Make Your Voting Plan for Michigan’s Presidential Primary

Make Your Voting Plan for Michigan’s Presidential Primary

There are 28 days left before the Michigan Presidential Primary.

Turn out is key in every election, and that’s the case in this year’s primary as well. 

A strong turnout in the Democratic race will send a message that Michigan Democrats are energized and ready to defend our freedoms and our democracy.

Of course, that 28 days is until Election Day itself - the day for in person voting at your local polling place. But as we outlined in our January 9th newsletter, because of the passage of Prop 2 in 2022 (and the actions to implement it by the state legislature) this year’s primary will be the first in Michigan to offer in-person Early Voting, along with other changes.

Below are key dates and resources to be aware of for the Presidential Primary.

PLEASE - DO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH OTHERS WHO YOU KNOW WOULD BE INTERESTED.

REGISTERING TO VOTE

• You can register to vote online or by mail until February 12th. (To register by mail, you can find contact information for your local Clerk here.)

• You can register to vote in person at any time, but starting February 13th email and online options are not available for the Presidential Primary, and registration MUST be in person. You must bring proof of residency with you when you register. In person voter registration is available at any time up until 8 PM Election Day. You can find more information about registering in person here.

ABSENTEE BALLOTS

• If you are already registered to vote absentee, you should have received your absentee ballot by January 18th.

• If you are not registered to vote absentee, you have until February 23 at 5 PM to apply for an absentee ballot online or by mail. (To request an absentee ballot by mail, you can find contact information for your local Clerk here.)

• You can request an absentee ballot in person at your local clerk’s office until 4 PM on February 26th.

• More information on absentee voting (which is available to any Michigan voter) can be found here.

EARLY VOTING

• Early in-person voting runs from February 17th until February 25th. The Early Voting Site for all Houghton County voters will be at Houghton City Center, 616 Shelden Avenue, Room 203, Houghton. (The site is accessible with an elevator.)

ELECTION DAY

• Election Day is February 27th. Polls are open for in person voting from 7 AM to 8 PM. You may also obtain absentee ballots at your local clerk's office until polls close, but only if you are registering to vote or updating your voter registration address at that time.

CANDIDATES

• A list of all the Presidential Primary candidates (Democratic and Republican) on the ballot in Michigan is available from the Secretary of State’s Office, and can be found here.

Run for Precinct Delegate

In a special mailer sent to our newsletter readers on January 5th, Brian Hoduski, co-chair of the HCDP’s candidate recruitment committee, asked each of us to consider filing and running for precinct delegate. There’s still time for you to do so.

Here’s a bit of what Brian had to say:

Governor Whitmer’s 2024 Agenda for Michigan

Governor Whitmer set forth her 2024 agenda for Michigan in her State of the State address last Wednesday.

With all the accomplishments of the last year, and an evenly divided state House until special elections this Spring, it’s not surprising that the Governor’s agenda seems more targeted and less revolutionary than last year.

In her address the Governor outlined her vision for a brighter future for Michigan, with overall goals to lower costs for Michiganders, improve education, and help anyone “make it in Michigan”.

Proposals for lowering costs include a MI Vehicle Rebate: $1,000 rebate for cars and $2,000 for electric vehicles. If assembled by a union, an extra $500—a total of up to $2,500 off at the point-of-sale. She also proposed the largest investment to build housing in state history, totaling almost $1.4 billion to build or rehabilitate nearly 10,000 homes. Finally, there is the Caring for MI Family Tax Credit, This proposal could save thousands of Michigan families up to $5,000 on their taxes, by allowing people to write off expenses related to caregiving for parents or children with long-term care needs.

In education the Governor proposes Pre-K free for all Michiganders under the age of 4, two years ahead of today’s allowance. She also wants to pursue two years of community college free for those pursuing associate’s degrees or skills certificates, a savings of about $4,000 per student.

Finally, there are the business-friendly proposals designed to help businesses and their employees “Make it in Michigan”. They include an R&D tax credit, lower payroll taxes for small businesses, an Innovation Fund to assist start-up businesses, and “renaissance zones” targeted at creating jobs in areas of the state that have been left out or left behind.

Video of the full State of the State address can be found on the Governor’s YouTube account, and a transcript of the address can be found on Michigan.gov.

This Choice is Clear - Our Meme of the Week

At a United Auto Worker conference last Wednesday the union’s president Shawn Fain announced the union’s endorsement of President Joe Biden. When Fain became the union’s president last year he and the union leadership made it clear that going forward endorsements from the union must be earned.

In announcing the endorsement Fain said: “…this choice is clear. Joe Biden bet on the American worker, while Donald Trump blamed the American worker. We need to know who’s going to sit in the most powerful seat in the world and help us win as a united working class. So if our endorsements must be earned, Joe Biden has earned it.” This was followed by video clips showing President Biden on the picket line this past summer as the UAW struck the Big Three automakers.

Fain appeared on Sunday on CBS’ Face the Nation show, and it’s a clip from that show that appears in our meme this week. Fain explained why the union chose to endorse Biden, beginnning by saying “I can’t fathom any union would support Donald Trump for President. Let’s be real...”

Our meme this week is from the Threads account “bidenharrishq” This account belongs to the rapid response team on the President’s campaign. If you are on social media and you aren’t following “bidenharrishq” you really should. They come up with some amazing stuff to bolster the campaign’s messaging.

Click through on the Threads post below to take a listen to Fain discussing why the UAW’s choice to endorse Biden was so clear.

At the Capital & Around the State

Michigan’s state House and Senate winter / spring session is off and running.

• Sen. Jeremy Moss, a Democrat from Southfield, said that bills to expand FOIA laws will be the subject of hearings by a Senate committee in February. Moss added that he was "very confident" that the Senate will ultimately sign off on the legislation.. MORE: Detroit News

• This month we commemorate a landmark of Michigan’s judiciary history - the first anniversary of Justice Kyra Harris Bolden’s appointment to the Michigan Supreme Court. MORE: Michigan Chronicle

• Republican House members are calling on their Minority Leader Matt Hall to step down amid allegations of domestic violence. MORE: Fox 2 Detroit

Next Monthly Meeting

HCDP Monthly Meetings: Unless otherwise communicated our monthly meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month. Potluck at 6 PM, Meeting at 7 PM. In the conference room at the Houghton Super 8, and by Zoom (starting at 7 PM).

NEXT MEETING: FEBRUARY 7TH

Community Events

THUR FEB 1

The South Range Village Council meets Thursday at 6 PM in the South Range Community Building. For more information contact the Village at [email protected] or (906) 482-8833.