Politics & Government

Farmington Area Voters Cast Their First Ballots

Caroline Schneemann and Marisa Brauer say they did their homework before voting on Tuesday.

Caroline Schneemann, 18, held a campaign sign for House District 37 candidate Bruce Lilley as she stood shivering with her sister, Genevieve, 16, near Farmington City Hall early Tuesday morning.

Caroline planned to cast her very first vote later in the day. The Farmington resident said she felt ready to fill in her ballot, after a long campaign season. She said she watched some of the debates and has listened to what everyone has had to say. 

"I tried to pay really close attention," she said. 

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When it comes to the House race, though, she has more direct knowledge about the candidate she supports. 

"Bruce Lilley is our neighbor," Caroline said. "I've grown up knowing him." 

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"We know he will be an amazing state representative," Genevieve added. 

Farmington Hills resident Marisa Brauer, 20, heard both major party positions in her own home before casting her first vote Tuesday.

"My dad is very Republican, and my mom is very Democrat," she said, adding she talked with both of them about their positions and then "did my own research on the ballot proposals and the candidates." 

A junior at Oakland University, Marisa said learning where every candidate stands wasn't easy, because of the volume of information available. 

"Being in a school environment, you get so many people on so many different sides," she said. "And you're also trying to figure out what, exactly, you stand for." 

Marisa described going to the polls as "pretty exhilarating".

"I felt like my vote counted," she said. "I felt like an American."


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