FLINT, MI -- By mid-afternoon, City of Flint Clerk Inez Brown and staff were dropping off ballots as precincts across the city ran out.

Officials said they mostly had to supplement Democrat primary ballots.

"I have been clerk for the last 20 years, and this is the first time that this has ever happened," said Brown. "It's an unprecedented high turnout for a closed primary presidential election for the city of Flint."



Brown said staff members started heading out sometime in the afternoon delivering additional ballots to precincts -- especially at locations where multiple precincts were assigned, including Mott Community College, Cathedral of Faith Church, Grace Emanuel Baptist Church and Bethel United Methodist Church on North Ballenger Highway, where Patricia Sampson says she waited with other voters for Democrat ballots.



"If you wanted to vote Republican you could," Sampson said. "It was just the Democratic ballots."

Sampson said she eventually left but planned to head back to the precinct to cast her vote. Sampson was at Bethel around 4 p.m.



"I have voted at that precinct since 1995," said the 64-year-old Flint resident. "They have never run out of ballots. I vote every election."



Flint and Genesee County leaders say the city's water crisis is one reason there is an increase number of voters at the polls.



"We are faced with a water crisis, and people are voting more," Brown said.

"This is a historical turnout for the city of Flint. I would like to sincerely apologize to voters of the community if this has been an inconvenience. But I would also like to applaud the residents of Flint for coming out to vote."

Brown's office ordered the usual number of ballots for each precinct and this year fell short, she said. Precinct leads are instructed to call the clerk's office prior to running out of ballots, but the influx of voters caused some to fall behind.



Flint Mayor Karen Weaver, who has urged residents to participate more in politics, says she also applauds residents for turning out to vote.



"I happy that people are showing up to vote," said Weaver, who was out visiting various precincts including Bethel church.

"That's one of the things that we have been talking about. We've gotten a message out there. Our voices were not heard, and now people are becoming more involved. I'm glad people are feeling empowered and encouraged to come out in to vote."



Primary elections have typically resulted in low voter turnout, but County Clerk John Gleason said he predicted an increase in voters at the polls because of Flint's water crisis.



Gleason added that some of the city's outlying communities also ran out of ballots.

"The crowd normally hits from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.," Gleason said. "They started running out of ballots this afternoon. So they had two big crowds hit. The city of Flint has been in the national news for five months. People want to be heard. They are tired, and the city's water crisis is one reason they are showing up to vote."

Polls are open until 8 p.m. today.