Welcome to the first week of voting in Michigan!
Yes, we may still be a little more than five weeks away from Election Day but absentee ballots are being sent out this week.
Election season has drastically changed in length over recent years with the addition and expansion of no-reason absentee balloting in Michigan and new early in-person voting options… all because Michigan voters approved changes to the state’s constitution in both 2018 and 2022.
So, we figured there wasn’t a better time to do an Absentee Ballot 101 and there wasn’t a better teacher than Chris Thomas. Thomas was Michigan’s long-time Elections Director, holding the role for nearly forty years through both Republican and Democratic administrations. It’s fair to say there are few people in Michigan who know more about the process of voting than him.
We peppered him with your questions ranging from when to expect to see your ballot in the mail if you requested one (Thomas says next week is likely the earliest) to where to drop off your absentee ballot once it’s completed (a new option this year is to take it to an early voting site and insert your ballot into the tabulator yourself). If you’ve got questions, he’s got answers: take a listen.
Dig deeper: You can fill out an application requesting an absentee ballot, find a ballot drop box near you and track your ballot, all at the state’s elections website: Michigan.gov/vote.
Got unanswered questions about absentee ballots in Michigan? Or, just want to let us know what you want more of (less of?) in the newsletter? We always want to hear from you! Shoot us an email at politics@michiganpublic.org!
— GET CAUGHT UP —
Legislature approves $126 million school spending bill
In what’s likely to be the state House’s last session day before November, the chamber met for one day on Wednesday and approved new funding for school safety and student mental health. As we talked with Bridge Michigan’s Jordyn Hermani about last week, the legislature has met this year the fewest number of days since Governor Whitmer took office in January 2019. Republicans are unhappy with the level of funding provided (they wanted more) and the Republican Senate withheld the votes needed for immediate effect (meaning the money won’t be available until 2025). The legislation now heads to Whitmer’s desk for her signature.
Top Muslim-voter organization endorses Harris as Middle East conflict escalates
A national Muslim-American advocacy group this week endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. Last week we brought you Joey Cappelletti’s reporting that the “Uncommitted” movement would not endorse Harris (however, they didn’t endorse Trump either) but this week Cappelletti reports Harris won the endorsement of Emgage Action “one of the nation’s largest Muslim American voter mobilization groups, marking a significant boost to her campaign… The group, based in Washington D.C., operates in eight states, with a significant presence in the key battlegrounds of Michigan and Pennsylvania.”
In the swing state of Michigan, here’s what’s bringing voters to the polls
Ever wonder what’s motivating your neighbors, friends or coworkers to vote - or not vote - in this year’s election? For the past few months, Michigan Public reporters and producers have spoken with Michigan voters about their motivations headed into Election 2024. We’re focusing on 11 Michiganders and hearing directly from them in our new series Voter Voices. Want to share how you’re feeling about voting this year? We’re all ears. As always, our inboxes are open 24-7 at politics@michiganpublic.org.
- IJP ON THE ROAD -
Zoe joined Off the Record today to discuss with the panel a partisan disagreement on how much to spend to make schools safer with control of the Michigan house at stake. GOP consultant Jason Roe also joined to discuss the impact Trump is having on the Michigan Republican Party.
— WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AT THE DINNER TABLE —
Whitmer continues the national circuit: We’ve previously brought you the many ways in which Governor Gretchen Whitmer continues to build her national profile both formally (a prime-time address during last month’s DNC) and informally (Governor Barbie) and her appearance this week on late-night television certainly leaned into the latter. Whitmer was a guest on Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live and answered questions ranging from the most famous person in her phone contacts’ list (George Clooney) to which politician outside of Michigan she’s closest with (Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz). Surprisingly, or not, a shark was involved.
Walz in A2: Speaking of Walz, not only is The New York Times reporting that the Minnesota Governor is spending time in Up North’s Harbor Springs (debate prep with Michigan transplant U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg) but the VP-candidate is also attending Saturday’s U of M vs. Minnesota football game in Ann Arbor (Go Blue!) The Washington Post reports that the Governor already had plans to attend the game (before he was picked by Vice President Kamala Harris last month) as part of a 60th birthday celebration.
Vance in TC: Walz isn’t the only VP candidate making a stop in Michigan this week. Republican Vice Presidential Candidate JD Vance was in Buttigieg’s home-turf of Traverse City on Tuesday. As Interlochen Public Radio and WCMU report, the Ohio Senator talked EVs and manufacturing as “voters expressed concerns about the economy and immigration, as well as Michigan’s future.” With their multiples visits to Michigan just this month, both Vance and Walz are leaning into their respective Midwestern roots and as NPR’s Asma Khalid reported today when the two “debate next week, you’ll see two Midwesterners painting different pictures of what it means to be from America’s heartland.” Take a listen to Khalid’s story for more.
RFK Jr. stumps for Trump: At the same time, technically-still-a-presidential-candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited mid-Michigan to ask voters to cast their ballots for former President Donald Trump. Kennedy has filed with the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals after a federal judge in Detroit rejected his request to be removed as the nominee of the Natural Law Party of Michigan. He also lost earlier before the Michigan Supreme Court. The state says it would cause “chaos” at this point to start over and print new ballots as it is time to make ballots available to the public and get them in the mail to overseas voters. Also, while trying to remove his name from the Michigan ballot, RFK Jr. is arguing in a separate New York case that he should be on the ballot in the Empire State so voters can vote for him if they want to.
Yours in political nerdiness,
Rick Pluta & Zoe Clark
Co-hosts, It’s Just Politics
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