2020 Elections

There will be a new Republican serving on the bipartisan state board that certifies election results – most recently President-elect Joe Biden’s Michigan victory last November.  Governor Gretchen Whitmer -- a Democrat -- selected Tony Daunt from a list submitted by the Michigan Republican Party.  We have more from Radio’s Rick Pluta.

A week has passed since pro-Trump extremists attacked the U.S. Capitol.  In the meantime, more protests are planned, including one at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing.  Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss local efforts to assure public safety. 

The Washtenaw County Elections Department continues to see an increase in voter registration.  

From registering thousands of young Ann Arbor area residents to vote to informing the community about absentee ballots and other important election issues, the League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area has been working diligently to ensure democracy, especially during this past important political year.  Lisa Barry talks with local league president Joan Sampieri about those efforts and the league's plans to stay active in the new year.

State Attorney General Dana Nessel says her office has opened a criminal inquiry and is “actively investigating” whether members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers were the targets of illegal harassment as they met to certify the results of the November 3rd election.

A bipartisan state board has certified the results of the November 3rd election and awarded the state’s 16 electoral votes to President-elect Joe Biden. 

With the COVID-19 pandemic, racial injustice, and a highly volatile election season, 2020 has been a year of discontent.  Desiraé Simmons is co-director of the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice.  She says the good news is more people have become engaged and are working to take action, but it has to continue to grow.  Simmons joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the growing importance of civic engagement in this week's "Washtenaw United."

A Power to the People demonstration will take place Saturday, November 14th in Ann Arbor.  

President Donald Trump’s campaign has filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for Western Michigan to block certification of the state’s election results.  A similar case was also argued yesterday in the Wayne County Circuit Court.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

With the results of the presidential election unofficially declared, saying Joe Biden is believed to be the next President of the United States, there are questions and legal challenges being presented to those voting results.  Concerns are being raised in several political corners about alleged election voter count fraud.

WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with Evelyn Smith, a University of Michigan Ph.D candidate in economics, who volunteered on Election Day counting absentee ballots in Ann Arbor.

Three Ypsilanti City Council members will take the oath of office Monday night, November 9th after being elected on November 3rd. 

The City of Ann Arbor says the satellite voter registration office they opened at the University of Michigan’s Museum of Art Stenn Gallery was a success.  

The Washtenaw Economic Club held a virtual meeting Thursday to review the November 3rd general election.  

Michigan's overall 2020 election results are still coming in, but the race for the 12th Congressional District has been decided.  Incumbent Debbie Dingell decisively won re-election in her district, and she joins WEMU's Lisa Barry for a conversation about plans for her next term and her predictions for further election results, including the yet-to-be determined presidential race. 

The Washtenaw County Elections Department has completed its task in the 2020 general election.  Every single vote has been counted, and many local races were decided.

Washtenaw County director of elections Ed Golembiewski took time after his busy night to speak with WEMU's Lisa Barry about the overall voter turnout, local election results, and keeping voters safe at the polls.

"Too close to call" is the phrase being bandied about a lot this election, and Michigan is no different.

The state has more than 3.2 million absentee ballots to count, and election officials have previously stated it could be days before every voted has been counted.

Lisa Barry spoke with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to get her thoughts, and predictions about the 2020 election.

While over 161,000 people voted absentee in the November 3rd general election in Washtenaw County, others decided to vote in person.  WEMU’s Jorge Avellan spoke with several of them.

The 2020 General Election is not only historic because voters are choosing a president, but because we’re doing it in a pandemic.  And in Michigan, there are some new changes in effect that impacting the way people vote.

Lisa Barry spoke with Washtenaw County’s Director of Elections Ed Golembiewski about them and to find out how things are going at the polls.

Today’s elections will be historic in many ways: A record number of absentee ballots cast in a swing state in the midst of a health crisis.  Governor Gretchen Whitmer spoke with Rick Pluta about dealing with an election cycle where passions run hot and tempers are short. 

A democracy rally will be held on Wednesday, November 4th at the University of Michigan’s Diag.  

There is still time to obtain a new ballot for today’s November 3rd general election, if you made a mistake on your absentee ballot. 

Even though as many as three-fourths of Washtenaw County voters will be voting by absent voter ballots, according to local election officials, there will be some who vote in person on Tuesday.

WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with county director of elections Ed Golembiewski and Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton about local law enforcement precautions being put in place to make sure voters are safe.

The Civic Center building in Ypsilanti Township will be open only for voter registration and voting Monday, November 2nd and Tuesday, November 3rd.

The Michigan Supreme Court is the next stop in a legal fight over whether guns can be openly carried at polling places on Election Day.  Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel say guns can be intimidating – especially in a contentious election.  But gun rights advocates say the state can’t step on a right that’s guaranteed under state law.

City and township clerk offices across Washtenaw County will have extended weekend hours this week.  

With Halloween happening and a big football game rivalry being played that same day, as well as Election Day approaching, the desire to socialize and get together is going to be strong.

A number of Washtenaw County health and government leaders signed an open letter to the community reminding them of ways to avoid spreading the coronavirus during these busy times.  Lisa Barry spoke to Washtenaw County Health Department spokesperson Susan Cerniglia about the letter and its intent.

Ypsilanti voters will see two city proposals on next week’s general election ballot.  

Washtenaw County voters will decide next Tuesday who will represent them during the next two years on the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners. 

A countywide ballot issue will be decided next Tuesday, and it deals with land preservation.  A 10-year, quarter-mill tax renewal would sustain the Natural Areas Preservation Program (NAPP) for another 10 years.  For this week's "Issues of the Environment,"WEMU's David Fair talks with Washtenaw County's park planning and NAPP supervisor, Ginny Trocchio, about what the preservation program has meant to the county in its first 20 years, and what lies ahead--pass or fail--on Tuesday. 

The Chelsea School District and the City of Dexter each have a proposal that voters will see on the November 3rd general election ballot.