A Rundown on the General Election in East Lansing

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, voters in East Lansing will have their last chance to cast their ballots in this cycle of elections. The current elections will determine who holds the political majorities in Congress, whether Michigan’s sitting governor will retain her post or be replaced, and the legal status of abortion in the state of Michigan, among other substantial political matters. 

And besides the federal and statewide elections, there are local matters that will be decided. In East Lansing, those include the East Lansing Public Schools school board race and the public library millage.

While this article highlights some of the items East Lansing voters will find on their ballots, it does not cover all races. Voters can view their sample ballot here. 

A reminder: you can vote right now.

All Michigan voters are eligible to vote via absentee ballot without having to give a reason for voting absentee. This means you can now go to the Clerk’s office at East Lansing’s City Hall (410 Abbot Rd.) and vote. You can also register and vote now if you’re not already registered and have the legal right to vote here. Note there is now a satellite office of the City Clerk to help with voting on MSU’s campus. 

Planning to vote by mail? 

Everyone eligible can vote absentee by mail. But the request to have an absentee ballot mailed to you has to be made soon. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4. To request an absentee ballot, click here.

It is important to note that the Secretary of State recommends mailing in absentee ballots at least 14 days before the election in case of mailing delays. Absentee ballots can also be dropped in the absentee ballot drop box at the City Hall parking lot or at the library. Additional ballot dropbox locations can be found here. 

Election Day is your last chance to vote.

Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 8, with polls opening at 7 a.m. and closing at 8 p.m. Anyone still in line when polls closed is still entitled to vote. 

Residents can register up to and on election day, with same day voting available. Voters must have lived in the municipality they’re voting in for 30 at least days prior to the election. 

Registration can also be done online, at a Secretary of State branch office, or at any state agency that provides public assistance or services to people with disabilities. You can also mail a voter registration form to the City Clerk. It is important to note that after Oct. 25, registration must be done in-person at the clerk’s office. There are two offices available, one at City Hall (410 Abbot Rd.) and one on MSU’s campus. 

Can people with criminal records vote?

Yes. People with past convictions, including felonies, can vote in Michigan. People on parole or probation can vote as well. People who are in or out of jail awaiting sentencing can vote. People who have been convicted of misdemeanors or felonies that are currently in jail or prison cannot vote. 

Can you vote without an address?

Yes, homeless individuals can vote. People without an address can register to vote using a shelter address, an address where they receive mail, a place they usually stay, a street corner, a park address, or the location of two cross-streets. 

What resources are available to voters with disabilities?

Federal and state laws require voting access for voters with disabilities. Polling places are required to have unblocked entrances and access to alternatives to stairs, like ramps and elevators. 

Voters with disabilities or language barriers may receive assistance from another person as long as that person is not that voter’s employer, an agent of their employer, or an officer or agent of a union to which the voter belongs.

Renewal of the East Lansing Public Library millage is on the ballot.

This ballot question asks whether the millage that is expiring should be renewed at .997 mills. See our voter guide to the library millage question here.

The East Lansing School Board’s composition will be determined by this race.

There are 10 candidates seeking positions on the East Lansing School Board. Voters can select up to four candidates. ELi asked three sets of questions to these 10 candidates, and six responded. You can read what they say about their political orientations; how they view needs in the areas of academic curricula and mental and physical health; and what they want to see done about school safety.

UPDATE, Oct. 19: The teachers’ union has now endorsed four candidates, but not the four who are now running as a slate. Find out more in this ELi report.

Michigan State University’s Board of Trustees is also on the ballot.

The two slots up for grabs on the MSU Board of Trustees are falling under extra scrutiny after university President Samuel Stanley announced his resignation on Oct. 13 amid ongoing tension with the board. Adding to the tensions, Michigan State faculty recently overwhelmingly voted for a vote of no confidence in the current board as did the undergraduate student government of MSU.

