ELi Voter Guide For Nov. 5 Election
Two weeks from tomorrow, voters will head to the polls to cast their ballots in the general election.
Even before then, many Michiganders will have voted thanks to a variety of early voting options now available. To help East Lansing residents prepare for election day, ELi has put together a guide on what is on the ballot.
The ballot is packed.
The presidential race at the top of the ticket draws most of the headlines, but this is a busy election cycle, with seats in the state legislature, congress, county boards, judiciary, educational boards and more to be decided. View a sample ballot using this link. Make sure to check both sides of your ballot before turning it in!
To help voters get to know candidates, ELi Reporter Dustin DuFort Petty wrote stories on some of the candidates for county and state office:
- Ingham County Prosecutor: John Dewane and Norm Shinkle
- Ingham County Sheriff: Scott Wriggelsworth and Steve Fox
- 73rd House District: Josh Rockey and Julie Brixie
- 75th House District: Penelope Tsernoglou and Frank Lambert
- Register of Deeds: Karla Skoczylas and Derrick Quinney
- Drain Commissioner: Patrick Lindemann and Brian Bruce Beauchine
Locally, East Lansing voters will elect four candidates to serve on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education from a field of six candidates. The school board seats will be determined in two separate races, one race features four candidates vying for three full, four-year terms and the other will see two candidates competing for a two-year partial term.
To help voters get to know who is on the ballot, ELi asked candidates to respond to three questions. Each candidate responded, and those responses can be read here:
- Candidates describe their qualifications, priorities if elected
- Candidates address school safety
- Candidates share their policy ideas
A proposed city charter amendment is drawing local attention.
The most controversial topic on the ballot locally is a proposed charter amendment that would impact the city’s housing and rental regulations.
Proponents for the amendment say it would protect the homeowners’ right to have long term guests who do not pay rent. Those against the amendment say it would hurt the city’s ability to enforce its rental and housing regulations, and undo its rental restriction districts.
To help voters understand the stances of each side, ELi and the League of Women Voters of the Lansing Area teamed up to host a program where those for and those against the amendment shared their perspectives. View the recording of that program below, or read ELi’s recap of the event here.
Early Voting Centers are open!
East Lansing’s first Early Voting Center opened today (Oct. 21) at the Communication Arts and Sciences building on Michigan State University’s campus. Starting Saturday (Oct. 26), the Hannah Community Center will be the home of an Early Voting Center. Both centers will operate through Sunday, Nov. 3. The center at Hannah Community Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, while the MSU location will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Absentee voting continues to be an option for all voters. Those who choose to mail in their ballots should do so by the end of the week, Friday, Oct. 25, just in case there are delays in the postal service, Clerk Marie Wicks recommended in a previous interview with ELi.
In that interview, Wicks said she suggests voters drop off ballots at a clerk’s office or a ballot drop box. Drop boxes can be found around East Lansing. Find a drop box near you using this link.
Stick with ELi for more election coverage!
We will continue to bring election coverage leading up to Election Day and after the results have been announced. This story will be updated with more links as we continue to bring news that matters to voters.