Even though Michigan dropped a seat in the House of Representatives due to the 2010 Census, three of the state’s thirteen districts continue to get significant media coverage.
Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Republican-controlled statehouse have made Michigan a politically polarized state for the past four years.
Since redistricting following the 2020 Census will be handled for the first time by a neutral commission, Democrats are optimistic about their chances of gaining control of at least one chamber of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections.
Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, is facing off against Kalamazoo attorney Matthew DePerno, while Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, is facing up against former community college professor Kristina Karamo. The two Republican rivals are both 2020 election denialists.
Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Republican-controlled statehouse have made Michigan a politically polarized state for the past four years.
Redistricting following the 2020 Census, which will be conducted for the first time by a bipartisan commission, has given Democrats confidence that they may gain at least one chamber in the upcoming midterm elections.
Democratic candidates for attorney general Dana Nessel, and secretary of state, Jocelyn Benson, face off against Republican Kalamazoo lawyer Matthew DePerno and Republican former community college professor Kristina Karamo, respectively. The two Republican rivals are both 2020 election denialists.
Voting ends at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Most of the state lies in the Eastern Time Zone; therefore, businesses must close at 8 p.m. Four counties in the Central Time Zone stay open until 9 p.m. ET. Any Michigan horse race predictions made by the AP before 9 p.m. ET will be void.
Michigan Voting Patterns
At the height of the 2020 presidential election, when the coronavirus epidemic peaked, a record-breaking 3.3 million individuals voted absentee in Michigan. Following current patterns, state elections authorities have predicted that around 2.25 million absentee ballots would be submitted.
With almost 5.5 million voters, Michigan’s presidential election had the most remarkable turnout in 60 years. Voters in the state are increasingly voting absentee rather than on Election Day due to the epidemic and a 2018 constitutional amendment that allows for no-excuse absentee voting.
Particular attention should be paid to the state’s four most populated counties: Wayne, which contains Detroit, Oakland, and Macomb counties in the suburbs, and Kent County in western Michigan, home to Grand Rapids, the state’s second biggest city.
Take-Home Notes on the Final Decision
More than 160 competitive races are being called by the Associated Press, including the governor, secretary of state, attorney general, Supreme Court, and three ballot initiatives at the state level, as well as the U.S. House, state Senate, and state House.
The AP will not predict the outcome of an election and will only call a winner after it is inevitable that no reasonable course of events exists by which the candidates in the rear may catch up.
Even if the Associated Press has not yet called a race, we will report on any noteworthy events, such as a contender declaring victory or offering a concession. We shall explain why the AP has yet to proclaim a victor and why this is the case.
If the AP determines that the lead is too substantial for a necessary recount to affect the outcome of a statewide or U.S. House contest with a margin of 0.5% or less, we reserve the right to declare a winner.
If the margin between the top two candidates is less than 2% on election night, the AP will not call down-ballot contests. Later this week, the AP will double-check to make sure there aren’t enough uncounted ballots to affect the outcome of those elections.
What Else Do I Need to Realize?
After the 2020 Pandemic Election, what has changed?
After negotiations between Whitmer and the Republican-controlled Legislature, it was decided that county clerks would only accept votes on the Sunday before Election Day. Absentee ballots can be taken out of their outer envelopes by clerks at 7 a.m. on Election Day, but the secrecy sleeves must remain in place until after votes have been counted.
Michigan has one of the most decentralized election systems in the country, which has resulted in delays in results in the past, allowing for the spread of disinformation. It has been maintained by a number of clerks that the proposed adjustment will not significantly hasten the counting process.
How do Voter Participation and Early Ballots Typically Look?
Over 1.8 million voters have requested absentee votes, and 771,967 have already been filed. This is just two weeks before Election Day. As the epidemic peaked in 2020, a record-breaking 3.3 million individuals in Michigan cast their ballots absentee.
How long does it typically take to count?
Answer: At 8:15 p.m. ET, we should see the first outcomes. Regarding the 2020 election, AP had 94% of the results in by midnight.
Potential Risks of Making Early Returns?
The answer is a resounding “yes,” as seen by the high number of Democratic The most populous city and county in the state, Detroit and Wayne County, where Detroit is situated, are frequently among the last to publish final results, cutting into or even wiping out Republican advantages elsewhere in the state.
After Tuesday, what will happen?
A recount must be conducted if the margin of victory is fewer than 2,000 votes in Michigan. This rule is null and void for races with more than one victor.
If the county board of canvassers does not certify the results of an election for any officer or proposal by the 14th day following the election, as required by state law, the county board of canvassers must turn over all relevant documents to the state board of canvassers. Within ten days of receiving the records, state canvassers must issue a certification of the results.
The 2020 election in Michigan drew worldwide attention after the Wayne County canvassing board, which had previously been divided on whether or not to approve the results, ultimately chose to certify the results. The state board considered the results and, by a vote of 3-0 (with one abstention), decided to certify the results at the state level.