It’s Election Day in Detroit and your final chance to have a say in school and transit proposals and narrow the field of contenders for governor, Congress and the state Legislature.
Polls opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m. City Clerk Janice Winfrey has said that she expects a 20% turnout for the Aug. 4 midterms and encouraged Detroiters to get out and vote, stressing that the election is safe and secure.
City faith-based groups urged Detroit’s City Council to sign a pledge to abide by the US Constitution and state election laws after the US Department of Justice confirmed in July that it would send election monitors to polling sites in Detroit, Lansing and East Lansing. Federal officials have been ramping up scrutiny of Michigan elections amid President Donald Trump’s continued claims the 2020 presidential election he lost was rigged against him.
Just over 4,500 Detroit voters cast ballots at the city’s early voting sites as of 5 p.m. Sunday, according to information provided by the clerk’s office.
If you need a free ride to the polls, the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) and Detroit Department of Transportation – for both its fixed routes and paratransit – are offering those services. No fares, passes, or tickets will be required.
Here’s a refresher of what’s on the ballot:
Wayne County transit millage
In Wayne County, 17 communities, including Detroit, get another chance to vote on a 10-year millage to fund public transit.
The proposal asks voters to authorize the Wayne County Transit Authority to levy a millage to fund transit operations, maintenance and expand services for seniors, veterans, people with disabilities and the general public.
If approved, the millage is expected to generate about $50 million annually, and revenue collected in Detroit – a projected $7-10 million – would stay in the city to boost frequency, reliability and regional connectivity of the DDOT system.
The millage would be levied up to a maximum rate of just under 1-mill, or 0.9831 mills, which translates to $0.98 cents per $1,000 of taxable value, amounting to about $8 a month for a home with a taxable value of roughly $100,000. The levy would begin in the 2026 tax year and end in 2035.
Read more:
- Wayne County transit millage explained: what it is, how much it costs
- Detroit legislators back Wayne County transit millage
- Wayne County residents file lawsuit over transit millage meeting, ballot language
- Judge makes decision in suit challenging Wayne County transit millage
DPSCD operating millage
Detroit Public Schools Community District is asking voters to support its collection of an 18-mill levy, which has been collected by Detroit Public Schools and was last renewed by voters in 2024.
The millage will not affect homeowners, but the tax would be for non-homestead properties, such as businesses and people who own rental properties, notes DPSCD Superintendent Nikolai Vitti.
“This isn’t a new tax or a higher tax. It’s just basically switching the current DPS millage to a DPSCD millage, which now runs our district,” Vitti said at a school board meeting in the spring.
If the millage fails, the proposal will appear on November’s ballot. If it does not pass then, the district may have to pay between $1 million and $2 million to the city to hold a special election in May 2027.
Vitti has said that DPSCD must get voter approval to collect the operating millage by July 1, 2027. If voters reject the millage by that date, DPSCD will go into a $120 million deficit.
Who are the citywide candidates?
Two Democrats and two Republicans are vying in the primary to replace term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. One Democrat and one Republican will face off in the Nov. 4 general election.
The candidates are:
- Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat
- US Rep. John James, a Republican
- Businessman Perry Johnson, a Republican
- Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, a Democrat
Here’s more about who is running and where they stand on the issues:
- Where Michigan governor candidates stand on schools, literacy
- Where Michigan governor candidates stand on health care costs, access
- Where Michigan governor candidates stand on data centers, the environment
- Governor hopefuls pitch economic plans, from tax cuts to arts and culture
- Who’s funding Michigan governor candidates? New filings reveal top donors
12th Congressional District
The district covers Western Detroit, along with areas like Dearborn, Redford, and Southfield. Whoever wins for the Democrats will go on to face the lone Republican candidate in November. Read more here.
- Rashida Tlaib (D) – incumbent
- Shanelle Jackson (D)
- Byron H. Nolen (D)
- James D. Hooper (R)
13th Congressional District
The district covers Eastern Detroit, along with suburbs like Hamtramck and the Grosse Pointes. Read more here.
- Shri Thanedar (D) – incumbent
- Donavan McKinney (D)
- Mary Waters (D) – disqualified and running a write-in campaign
- John Goci (D) – disqualified and running a write-in campaign
- Martell D. Bivings (R) – disqualified and running a write-in campaign
- Articia Bomer (R) – Official write-in candidate
- T.P. Nykoriak (R)
Check out the full BridgeDetroit voter guide for more on the state House and Senate races.