• Michigan voters will decide mayoral primaries, school millage proposals and more in the Aug. 5 primary 
  • Detroit’s mayoral primary is a race to watch, while schools are requesting a combined $435 million in bonds
  • Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday

Michigan voters will head to the polls on Tuesday to weigh in on a range of local races and ballot issues.

Across the state, voters in nearly 300 communities will decide on school and park millages, city council positions and other local offices. In Detroit and Lansing, voters will also narrow the field of mayoral candidates.

Some voters will decide whether to approve local districts borrowing funds through bonds or using a pay-as-you-go sinking fund for expenses. 

Elsewhere, there won’t be elections at all, because there were no local seats up for election and no proposals made the ballot. See if anything’s on your local ballot, and find your polling place, here. 

School funding requests

School funding requests, once an easy sell, have been failing at higher rates in Michigan. But 12 local districts are again asking voters for more money, according to Gongwer News Service election data. 

They’re asking for a combined $435 million, down from about $2.1 billion in May. In that election, voters approved nearly $900 million in bonds. Last August, there were 23 school bond requests with 11 passing and 12 failing. 

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The Tuesday election also includes 11 school operating millage requests, four sinking fund increase requests and one sinking fund renewal request. 

The largest request comes from Romulus Community Schools, which is seeking approval of a $153 million bond for school infrastructure. 

In Warren, voters will decide on a new school sinking fund and a school  bond proposal for building improvements and technology upgrades.

Key races, proposals

While many communities won’t have elections at all, there will be important primary elections and proposals on the ballot in several areas, including:

  • Detroit: Voters will decide primary elections for city council seats and candidates vying to replace Mayor Mike Duggan, who is not seeking re-election and running for governor instead. City council members Fred Durhal III and Mary Sheffield are among the nine candidates in the mayoral race. The top two vote getters will advance to the general election. Read more coverage at BridgeDetroit.
  • Ann Arbor: Voters will decide two ballot proposals. The first would transfer air rights above the Library Lane parking garage to the Ann Arbor District Library, which plans a new library facility that would include retail, mixed-income housing and multi-use areas. The second would remove a section of the city charter known as “Center of the City” that requires developing the parking as an urban park and civic center. 
  • Lansing: Several measures are on the Lansing ballot, including a parks millage and elections for three city council seats, city clerk and mayor.
  • Sterling Heights: Voters will choose among 13 candidates competing for six Sterling Heights City Council positions.
  • Clinton Township: Residents will vote on a millage that would fund new police equipment and other police department costs. 
  • Kalamazoo: Local voters will decide on three proposals: a bond for renovating the Galesburg-Charleston Memorial District Library and two school millages for Mendon and Colon Community Schools.

What else you need 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.

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