DETROIT – All eyes are on the city of Detroit ahead of the Nov. 3 General Election.
Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey said things will be different this time around.
“What do we envision? Probably early Thursday morning (Nov. 5) for complete results for the city of Detroit,” said Winfrey.
Winfrey has been city clerk since 2005. She is working overtime this election and making changes after issues arose during August’s primary election.
“Our issues in August stemmed from the lack of poll workers that we were able to recruit from. As you know, Detroit was a (COVID-19) hotspot, and many of our poll workers, God bless them, didn’t make it through the pandemic, and then the folks that did weren’t interested in coming back,” said Winfrey.
The clerk is reassuring voters that their vote will count.
“At the end of the day, you have to trust the process. You have to relax. We’re all kind of anxious right now because of the times that we’re living in, but Detroit, you’ve got this,” she said.
Winfrey insists that she and her team are working around the clock. She is encouraging every Detroiter to do their part and cast their vote.
“This election, like every election is important, but this one in particular because we are living in uncertain times, because we have civil unrest all over the country, because we get mixed messages from the top. We have to vote in this election like your life depends on it, because it truly does,” said Winfrey.
She believes that she has done a “better than good” job in her years as city clerk.
“I say that for a number of reasons, and because I’ve given it my best,” said Winfrey.
Despite the backlash of slow returns and limited poll workers that Winfrey received in the past, and voters who may or may not have confidence in the city getting it right in this election, she promises to serve the public.
“I am a strong Black woman. I am determined to serve Detroit regardless of what you think of me, I am going to do my job and I am going to do it to the best of my ability," she said.
Winfrey said poll workers will have shifts on election day of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., then the second shift is from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m. the next morning.