Michigan Election Guide 2022: Key Races, Ballot Proposals

MICHIGAN — Michiganders will head to the polls Tuesday to vote in numerous key races and ballot proposals to help shape Michigan's future. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Michiganders will decide the governor's race, voting and abortion rights, as well as numerous state and U.S. Congressional seats. This will also be the first election under Michigan's newly drawn congressional districts.

All Michiganders must be registered in the state to vote in Tuesday's elections. You can check whether you're registered at the Michigan Voter Information Center website. If you're not, you can still register at your local clerk's office through 8 p.m.

Governor's Race

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon is trying to unseat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is seeking another four years in Lansing. A recent WDIV/Detorit News poll showed Whitmer had a nine point lead.

Whitmer has delivered on auto insurance policy changes, including a $400 refund from the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association, record funding for Michigan schools and promises to "fight like hell" to preserve abortion rights in the state.

Dixon, on the hand, has criticized Whitmer for her COVID-19 policies and has proposed reducing the personal income tax and eventually phasing it out to make the state more like Texas and Florida.

The conservative businesswoman from Norton Shores has also suggested proposal 3, which would protect abortion rights in the state, is "too extreme," but has suggested that Michiganders could "vote for Gretchen Whitmer's abortion agenda and still vote against her."

Attorney General's Race

Michiganders will decide whether to give Attorney General Dana Nessel four more years at the state's top law enforcement agency or back her Republican challenger Matthew DePerno. A recent WDIV/Detroit News poll showed the top nearly tied.

Nessel accused DePerno (and eight other high-profile figures) of illegally obtaining five voting tabulators from four Michigan counties and broke into them to perform "tests."

A special prosecutor has opened an investigation into DePerno, who has accused Nessel of "weaponizing her office" to "persecute her political opponents." He also said that "90 percent of the facts that (Nessel) lays out, that she calls facts in her petition, are either false or I have no knowledge of what she’s talking about."

Secretary of State's Race

Michiganders will also decide who the state's top official will be in overseeing every election, as Jocelyn Benson is seeking another term vs Republican challenger Kristina Karamo.

The Secretary of State oversees many of Michigan's day-to-day operations, including license plates, driver's licenses and elections — among many other jobs.

Benson was instrumental in overseeing the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, which former President Donald Trump said was stolen from him. Karamo, on the other hand, has said she would make sure there is confidence in election results.

Proposal 1

Michiganders have the opportunity to ditch the current term limits for state lawmakers in favor of reducing the number of years a state lawmaker can serve. If adopted by voters, the number of years a state lawmaker can serve will be reduced to 12, as opposed to 14. But a state lawmaker could serve all 12 of those years in one chamber.

Proposal 2

If approved by voters, the petition would expand the state's voting rights in numerous ways, such as requiring at least nine days of early in-person voting; banning harassment at polling places; allowing voters to fill out a single application to vote absentee for all future elections and allowing donations, which must be disclosed, to fund elections.

Proposal 3

Proposal 3, or the Reproductive Freedom for All, would amend the Michigan constitution to guarantee the right to make decisions about all matters relating to pregnancy, including birth control, abortion, prenatal care and childbirth, nullifying the state's 1931 law banning abortion.

Michigan U.S. 6th Congressional District

Representative Debbie Dingell is seeking reelection to the U.S. House to represent portions of western Wayne Count, including the Plymouth-Canton area and Ann Arbor. She is facing Republican challenger Whittney Williams for the open seat.

Michigan U.S. 10th Congressional District

Republican John James is trying a third bid to U.S. Congress, this time to represent portions of Macomb and eastern Oakland counties in the U.S. House. He is facing former Macomb County Prosecutor Carl Marlinga for the open seat.

Michigan U.S. 11th Congressional District

After winning a tough primary, Democrat Haley Stevens is seeking re-election to U.S. Congress to represent Oakland County in the House. She is facing Republican challenger Mark Ambrose.

Michigan U.S. 12th Congressional District

Democrat Rashida Tlaib is seeking re-election to U.S. Congress to represent most of Wayne County, including Dearborn, Livonia and portions of west Detroit. She is facing Republican challenger Steven Elliott.

Michigan U.S. 13th Congressional District

Democrat Shri Thanedar won a tightly contested primary to face Republican Martell Bivings for the heavily favored Democratic seat that represents Detroit and numerous downriver communities.

Detroit, the nation’s largest majority Black city, could be without a Black representative for the first time in nearly 70 years, if Thanedar wins the seat.