vote

Michigan voters will be casting ballots on Tuesday

Steve Carmody — Sun, 05 May 2013 19:09:00 +0000

Michigan voters go to the polls on Tuesday.

School bond issues dominate the ballot in most of Michigan.

For example, Kalamazoo voters are being asked to decide on a $62 million bond request. If voters give their OK, the district would spend most of the money on maintaining city school buildings.

There are a few elected offices on the ballot of note.

In Genesee County, voters are picking a new state senator. Former senator John Gleason stepped down after winning the Genesee County clerk’s election last fall.

Is it time to reconsider the way Michigan puts referendums and amendments on the ballot?

Steve Carmody — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 05:01:01 +0000

Michigan voters should know by September 7th how many statewide ballot questions and referendums will appear on the November ballot.

Judge allows wiggle room on some absentee ballots

The Associated Press — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 15:09:10 +0000

Local governments that missed a June deadline to send absentee ballots to Michigan members of the armed forces still can count the votes if they're returned after Tuesday.

A federal judge in Grand Rapids approved a compromise Monday between the U.S. Justice Department and the state of Michigan. The government filed a lawsuit after learning that dozens of clerks missed the deadline.

Michigan Supreme Court clears way for Detroit vote on marijuana

Rick Pluta — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 22:29:09 +0000

The Michigan Supreme Court has cleared the way for Detroiters to vote on whether their city will be the first in the state to legalize marijuana.

Flint election officials are searching for new places for people to vote in November

Steve Carmody — Tue, 22 May 2012 02:50:16 +0000

Elections officials are scrambling to find eight new locations where Flint residents can vote in November’s election.

The city’s five dozen voting precincts are located in 35 buildings around Flint.

But, the U.S. Justice Department says 4 churches used as polling places don’t meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. And, the Flint School District is also closing 4 schools this summer that have been used as polling places.

“We’re going to go ahead and close them and try to locate alternate sites, which is hard to do in a community such as Flint which is an older urban area," says Inez M. Brown, the Flint City Clerk.

Brown says six of the eight polling places are located on Flint’s north side, which may make it more difficult to find enough appropriate locations.

Michigan voters to decide many issues on Tuesday's ballot

Steve Carmody — Sun, 06 May 2012 20:01:01 +0000

Voters across Michigan go to the polls on Tuesday.

More than 200 communities are holding elections.

Most of the questions involve school bond issues.

Bloomfield Hills schools are asking voters to approve a $58 million bond issue to pay for renovations to a high school. This proposal is a scaled back version of similar proposals that have failed in the past.

Some school districts are asking voters to approve bonds to pay for technology upgrades. For example the Allegan public school district is asking voters to approve an 18 million dollar bond issue. Part of that would be spent on computers.

Not everything on the ballots involves schools.

The issue in Delhi Township, near Lansing, is sludge. Or more accurately, what to do with it.

The township is asking voters to approve a surcharge on their water bills to pay for a sludge dryer. Supporters say the dryer would turn human waste into bio-fuel. Opponents say it’s just a waste of money.

*Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that the Bloomfield Hills school bond issue had failed twice before. The current proposal, however, is not that same as previous bond issues. The copy has been corrected above.

Tribal vote on Lansing casino project nearing an end

Steve Carmody — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:01:01 +0000

Voting wraps up this week in a referendum that may decide if plans for a casino in downtown Lansing can move forward.

Ballots were mailed to 14 thousand members of the Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians earlier this month.

The basic question is should the tribe move ahead with plans to build a $245 million casino adjacent to Lansing’s downtown convention center.

The race to replace Congressman Dale Kildee begins

Steve Carmody — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:01:01 +0000

The race to replace longtime Michigan Congressman Dale Kildee moves into a higher gear today.

Kildee announced earlier this year he would not seek a 19^th term in Congress.

Today, the outgoing congressman’s nephew, Dan Kildee will formally announce his candidacy for the Democratic nomination.

Top 5 Michigan counties for voter turnout (and the 5 worst)

Mark Brush — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:40:27 +0000

The Secretary of State's office has released unofficial voter turnout results for all the counties in Michigan (the State Board of Canvassers will make them official later this month).

The voters in Leelanau county scored the best turnout rate in the state at 61.60%
The voters in Cass county scored the worst turnout rate in the state at 35.74%

Here are the top 5:

Voter turnout in Michigan lower than expected

Mark Brush — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 17:42:57 +0000

Outgoing Secretary of State Terry Lynn Land had expected 52% of eligible voters to show up at the polls yesterday. The unofficial tally stands at 45% today.

The turnout results remain "unofficial" until they are certified by the Board of State Canvassers later this month.

Of the 7.28 million registered to vote, 3.3 million did so.

The latest Michigan election results

Mark Brush — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 06:04:01 +0000

We're updating the results as we get them.

Michigan congressional races "too close to call"

Mark Brush — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 03:09:33 +0000

Update 11:51pm: The 7th district has been called for Republican Tim Walberg.

11:03pm: Three congressional races in Michigan remain close. The Detroit Free Press is reporting that even with the aid of key precinct data, the Free Press was unable to immediately call winners in Michigan’s 15th, 7th and 9th congressional districts.

Supreme Court goes to Republicans

Mark Brush — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 02:06:25 +0000