Editor’s note: WKAR will continue to update this resource page up until the Nov. 7, 2023 election.
Mid-Michigan voters have the opportunity this November general election to weigh in on several local races. Lansing and East Lansing will choose new members of their city councils and decide on ballot proposals that could change key aspects of their government's structure.
Other municipalities have critical races for mayors, supervisors and various millages.
Election Day is Nov. 7, 2023
WKAR spoke with individuals working to mobilize voters ahead of Election Day.
Those conversations and more can be found below.
How to Register
Voters need to be registered before they submit a ballot. Michigan allows voters to register anytime up to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
The Michigan Secretary of State has an online portal for voters to register or update their registration.
Voters seeking to register within 14 days of an election must do so in person.
Voters need to bring proof of eligibility and residency when registering.
To be eligible to vote, a person must be all of the following:
- A Michigan resident (at the time you register) and a resident of your city or township for at least 30 days (when you vote)
- A United States citizen
- At least 18 years of age (when you vote)
- Not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison
To be prove residency, individuals must show one of the following documents that includes a name and address:
- Michigan driver’s license or state ID
- Current utility bill
- Bank statement
- Paycheck or government check
- Other government document
Digital copies of these documents are acceptable.
How to Vote
There are two ways to vote in Michigan — in person at a polling site or by absentee ballot.
To vote in person, voters will be asked to show identification to check in. Voters can still submit a ballot without ID and will be asked to fill out an explanation form.
The following documents are accepted by poll workers as ID:
- Michigan driver's license or state ID
- Driver's license or personal identification card issued by another state
- Federal or state government-issued photo identification
- U.S. passport
- Military ID with photo
- Student identification with photo from a high school or accredited institution of higher learning
- Tribal identification card with photo
Polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters waiting in line by 8 p.m. have the right to submit a ballot.
This year, some polls are opening early for in-person voting, including locations in Lansing, East Lansing, Delta Township and Windsor Township.
| East Lansing | October 30 - November 5 | East Lansing Public Library (950 Abbot Rd.) |
| Lansing | October 28, October 30, November 4 and November 5 | City of Lansing Office Complex (2500 S. Washington Ave.) |
| Delta & Windsor Township | October 30 - November 4 | Delta Township Administration Building (7710 W. Saginaw Highway) |
To vote using an absentee ballot, voters will need to apply online, by mail, by phone or in person at their local clerk's office. Voters do not need a reason to vote absentee.
The online deadline to request an absentee ballot this year is Friday, Nov. 3 before 5 p.m.
The in-person deadline to request an absentee ballot this year is Monday, Nov. 6 before 4 p.m. Voters will need to registered to do so.
The Michigan Secretary of State recommends applying for absentee ballots in person within 14 days of Election Day to avoid postal delays.
Absentee ballot voters can submit their ballots by mail, at a local clerk's office or by drop box. The Secretary of State is asking voters to return their ballots within two weeks of Election Day for processing.
Find your absentee ballot drop box
Lansing
Lansing voters will decide on a new slate of city councilmembers and one ballot proposal.
Lansing needs to fill two at-large council seats, and every voter living in the city will be able to participate in that decision. The other council races are ward specific, meaning only certain residents living in specific districts will be able to vote for the candidates.
Lansing's ballot proposal is the city's periodic charter revision question:
Shall there be a general revision of the Lansing City Charter?
East Lansing
East Lansing voters will decide on a new slate of city councilmembers and three ballot proposals.
East Lansing is currently considering an expansion of its city council from five to seven seats. The ballot proposal has a variety of supporters and opponents.
Other ballot questions include a proposal to change the term commencement date for elected officials and a proposal to support ranked choice voting for local elected officials.
Currently, the City of East Lansing Charter establishes that City Council member terms of office begin the Tuesday following that City election.
The City Council is proposing that Charter Section 3.3 be amended to change the commencement date of City Council member terms of office to the first Tuesday following January 1 of the following calendar year, and shall be effective beginning at the next regular City election.
Shall the amendment as proposed be adopted?
Currently, the City of East Lansing Charter establishes that City Council member terms of office begin the Tuesday following that City election.
The City Council is proposing that Charter Section 3.3 be amended to change the commencement date of City Council member terms of office to the first Tuesday following January 1 of the following calendar year, and shall be effective beginning at the next regular City election.
Shall the amendment as proposed be adopted?
3.1a RANKED CHOICE VOTING: IN THE EVENT THE MICHIGAN BUREAU OF ELECTIONS CERTIFIES THE PROCESS FOR THE USE OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING BEGINNING IN THE ELECTION OF 2023, OR SUCH SUBSEQUENT ODD YEAR ELECTION ONCE THE CONDITIONS OF A CERTIFIED PROCESS ARE SATISFIED, THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL BE ELECTED IN THE MANNER PRESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION.
Jackson
Jackson voters will select a new mayor between incumbent Daniel Mahoney and candidate John Wilson, a repeat of the 2021 race.
There are city council district races in Ward 2, Ward 4 and Ward 6.
A millage proposal for Jackson College is also up for a vote.
Eagle Township
Eagle Township voters will choose a new township supervisor during a recall vote, which comes amid a controversial industrial development in the area.
Current Supervisor Patti Jo Schafer, a Republican, is facing two unaffiliated candidates — Troy Stroud and Charles H. Truesdell.
A school district millage proposal is also up for a vote.
Charlotte
Charlotte voters will select a new mayor between current City Councilmember Branden Dyer and former mayor Tim Lewis. The mayoral race is the first after voters approved a proposal to expand the office's term.
A school district millage proposal is also up for a vote.
Constituent Voices
Mid-Michigan's local elections are affecting an array of different people in various communities. WKAR spoke with some individuals working to mobilize voters ahead of Election Day.
- Bob Thompson, president of the Michigan Farmers Union
- Rebeka Islam, executive director for Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) Vote Michigan
- Candace Metzger, a member of the Michigan Secretary of State’s Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force.
- Maria Starr Van Core, president of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) Greater Lansing