Election Day is November 3rd, but votes can be cast anytime. Ballots can be mailed or dropped off at local clerks’ offices, as well as other authorized sites. Find more information here.
Information for voters can be found at the Michigan Secretary of State, Michigan Voter Information Center, Michigan Voting, WMU WeVote and the League of Women Voters. The Kalamazoo Area League of Women Voters also has a Voters' Guide. You can find links to candidate forums and stories from WMUK and other public radio stations in Michigan on this year’s election.
There's a four-way race in Michigan's Sixth Congressional district, which includes Kalamazoo. Long-time Republican Congressman Fred Upton of Saint Joseph faces Kalamazoo Democrat Jon Hoadley as well as Libertarian and Green Party candidates. The candidates were interviewed by WGVU Public Television in Grand Rapids. Hear WMUK's Andy Robins report on where the candidates stand on health care.
Democrats have targeted the 61st state House district, which includes Portage. It's one of the races that could determine which party controls the Michigan House. Hear the report from WKAR's Abigail Censky.
Michigan's Third Congressional District includes the cities of Battle Creek and Grand Rapids. It's also a focus of attention as Democrats hope to flip the historically Republican district "blue." Hear the report from Michigan Radio's Dustin Dwyer.
WMUK's Andy Robins and Kalamazoo Gazette Reporter Lindsay Moore took a look at the race for Michigan's 6th Congressional race and state House campaigns in the Kalamazoo area. They spoke with Kalamazoo City Commissioner Erin Knott and former Kalamazoo County Republican Party chairperson Dave Worthams. Knott is the executive director of the LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Michigan. Worthams serves on Equality Michigan's board and works as a lobbyist in Lansing for the Michigan Manufacturers Association.
The South Haven affiliate of the American Association of University Women held a candidate forum in South Haven on October 20, 2020. Candidates for the 6th Congressional district and two State House districts - the 66th (Van Buren County and Northwest Kalamazoo County) and the 80th (most of Allegan County) - were invited. Democratic Congressional candidate Jon Hoadley participated, as Did 80th district Democratic candidate Erik Almquist. Both of the candidates on the ballot in the 66th State House district (Republican incumbent Beth Griffin and Democrat Abigail Wheeler) participated in the forum.
The Kalamazoo Area League of Women Voters, WMU WeVote, Public Media Network, WMUK and other groups co-sponsored a forum for candidates running for two State House seats. The forum was held virtually September 17th. It included candidates in the 60th district, which includes the city of Kalamazo and the 61st district, which includes Portage.
Another candidate forum was held September 30th for candidates running in the 63rd State House district. That includes parts of Kalamazoo and Calhoun Counties.
Many voters say they’re already concerned about whether their ballot will be counted. Some say they plan to vote in person on Tuesday despite the pandemic. Hear the report from WDET's Quinn Klinefelter.
Michigan faces a heightened risk of extremist violence even after the November election. That’s according to counterterrorism experts who warn the that a foiled plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whimer could encourage more groups to act. Hear the report from WCMU's Ben Thorp
President Trump and many of his supporters have called into question the validity of voting by mail. But documented instances of voting fraud are few and far between. Rather than fraud, perhaps absentee voters should be focused on following the rules. Hear the report from WDET's Laura Herberg.
Michigan voters will decide whether to let the state spend more money developing recreational facilities. Proposal One would amend two funds that support state parks and preserve sensitive land. But one proposed change has divided conservationists. Hear the report from WDET's Pat Batcheller.
2020 has brought with it a chaotic mix of civil unrest, forest fires and a record hurricane season. A pandemic and contentious presidential election have added to the anxiety levels of ethnic and religious minorities. Hear the report from WDET's Russ McNamara.
U.S. Senator Gary Peters is seeking his second term. The Democrat faces Republican John James. He challenged Senator Debbie Stabenow two years ago. Abigail Censky of WKAR reports on why it appears to be a close race to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate.