One incumbent will be on the MSU Trustees ballot, Democrat Renee Knake Jefferson. Republican Melanie Foster’s term is expiring and she was not chosen by her party for the ballot this year. There are seven candidates on the ballot, with Knake Jefferson and Dennis Denno representing the Democrats, and Mike Balow and Travis Menge running as Republicans. Claranna Gelineau and Max Riekse are running Libertarian and Robin Lea Laurain as a Green.

What else is on the ballot statewide?

The most widely discussed election in Michigan figures to be the race for governor. Michigan’s current governor, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer from East Lansing, was elected in 2018 with more than 53% of the vote. She is challenged by Tudor Dixon, a Republican who has been backed by former President Donald Trump. 

Whitmer is trying to hang on to her post by pointing to Dixon’s strong anti-abortion stance, while Dixon has criticized Whitmer for a number of actions, including decisions she made in response to the coronavirus pandemic that harmed Dixon says small businesses. ELi’s sister nonpartisan/nonprofit statewide publication, The Bridge, has a fact-checking review today on this week’s debate between Dixon and Whitmer.

Also on the gubernatorial ballot are Mary Buzuma for the Libertarians, Donna Brandenburg for the U.S. Taxpayers, and Kevin Hogan for the Green party.

The Secretary of State race will also be determined in this election. Current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is being challenged by Republican Kristina Karamo. Benson is running for reelection after overseeing the controversial 2020 presidential election in Michigan during the pandemic. The Bridge reports “Benson has said the election was the most secure in state history,” while in contrast, “As a candidate, Karamo has frequently called for a ‘forensic audit’ of the 2020 election and was endorsed by Trump.”

In the Secretary of State race, Gregory Scott Stempfle is running ibertarian, Christine C. Schwartz U.S. Taxpayers, and Larry James Hutchinson Jr. for the Green party.

In the race for Attorney General, Matthew DePerno – who The Bridge reports is a “leading proponent of efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election in Michigan”  – will try to unseat incumbent Democrat Dana Nessel. Statewide, the Bridge reports, Nessel “has focused on progressive issues while investigating the Catholic Church for sexual abuse and pursing a mostly losing legal battle to close Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac.”

Here in East Lansing, Nessel enters the election in the midst of a local controversy after she decided to levy a eight charges against DeAnthony VanAtten, a young Black man, after he was shot by East Lansing police. East Lansing’s City Council has written a letter to Nessel, requesting she drop the charges against VanAtten. 

In the Attorney General race, Joseph W. McHugh Jr. is running Libertarian and Gerald T. Van Sickle for U.S. Taxpayers.

With no U.S. Senate seats up in Michigan, voters will cast ballots only for the House of Representatives.

East Lansing voters will help decide on a seat in the house of representatives. Democrat Elissa Slotkin will try to win the seat for a third time, while Republican State Senator Tom Barrett will try to turn the seat red. Leah Dailey is running Libertarian in this race.

And at the Michigan Capitol…

East Lansing residents will vote for a new state senator. In the running is Sam Singh, a Democrat who served as mayor of East Lansing and spent 12 years on City Council before becoming a representative in the state house. Singh’s main competitor is Daylen Howard. Howard has said he has been motivated to run by his objection to decisions made during the coronavirus pandemic, decisions which he believes hurt the economy and small businesses. Also in this race is Matthew J. Shepard for the U.S. Taxpayers party.

In the state house, Democrat Julie Brixie will look to win a third term in office. Brixie positions herself as a staunch defender of the legal right to abortion and environmental issues. Brixie will be challenged by Norm Shinkle, a Republican who has served on the State Board of Canvassers, acted as the Chairman of the State Senate Finance Committee, chaired the Michigan Tax Tribunal and was an adjunct professor at Cooley Law School. 

Since there are multiple house districts in East Lansing, some voters will instead decide between Democrat Penelope Tsernoglou and Republican Chris Stewart. Tsernoglou is an attorney and former Ingham County commissioner. Stewart is a former teacher who also has experience coaching college football and currently does community outreach for Camelot Emergency Water Removal. 

Many judgeships are on the ballot as well.

