Detroit voters today have decided whether to renew funding for public libraries and parks while also picking candidates to represent each political party in November elections.
Polls are now closed in the city for the Aug. 6 primary election. The August primary precedes a general election in November.
BridgeDetroit voter guide: Everything you need to know for 2024 elections
The vast majority of Detroit voters support Democratic candidates, which means candidates who prevail in the primary typically have no trouble beating Republican opponents in November. Democratic primaries are more competitive as a result.
See all candidates who are on the ballot here.
Detroiters were able to cast ballots in-person nine days before the election by visiting early voting centers. As of Monday afternoon, 2,886 people visited early voting locations in the city. Another 43,657 voters turned in absentee ballots, either at monitored drop boxes or in-person to early voting sites.
The clerk’s office predicts 15-17% turnout among Detroit’s 516,399 registered voters. Roughly 71,000 voters requested absentee ballots.
What congressional races are on the ballot?
Tuesday’s primary included races for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat.
Democrat Elissa Slotkin and Republican Mike Rogers won Tuesday’s U.S. Senate primaries in Michigan, setting the stage for a high-stakes general election showdown between the current and former members of congress.
Voters on Detroit’s east side were picking the likely representative of Michigan’s 13th Congressional District.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Detroit, is defending his seat from two challengers: City Council Member Mary Waters and Detroit attorney Shakira Hawkins.
Republican Martell Bivings, a former business liaison with the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, is running unopposed in the Republican primary. Bivings was crushed by Thanedar in 2022, losing by 110,000 votes.
Detroiters on the west side had fewer options for candidates to represent Michigan’s 12th Congressional District.
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, had no challenger on the Democratic primary ticket.
Republican voters choose between tradesman James Hooper and nurse Linda Sawyer. Tlaib handily beat her Republican opponent in 2022 by 123,750 votes.
What state Legislature races are on the ballot?
Detroiters are also choosing candidates for several state House seats that were redrawn after a federal court found Michigan’s redistricting commission created maps that improperly used racial data to dilute the power of Black voters.
Voters can use this map to see which district they live in.
1st District: Democratic voters chose between incumbent state Rep. Tyrone Carter, D-Detroit, and Jay Lovelady. Republican Valerie Whittaker is running unopposed.
4th District: State Rep. Karen Whitsett, D-Detroit, was running unopposed. No Republican was running to challenge her in November either.
5th District: Democrats were choosing whether to nominate state Rep. Regina Weiss, D-Oak Park, who previously represented the 6th District. Weiss faces Oak Park residents Crystal Bailey, Kevin Keys and Eric Love. Republican Will Sears was running unopposed.
7th District: Democrats chose between Ernest Little, Tonya Meyers Phillips and Abraham Shaw. Republicans chose between Shelby Winiger and Barry Atlman.
8th District: State Rep. Helena Scott, D-Detroit, was running in this newly-drawn district against Chris Gilmer-Hill. Republican Alex Kuhn was running unopposed.
9th District: Incumbent House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, was facing primary challenges from Lory Renea Parks and Ryan Nelson. Republican Michele Lundgren was running unopposed.
10th District: Incumbent state Rep. Veronica Paiz, D-Harper Woods, was running against Justin Counts. Republican Griffin Wojtowicz was running unopposed.
11th District: Incumbent state Rep. Donavan McKinney, D-Detroit, was running unopposed. So was Republican Dale Walker.
12th District: Incumbent state Rep. Kimberly Edwards, D-Eastpointe, was running against Angela McIntosh and Patrick Biange. Republican Randell Shafer was running unopposed.
16th District: Incumbent state Rep. Stephanie Young, D-Detroit, was running against Keith Windham. Republican Brian Duggan was running unopposed.
17th District: Incumbent state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, D-Livonia, was running unopposed. So was Republican Rola Makki.
What local races are on the ballot?
Wayne County Commissioner: Democratic incumbent Jonathan Kinloch was running against Bobby Christian in the 2nd District. No Republicans were on the ballot.
Wayne County Sheriff: Democratic incumbent Raphael Washington was running against Joan Merriewether. Republicans chose between Articia Bomer and T.P. Nykoriak.
Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney: Democratic incumbent Kym Worthy was running unopposed.
Wayne County Clerk: Democratic incumbent Cathy Garrett was running against Hadi Tarraf. No Republicans ran.
Wayne County Treasurer: Democratic incumbent Eric Sabree is unopposed. No Republicans were running.
Wayne County Register of Deeds: Democratic incumbent Bernard J. Youngblood ran unopposed as did Republican Araf Ahmad.
Third Circuit Court: This was a nonpartisan race. Voters chose between Nicole Leighanne Castka, John Larkin and Adrienne Scruggs. Two candidates with the most votes will face off in November.
What ballot initiatives will voters decide?
Proposal A: Wayne County voters are deciding whether to remove a requirement to find a new financial auditor every eight years.
Proposal L: Detroit voters are deciding whether to extend a tax used to fund the Detroit Public Library for the next decade. The DPL is seeking renewal of a 3.9943 millage, which would also include a new exemption from certain tax captures that redirected some library funding.
Proposal P: Wayne County residents were asked to renew a millage used to maintain and upgrade public parks. The 0.2442 millage would last five years.
My name is Tonya Wells. I am the Republican write in candidate running in the race for the general election 2024. How can you just say she was not challenged in the fourth district state rep