Michigan elections: Detroit mayor, 48 school bonds and more. What to know

Michigan voters will decide mayoral races, school millage proposals and more in the Nov. 4 general election
Detroit’s mayoral race is one to watch. Voters will also decide 48 school bond proposals and new charges in Lansing, Pontiac
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday

Voters in more than 250 communities across 72 of Michigan’s 83 counties will head to the polls on Tuesday to weigh in on local races, school and park millages and more.

In Detroit, residents of the state’s largest city will elect a new mayor. Voters in Lansing and Pontiac will decide whether to change their city’s charters. Some communities will weigh proposals allowing school districts to borrow money through bonds or cover costs with pay-as-you-go sinking funds.

In other areas, there won’t be an election at all because no local offices or proposals qualified for the Nov. 4 ballot. Check what’s on your local ballot and where to vote here.

School funding requests

There are a combined 48 school bonds on the ballot in communities across Michigan, according to Gongwer News Service election data.

Schools use bonds to pay for building upgrades and must ask voters for permission to take on the debt.

Among the largest requests: Novi Community Schools for $425 million, South Lyon Community Schools for $350 million, Lake Orion Community Schools for $272 million and Rockford Public Schools for $230 million.

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Once an easy sell, voters have increasingly grown skeptical of school funding requests. Experts have previously cited the economy as a factor for lower passage rates.

Local voters approved slightly more than half of the school bond requests on Michigan ballots in August. They approved $198.98 million in school bonds for seven school districts and rejected $236.15 million for five districts.

Districts can also use sinking funds, which are voter-approved pay-as-you-go savings accounts.There are seven requests to renew sinking fund millages and 10 requests to increase sinking fund millages on Tuesday’s ballot.

Other races to watch

While many communities won’t hold elections, several areas will have key races and ballot proposals, including:

Detroit: Voters will decide primary elections for city council seats and who will replace Mayor Mike Duggan, who is running for governor as an independent. Polls indicate that city council president Mary Sheffield is the favorite to beat Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. Read profiles of Sheffield and Kinloch, and find more coverage at BridgeDetroit

Lansing: A charter commission has proposed a rewrite of the city charter, a governing document that is effectively a local constitution. If passed, it would make Lansing’s internal auditor an independent agency to strengthen government transparency and expand the City Council from eight to nine members by adding a fifth ward.

Southfield: Republican Gavriel “Gabi” Grossbard is the only candidate on the ballot for city clerk in this reliably Democratic city after incumbent Janet Jackson withdrew from the race over unpaid campaign fines. The Michigan Democratic Party is urging voters to write in Wynett Guy, a city clerk’s office employee, calling Grossbard a “MAGA extremist” who was a plaintiff in a 2020 lawsuit that sought to throw out votes in counties won by President Biden. His campaign has called attacks against him character assassination.

Pontiac: Several candidates are running to replace Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel, who is running for a 10th Congressional District seat that US Rep. John James is giving up to run for governor. City council member Mike McGuinness and Kermit Williams, co-executive director of Oakland Forward, are on the ballot. Write-in candidates, Jashon Gilmore, Sabrina Jernagin and Wendell Woods are also competing.

Dearborn: Several seats are up for reelection, including the mayor, clerk and all city council members. Voters will also decide whether to revamp the city’s charter to add two council seats and create wards for the first time.

Ann Arbor: Washtenaw Intermediate School District voters will decide whether to create a career and technical education program funded by a 1-mill property tax for 10 years, from 2026 to 2035.

More to know

When to vote: Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Voters in line by 8 p.m. can still cast a ballot. You can find your polling location online.

Voter ID requirements: Bring a photo ID such as a driver’s license, state ID, U.S. passport, military ID, student ID or tribal ID. If you don’t have one, you can still vote by signing an affidavit confirming your identity.

Absentee ballots: It’s too late to mail in your absentee ballot. To ensure it counts, return it to a drop box or your clerk’s office by 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Same-day registration: Eligible residents can register and vote on Election Day at their local clerk’s office until 8 p.m. Bring proof of residency, such as a state ID, utility bill, paycheck or government document.

To register, you must:

Be a U.S. citizen
Be at least 18 years old
Have lived in your city or township for at least 30 days
Not be currently serving a jail or prison sentence

Once your eligibility is verified, you can submit a registration application to the clerk.