LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Voters across 67 Michigan counties will head to the polls on Tuesday, May 5, with a slate of mostly local elections that can have a direct impact on daily life – from taxes to schools to public safety. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and in-person voting will be available in every participating jurisdiction.
What’s on the ballot?
While this isn’t a statewide, high-profile election year, many communities will decide:
- School millages and bond proposals (often tied to funding, building upgrades, and staffing)
- Local tax proposals affecting police, fire, and infrastructure
- City council, township board, and mayoral races in select areas
- Public safety and library funding measures
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These “smaller” elections often determine how local dollars are spent and how services operate – making them some of the most directly impactful for residents. With decisions being made at the local level, May 5 may not grab headlines – but it will shape communities across Michigan in very real ways.
Double-check before you go.
Officials encourage voters to confirm registration status, polling location, and ballot details through the state’s voter information system website here.
Senate showdown could shift power in Lansing.
One of the more closely watched contests on the May 5 ballot is a race that could reshape the balance of power during Gretchen Whitmer’s final year in office. The marquee race on the May 5 ballot is the special election for Michigan’s 35th State Senate District, covering Midland, Bay City, and Saginaw.
Democrat Chedrick Greene and Republican Jason Tunney are facing off to fill a seat that has sat vacant for more than a year after former Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet moved to Congress. The outcome carries outsized weight: Democrats currently hold a razor-thin majority in the Senate, and a Republican win could effectively erase that edge, potentially reshaping the balance of power in Lansing during Gretchen Whitmer’s final year in office.
