Michigan voters head to the polls on Tuesday, November 3, to choose a new governor, US senator, attorney general and secretary of state, with two statewide proposals and several local tax measures also on the ballot.
Polling stations will be open from 7am to 8pm local time. Anyone already in line by 8pm must be allowed to vote, according to the Michigan Department of State. ([michigan.gov](https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/voting/vote-on-election-day))
What Michigan voters need to know
Registered voters can cast their ballot at their assigned polling place. Voters should check their registration, polling location and sample ballot through the state’s Michigan Voter Information Centre before setting out.
People who are not registered, or who have moved and not updated their address, can still take part. They must go in person to their city or township clerk’s office with proof of residency, where they can register and vote until 8pm on Election Day. ([michigan.gov](https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/voting/vote-on-election-day))
Photo identification will be requested at the polling station, but voters without an ID can sign an affidavit and cast a ballot. Michigan does not require voters to possess photo identification in order to vote. ([michigan.gov](https://www.michigan.gov/sos/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/Elections/Toolkit/Posters-flyers/Elections_MIVotingGuide.pdf?utm_source=openai))
Absentee ballots must reach the voter’s local clerk by 8pm on Tuesday to be counted. With postal delivery no longer a reliable option so close to the deadline, voters are being advised to use an official drop box or deliver the ballot directly to their clerk’s office.
Detroit voters should note that absentee ballots cannot be fed into tabulators at polling stations. They must instead be returned to an official drop box or the local clerk’s office. ([michigan.gov](https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/voting/absentee-voting))
The key Michigan election contests
The governor’s race is open because Gretchen Whitmer has reached the state’s two-term limit. Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is running with state senator Winnie Brinks, while Republican congressman John James is standing alongside state representative Jay DeBoyer.
A James victory would make him Michigan’s first black governor. A Benson-Brinks win would create the state’s first all-female winning gubernatorial ticket and result in consecutive female governors for the first time in Michigan history.
The Senate contest pits Democrat Abdul El-Sayed against Republican Mike Rogers for the seat being vacated by retiring Democrat Gary Peters. The result could have national consequences, with Republicans seeking to protect their narrow Senate majority and Democrats attempting to regain control.
Rogers is a former congressman who spent 14 years in the US House. El-Sayed, a former Wayne County and Detroit health department director, previously ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2018 and has received backing from progressive figures including Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The attorney general’s race features Democrat Eli Savit and Republican Doug Lloyd. The post is open because incumbent Dana Nessel is term-limited.
For secretary of state, Democrat Garlin Gilchrist II is facing Republican Anthony G. Forlini. Benson is unable to seek another term in the role because she is running for governor.
Proposals and local questions
Proposal 1 asks whether Michigan should hold a constitutional convention to consider replacing the state constitution. A “yes” vote would begin that process, while a “no” vote would leave the current constitution in place.
Proposal 2 would prohibit regulated utility companies and government contractors from making political contributions.
Voters in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties will also decide whether to renew the Detroit Zoo millage. The ten-year levy is set at 0.1 mill and is described as a renewal rather than an increase. If approved, it is expected to raise about $8.8 million in its first year for the zoo’s maintenance and operations.
Voters in Wayne and Oakland counties are separately being asked to approve a ten-year, 0.2-mill levy supporting the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and the Detroit Historical Society. Supporters estimate the charge would amount to about $30 a year on a property valued at $300,000.
One mill represents $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value. That figure is based on the taxable value used for taxation, not necessarily the home’s market price.
Michigan’s official election information service provides registration checks, polling locations, clerk details, absentee-ballot tracking and sample ballots for Tuesday’s vote. ([michigan.gov](https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections))
