Mark Your Calendars for Midterms
Voters in Michigan’s 35th State Senate District will have a Special Election to fill a vacancy in the State Senate. This is because the elected official who previously held that seat, Kristen McDonald Rivet, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, which triggered a Special Election to fill her vacant seat. Midland, Saginaw, and Bay City area voters have a Special Primary Election on Tuesday, February 3. The General Election for this seat vacancy will be on Tuesday, May 5. You can see if you’re an eligible voter in this Special Election by going to mi.gov/vote today.
For those of you experiencing election FOMO because you aren’t voters in Michigan’s 35th State Senate District: don’t fear, midterms are here. Midterms are elections that happen halfway through a president’s term. There are also local elections across the state on Tuesday, May 5. To see if you have local elections in May, visit mi.gov/vote. The Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, August 4, and the General Election is on Tuesday, November 3. From Congress to county officials, there are a lot of important roles up for election this year. Let’s take a look…
There are 33 United States Senate seats open for election this year. U.S. Senators serve six-year terms, so each election cycle, one-third of their seats are up for re-election. This year, Michigan will be electing a new senator to represent our state — and we, the voters, are on the hiring committee. Senators’ primary responsibilities are introducing and passing legislation, confirming presidential appointees, and managing oversight of the executive branch. Most importantly, the primary responsibility of U.S. Senators from Michigan is to represent the interests of Michiganders — they’re elected to office by the voters, so they work for the voters.
All 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives are up for re-election this year. U.S. Representatives serve two-year terms, so they are always up for re-election in a midterm year. The House is a key part of the legislative branch, and its primary responsibilities are to draft and pass legislation and manage the federal budget process. Senators represent an entire state and Representatives are elected to serve a piece of the state, known as a congressional district. Michigan has thirteen congressional districts, and you can find out which one you live in by going to mi.gov/vote.
There are several important roles in Michigan’s state government that are up for election this year. The governor, attorney general (AG), and secretary of state (SOS) roles are all open to be filled. In Michigan, the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general all serve four-year terms, and are term limited after serving two of them. The governor is the state’s chief executive, so they set policy and manage state agencies. The SOS oversees all state elections and voter registration, in addition to customer service responsibilities like driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations. The AG acts as the state’s top lawyer and is responsible for both legal counsel and law enforcement.
Michigan’s state legislative power functions similarly to the U.S. legislative body in that there is a House of Representatives and a Senate. There are 38 members of the Michigan Senate; state senators serve four-year terms and are elected in the same years as Michigan’s governor. Michigan’s House of Representatives is made up of 110 members and they serve two-year terms. Michigan’s legislature is responsible for considering new laws, managing state funds, and overseeing the executive branch. To see which State Senate and State House district you’re a voter in, go to mi.gov/vote.
There will be a lot more on the ballot, including: Michigan Supreme Court, intermediate appellate courts, school boards, municipal government, recalls, ballot measures, and whether to hold a state constitutional convention. We know that’s a lot to keep track of, but luckily MyBallotMyPower.org will have all of this information AND you’ll be able to build a customizable sample ballot before the August 4 Primary Election.
Stay tuned for more election updates, and when in doubt go to MichiganVoting.org!
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