While about 24 percent of total registered Dearborn voters and about 20 percent in the state cast ballots, turnout was much lower among Arab Americans.

Dearborn – Despite the historical significance of the wide open 2008 presidential election, which includes a woman, a black man, a Mormon, a preacher, a war hero, an actor, a divorced, socially liberal conservative and at least three other eccentric characters among its candidates, Dearborn’s Arab American community did not show up at the polls in significant numbers for Tuesday’s Michigan primary.

Priscilla Parness, a precinct 16 election worker, said while waiting for voters in the nearly empty gymnasium of Woodworth Middle School, that cold weather, snow and a number of other reasons were probably to blame for low turnout overall.

She said the state’s primary being moved up to a date much earlier than in previous election years may have been a factor, along with “the fact that some of the candidates aren’t on the ballot – and the weather hasn’t helped.”

But while about 24 percent of total registered Dearborn voters and about 20 percent in the state cast ballots, turnout was much lower among Arab Americans.

In precincts one and two, or the McDonald Elementary School area, a district made up almost entirely of Arab Americans, less than nine percent of registered voters showed up at the polls, compared to up to 30 percent in some West Dearborn precincts, according to unofficial results from the city clerk’s office.

Kristyna Salamey, 22, a voter at precinct 15, said after voting that it was her third time participating in a primary election.

She said that in order for voices to be heard, people have to take part in primary, not just general elections.

“People don’t realize that it’s the primary that determines who they’re going to be voting for,” she said. Salamey voted “uncommitted” on the Democratic ballot, as a supporter of Sen. Barack Obama, who withdrew his name from the ballot because the timing of the primary violated national party rules. She said she heard on the radio about the “uncommitted” movement, meant to allow voters to show support for Obama and Sen. John Edwards.

“He’s different. He’s a new voice. A good image for the U.S. in general,” Salamey said about Obama. “Our country is changing and our presidents should change too.”

Forty percent of Michigan Democrats voted “uncommitted”  Tuesday.

Valentina Karanfili, 28, a precinct 16 voter, voted in a primary for the first time.

“You can’t complain later on if you don’t vote,” she said.

Karanfili cast her ballot in favor of Sen. Hillary Clinton, citing economy and foreign policy as her top issues.

“When you think of the [Bill] Clinton administration, they did a good job. It seemed to be a period when everyone did well,” she said.

Clinton received fifty-five percent of the Democratic vote statewide.

Precinct 15 voter Asya Obad, 27, also voted for Clinton.

“I want to see a change. It doesn’t have to be a male candidate. It can be a woman candidate,” she said.

She said she’s always made an effort to encourage people around her to vote, and was disappointed to see how few were at the polls.

“Someone even told me ‘it doesn’t matter,’ ” she said about her efforts to convince people to participate.

“Primaries are the ones that make a difference – and one vote can make a difference.”

Jesus Saenz, 21, a political science student at the University of Michigan-Dearborn who also voted at precinct 16, said he voted in part to help push the influence of Michigan, as opposed to Iowa and New Hampshire, in the nomination process.

“It was very crucial for Michigan to move the primary ahead. Michigan is a different type of state,” he said.

Saenz also voted for Clinton. He said he believes she has the strongest network and best resources among the candidates to be effective as president.

Monic Slim, an election supervisor for the city of Dearborn, said that though she isn’t herself Arab American, she was disappointed not to see as many signs written in Arabic reminding people to vote as she had seen throughout the city in past elections.

She said her elderly, Arab American mother-in-law voted only because those around her persuaded her to.

“If someone’s not there pushing her to vote, she’s not going to do it. They need to be motivated,” she said.

She said she wished a reminder to vote could be announced after calls to prayer from the minarets of local mosques to help get the word out.

“This is a primary presidential election. This should have been a top notch one. We get all in an uproar when we don’t get our guy in there. I wonder why,” she said.

Eighteen year-old first time voter Ahmed Fawaz got an enthusiastic hug from longtime precinct 16 election worker Helen Kushnir, happy to see any voter at all in the quiet Woodworth gym, and excited to see a first timer.

“We used to have badges for first time voters. Not anymore. I guess the city got cheap,” Kushnir said.

“More younger people should vote,” said Fawaz.

He said it would help stir up change.

He said he wanted to vote for Obama, but didn’t find his name on the ballot so he voted for Clinton. Rep. Dennis Kucinich received four percent of the vote from Democrats in Michigan and Sen. Mike Gravel received less than one percent. The two longshot candidates were the only ones to visit and reach out to the local Arab American community.

Gov. Mitt Romney received the most votes among Michigan Republicans with 39 percent. Sen. John McCain received 30 percent, Gov. Mike Huckabee 16 percent, Rep. Ron Paul six percent, Fred Thompson four percent, Mayor Rudy Giuliani three percent and Rep. Duncan Hunter received less than one percent. Two percent voted “uncommited.”