wife. She’s expecting it to be a close race. I don’t disagree. One in-person voter in the first 20 minutes.

7:33 a.m. Ward 5. Dicken Elementary. Lost in the neighborhood, I ask for directions from a morning walker, who advises that I can follow the sound of construction. New sidewalk forms getting built outside the school. Meg, who is wearing a Rosencrans T-shirt, reports that nobody has showed up to vote in person. She’ll be there until 9 a.m., though.

7:52 a.m. Ward 5. Bach Elementary. A few more Mike Anglin signs than in the western part of the ward. Scott Rosencrans is standing on the corner across the street from the polling place. He reports that there’s a household with both Anglin and Rosencrans signs at Felch & Spring. On expressing my hope that we would escape the possible thunderstorms, he replied, “Oh, it’s not going to rain.”

9:56 a.m. Ward 5. Ann Arbor District Library. First non-school polling place. No mascots like the Lakewood Lizard painted on the Lakewood Elmentary gym.

So far three in-person voters. Polling place has a sign designating its public area, which saves the question of poll workers: “Where is your public area for observation?” Press are not to otherwise engage poll workers during their work. Poll workers have all brought books to read. It’s a library, after all. One poll worker needs to leave before his assigned shift to attend to an urgent matter. One of the three remaining say to the departing colleague: “I doubt if we’ll get an avalanche, and I’ll be ready even if we do.”

The art on the walls is from the 7th Annual Teen Graffiti Art Contest. Exhibit goes through Aug. 30. Poll worker expresses preference for the piece with a dragon. They’re spray-painted on what appears to be plywood.

10:39 a.m. Ward 3. Pittsfield Elementary School. Live voters! One gentleman just finished. Another woman with child plus baby in stroller! Pittsfield Boulevard leading to the school is devoid of signage except for one Greden sign. Packard had one Kunselman sign. Wow! Another in-person voter arrives. Poll worker advises voter, there’s just the one race, just choose one name of the three. There’s an American flag hung on the gym wall vertically with the blue field oriented in the upper right corner. Recollections from my Boy Scout days tell me that’s wrong. It should be upper left.

11:33 a.m. Ward 3. University Townhouses Center. Signs at entrance off Ellsworth for everyone: Bullington, Greden, Kunselman. Witnessed 15th in-person voter of the day arriving. She begins interaction with poll workers with, “I suppose you’d like to see my driver license.” Yes, voters are now asked to produce ID. Forgot to mention previously that the border crossing from Ward 5 to Ward 3 went smooth. Before leaving Pittsflield Elementary I got some background on the co-op housing there from an arriving voter.

A report out of Ward 5, Bach School from someone who voted there suggests that issues with new paper used for the ballots has resulted in some difficulty feeding the ballot into the voting machine – sometimes you have to put it in upside down.

At University Townhouses Center, a poll worker discovers that the start of a lunch break has been missed for a colleague. The colleague is not disappointed to go to lunch.

12:08 p.m. Ward 3. Scarlett Middle School. School lobby has sign admonishing that scotch tape shouldn’t be used on the columns … sign itself affixed with such tape. No live voters here. Polling place is the cafeteria. Round tables with round seats are folded in half, pushed over to the side. Voter arrives. Time from filling out application to leaving polling place: 3:51. Another voter arrives. It’s a waiter from a restaurant I sometimes frequent.

12:41 p.m. Ward 3. Allen School. Poll worker declares they’ve had 118 voters so far. I’m not sure if that includes absentees. Four live voters arrive. Now five. One of the poll workers I recognize from the health care forum I attended at the library last Thursday. Holy cow, there’s a line now as another voter arrives. There’s two precincts combined at this polling place. “This is the longest line we’ve had. It’s been really steady, though, all day long.” Did not observe any difficulties with the machine accepting the paper ballots.

1:05 p.m. Ward 3. Tappan Middle School. 114 plus 60 absentee voters so far, reports a poll worker to the person who is probably number 115. The public area here at Tappan is in the bleachers of what seems to be the wrestling room. Is there middle school wrestling? A guy who’s working on the school building cleaning and maintenance said he’s doing this for the summer; he’s a school bus driver during the year. A car alarm goes off outside. How can anyone concentrate on voting with all this racket?

1:33 p.m. Ward 3. South Quad. Lots of people with nametags with place names like Chicago and San Francisco. They’re not voting. Could be a connection to UM parent orientation signs. Poll workers discuss feeding absentee ballots into the voting machine and various techniques for getting them to flatten out. One of them stresses that it takes two people to process them, one from each party. Election inspectors – that is, poll workers – must declare a party affiliation and everything has to be balanced.

With that, Ward 3 is done. Pretty soon the captain will come over the loudspeaker and advise as to how to fill out the customs declaration form for re-entry into Ward 5. I think everything I’ve done over here is duty free.

3:05 p.m. Ward 5. Eberwhite Elementary. Lots of construction around the school. Sidewalk repairs and whatnot. Ann Arbor Public Schools seems to have a capital maintenance program running up til the opening of school session. Voter appears. Knows the poll workers by name. There’s some kidding about the drivers license, but he produces it. Based on the precinct map on the wall, the 5-6 actually crosses Seventh Street over along Hutchins Avenue. I would have guessed that Hutchins north of Pauline voted at Bach Elementary. Nope. Another voter shows up – 110 so far, counting absentees, the poll worker says to the voter. “Sticker?” Answer: “Sure, why not.” It’s not news that the stickers say, “I voted.”

3:44 p.m. Ward 5. Slauson Middle School. “We’ve had over 200 people come in.” Poll worker reflecting on the change in the voting age from 21 to 18 years back in 1971. Offers the opinion that voting in person is important as a public act and that it’s an occasion for people to come together.

4:20 p.m. Ward 5. Forsythe Middle School. Poll worker tells arriving voter that 202 have voted so far. Poll workers discussing where to order pizza from for later. Three voters arrive. Pizza vote is postponed. Voter arrives, wondering if he’s in the right place. Riverwood subdivision – where should he vote? Out of earshot discussion. He leaves. Not sure what the verdict was.

4:41 p.m. Ward 5. Second Baptist Church. Poll worker tells voter there have been 62 actual bodies with 35 absentees. Voter: “I had to flip a coin.” Response from poll worker: “At least you had a coin to flip.” One frustrated voter arrives reporting that he initially went to Mack School.

5:03 p.m. Ward 5. Abbot Elementary. Two voters arrive and joke, “Is this the line?” Poll worker reports that longest “line” of the day has been four people.

5:41 p.m. Ward 5. Haisley Elementary. Rosencrans T-shirted young women who attend Rudolf Steiner handing out literature in front of the school. They say a lot of people indicate they’ve already made up their mind. Total voted to date here is 195. People have been coming in to vote about one every five minutes since I arrived.

This ends the tour of polling places for Ward 3 and Ward 5.