Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich. By Romain Blanquart, Detroit Free Press Enlarge AP Former Mich. Rep. Martha Scott, left, and Mich. Sen. Mary Waters, right, are challenging U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., in the August Democratic primary for her U.S. House seat. Kilpatrick is the mother of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, embroiled in a scandal over steamy text messages he reportedly exchanged with a former aide. DETROIT (AP)  Primary voters across Michigan on Tuesday were weighing ballot possibilities that included congressional contests, judicial races and local measures such as a special tax to pay for operations at the Detroit Zoo. But a Detroit-area congressional race was the most prominent contest in the statewide primary. Incumbent Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick was locked in a tight race against former state Rep. Mary Waters and state Sen. Martha Scott. Kilpatrick, chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, was fighting harder to retain the seat she easily has won in past elections in the aftermath of perjury and other felony charges against her son, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. The contested election divided voters at Kilpatrick's polling station Tuesday morning. It was among the key races for Willie Mitchell, a 59-year-old painter. Although he said Kwame Kilpatrick "messed up," Mitchell said the mayor's mother deserved his support. "She's the most qualified — she has brought money back to the state," Mitchell said. "Critics don't know her track record. If they understand the power she has in Congress, they'd put (the mayoral scandal) aside." Vanita Johnson was in a less conciliatory mood as she walked out of the polling station. She said the mayor's legal troubles led her to cast a vote for Waters. "I'm tired of the current administration — I'm ready for a change," said the 42-year-old public safety officer for the Detroit Public Schools. "I know she personally didn't do it, but I believe she had a lot more influence over her son than you or me would." Both Mitchell and Johnson agreed on supporting the Detroit Zoo tax, which would generate an extra $15 million annually for the zoo from taxpayers in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. The proposed 0.1-mill tax would add about $10 a year for the next decade to the property taxes on a home with a taxable value of $100,000. Statewide, 44 of the House's 110 seats were open because of incumbent lawmakers facing term limits. The Michigan secretary of state's office expected fewer than one in five registered voters to cast ballots. The National Weather Service said there was a chance of thunderstorms across most of the eastern half of lower Michigan and the eastern Upper Peninsula. Partly cloudy skies were likely in the central and western portions of both peninsulas. Mitchell said he was disappointed so many voters, particularly young men, stay away from the polls. He recalled the civil rights struggles of the 1960s that made it easier for blacks to vote. As he spoke, he gestured to nearby Rosa Parks Boulevard, the site of riots in 1967 riots, when it was known as 12th Street. Dozens of homes and businesses were destroyed, more than 1,000 people were injured and 43 people died. "People lost their lives in order for me to come out and vote," he said. "We have to stand up." Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more