Precinct 12 at the MSU Union has seen a small but consistent voter turnout.  

“It’s just been steady, we’re at about 90, so there are almost always one or two people in and that’s how it’s been going all day,” precinct captain Cathy Scott said.

Scott said that in a different world then the one we live in today, probably. Since the precinct tends to be pretty packed during presidential elections, however, that isn’t how it’s looking right now.

Precinct 2, located at Martin Luther Chapel, has seen a steady turnout since the morning. Precinct captain Sam Underwood said that it’s a beautiful day outside so people are getting out and voting. 

He believes that an outstanding amount of people have already voted by absentee ballot.

“When you realize that we’ve already got 60% of the people have voted, we’re pretty close to being, I don’t want to say done because we still have the afternoon crowd, so there’s no lines.” 

Underwood said he noticed there were, oddly, a greater number of poll watchers, challengers and media present than there were in previous years.

"Way too many people here, way too many election challengers and people just coming to watch, just to see what’s going on,” Underwood said. “And we had some people from Washington D.C. come and watch the process and it was, it's been real odd.” 

Poll challengers from the Michigan Democratic Party, David and Rebecca Cassell, said polling operations were running smoothly at the Martin Luther Chapel. 

“We’re here to try to help as many people vote as possible if we can, and just make sure that everything is being done right,” Rebecca Cassell said. “This is a well-oiled machine. We have not really had to step in. We’re being helpful where we can. But, yeah, from what we’re seeing everything is great.” 

David Cassell said the greatest struggle was with college students moving back-and-forth from their homes to campus, being reassigned precincts upon arriving back to East Lansing and not knowing it when coming to the polls. 

A poll challenger’s duty is to inspect the precinct and make sure the voting process is fair and accurate.

Carolyn Furney, a poll challenger from the Michigan Republican Party, said she was assigned to this precinct randomly to also make sure that everything was precise. 

In addition to poll challengers, David Cassell said there were also poll watchers, including a representative from the NAACP. 

The difference between poll watchers and poll challengers is that poll watchers cannot go behind the polling tables and see election materials, while poll challengers can. 

Other polling locations reported a steady flow of voters. Precinct 11 located in the East Lansing Hannah Community Center reported that about 205 voters had come through as of 3:15 p.m. Precinct 3, located at the same place, reported 220 voters as of 5:25 p.m.

“It's hard to predict anything in these times,” precinct 3 chair Margie Ring said. “Generally in this precinct, as we get closer to the closing of the polls, we get fairly slow, but I can't speak to what will happen.”

Edgewood Church, where voting Precinct 9 and 10 takes place, has seen 250 people coming in and out since 7 a.m. Similarly, Eastminster Presbyterian Church, which represents Precinct 6, has had 160 voters.

Shaarey Zedek Congregation, Precinct 5, has seen more voters, close to 300, and are expecting a lot more.

“I just texted the (Secretary of State) and they said they are expecting a rush later,” precinct No. 5 chair Teresa Bell said. “So we requested a few more items and supplies from them. I hadn’t actually expected a rush, but I guess we’re going to get one.”

State News reporters Wendy Guzman and Jack Falinski contributed to this report.

Precinct 15, located at IM West, was not available for comment at the time of publication.