Five candidates are competing for two spots on the Michigan Supreme Court. Incumbent Justices Richard Bernstein and Brian Zahra are trying to retain their seats. They are challenged by Kyra Harris Bolden, who currently serves as a Democrat in the state house; Paul Hudson, an appellate lawyer; and Kerry Lee Morgan, an attorney who was endorsed by the Michigan Libertarian Party. 

There is only one local judicial race that is up for grabs. Morgan Elizabeth Cole is competing with Christopher Wickman to be Judge of the 30th Circuit Court. Cole currently serves as Ingham county probate register and court administrator. Wickman has a background as a criminal defense attorney. (Locally, ELi reported on his work in the case of a man who was found to be wrongly charged by ELPD with sexual assault and kidnapping, a matter that was investigated following outrage from East Lansing Councilmember Lisa Babcock, an attorney.)

There are several judge seats that will be filled by candidates running unopposed. Molly Hennessey Greenwalt is poised to retain her seat as Judge of the 54B District Court. She will likely be joined by Lisa Babcock, who is running unopposed after a long legal process ended with her opponent’s disqualification. 

Ballot Initiatives

Prop 1

According to the ballot language, this proposed constitutional amendment would:

• Require members of legislature, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general file annual public financial disclosure reports after 2023, including assets, liabilities, income sources, future employment agreements, gifts, travel reimbursements, and positions held in organizations except religious, social, and political organizations.
• Require legislature implement but not limit or restrict reporting requirements.
• Replace current term limits for state representatives and state senators with a 12-year total limit in any combination between house and senate, except a person elected to senate in 2022 may be elected the number of times allowed when that person became a candidate.

The ballot asks if this proposal should be adopted.

In short, Prop 1 looks to increase transparency from elected officials regarding their finances while in office. The proposal would also reshape how term limits for members of the state legislature work. Currently, legislators can serve three 2-year terms in the house and two 4-year terms in the state senate. If adopted, legislators would be limited to 12 years total in the legislature. This initiative would allow legislators to stay in the same seat for all 12 years, or divide the time among multiple seats. 

Prop 2

According to the ballot language, this proposed constitutional amendment would:

• Recognize fundamental right to vote without harassing conduct;
• Require military or overseas ballots be counted if postmarked by election day;
• Provide voter right to verify identity with photo ID or signed statement;
• Provide voter right to single application to vote absentee in all elections;
• Require state-funded absentee-ballot drop boxes, and postage for absentee applications and ballots;
• Provide that only election officials may conduct post-election audits;
• Require nine days of early in-person voting;
• Allow donations to fund elections, which must be disclosed;
• Require canvass boards certify election results based only on the official records of votes cast.

The ballot question asks whether this proposal should be adopted.

Promote the Vote 2022, a group that is typically aligned with Democratic goals, was the main sponsor for the ballot initiative. The Bridge has provided a fact-check guide on what Prop 2 will and won’t do.

Prop 3

According to the ballot language, this proposed constitutional amendment would:

• Establish new individual right to reproductive freedom, including right to make and carry out all decisions about pregnancy, such as prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion, miscarriage management, and infertility;
• Allow state to regulate abortion after fetal viability, but not prohibit if medically needed to protect a patient’s life or physical or mental health;
• Forbid state discrimination in enforcement of this right; prohibit prosecution of an individual, or a person helping a pregnant individual, for exercising rights established by this amendment;
• Invalidate state laws conflicting with this amendment.

The ballot question asks if this proposal should be adopted. The simplest way to explain this proposal is to say that people who consider themselves ‘pro-life’ will likely oppose Prop 3 and people who consider themselves ‘pro-choice’ will likely want Prop 3 to pass. 

There is a 1931 Michigan law banning abortion in Michigan that courts are currently blocking from being enforced, following the repeal of Roe vs Wade at a federal level. If passed, this ballot initiative would restrict changes the state legislature could make that would reduce access to abortion.

Where can you learn more about how to vote?The East Lansing City Clerk’s page contains a wealth of information about how to vote and about how elections work here.