WKAR's mid-Michigan voter guide
Election Day is here in Michigan. Voters are deciding who will lead the state, who will represent them in Washington and how communities across mid-Michigan will fund local services.
The biggest races include contests for governor and U.S. Senate, along with a closely watched race in the 7th Congressional District.
Governor's race: Benson vs. James
Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Republican John James are competing to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Benson currently serves as Michigan's secretary of state. James represents Michigan's 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House.
The race will determine who leads state government for the next four years.
U.S. Senate: El-Sayed vs. Rogers
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers are competing for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.
The contest is drawing national attention because its outcome could help determine which party controls the Senate.
El-Sayed is a physician and former director of the Detroit Health Department. Rogers is a former congressman who represented Michigan's 8th District.
Mid-Michigan's 7th District race
In the 7th Congressional District, Republican incumbent Tom Barrett faces Democrat Will Lawrence and Green Party candidate Shane Dedrick.
The district includes all of Clinton, Ingham, Livingston and Shiawassee counties, along with portions of Eaton, Genesee and Oakland counties.
The race has drawn attention to issues including data center development, energy and the economy.
Two statewide ballot proposals
Michigan voters will also decide two statewide ballot questions.
Proposal 1 asks whether Michigan should hold a constitutional convention to consider changes to the state constitution. The question appears on the ballot every 16 years.
Proposal 2 would restrict political contributions to Michigan candidates from regulated utilities, including DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, and certain companies with large state government contracts. The proposal also covers some people connected to those companies.
Local issues across mid-Michigan
Voters in Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Jackson, Livingston and Shiawassee counties will also decide local races and funding proposals.
Those include school bond questions in DeWitt, St. Johns, Perry, Durand and Brighton, along with proposals involving roads, transportation, police, fire protection and parks.
Local contests include the Jackson mayoral race, crowded City Council elections in Mason and Owosso, and mayoral races in Charlotte, Eaton Rapids and Grand Ledge.
The ballot varies by address, so voters may see different candidates and local questions even within the same county.
Find your ballot
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone in line by 8 p.m. can still vote.
Voters can check their polling place and view their sample ballot at Michigan.gov/Vote.
WKAR's mid-Michigan voter guide has a county-by-county look at selected local races and ballot questions.
