Updated 8:40 p.m.: Utica City Council Elected

Welcome to Shelby-Utica Patch's Election Day blog. We'll be updating this throughout the evening with pictures, videos and quick observations about Election Day 2011. If you have stories to share, please leave them in the comments below or email Editor Marina Cracchiolo at Marina.Cracchiolo@Patch.com. Thanks and Happy Election Day!

8:40 p.m.: Utica City Council seats filled. Five people ran for three open council seats. Faith Terenzi was the top vote-getter with 454 votes. In second, Barb Montag garnered 385 votes and Charles Cuddington came in third with 354 votes. Each council member will serve a four-year term.

Mayor Jacqueline Noonan was unopposed and will serve another two-year term.

MISD millage did not pass in Utica, with 360 people who opposed the millage and 338 voting in favor.

8:00 p.m.: Polls Close.

5:20 p.m.: VIDEO UPLOADED: Voters express their frustrations for general public's lack of participation in local elections.

4:00 p.m.: VIDEO UPLOADED: Utica City Council candidates greet voters outside Flickinger Elementary School.

1:20 p.m.: Patch catches up with Council Candidates and greeting voters outside Flickinger Elementary School.

1 p.m.: Shelby Clerk Terri Kowal says voter turnout has been pretty steady and she's hoping for 25 percent turnout. Kowal was at precinct 23 and 24 and said more than 220 people had already voted.

Noon: Utica Clerk Cathy McGrail tells Patch voter turnout has been very low so far, but she has a lot of absentee ballots to process.

11:50 a.m. Carrie Jackard Chairperson for precinct 23 and 24 said there are more than 4,000 people eligable to vote at the combined precints, but she's expecting a little more than 300 people to come out Tuesday.

11:00 a.m.: I voted at precinct 23 and 24 at Crissman Elementary School in Shelby Township. I was number 167. What number were you?

11:35 a.m.: Robert Valicevic, Jennifer's husband, told Patch he voted in favor of the MISD special education millage because it makes sense to him to help underprivileged children.

11:30 a.m.: Shelby Township woman votes for the first time ever after living in the U.S. for several years. Canadian-born Jennifer Valicevic told Patch she became a citizen a year ago so she can join her American husband and children in their right to vote. Valicevic said she's proud to vote in America, where she plans to spend the rest of her life. "We all have a voice and if we want to make changes we need to speak up and make our voices heard," she added.

7:00 a.m.: Polls open.