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Michigan Election 2026 Live: Secretary of State says 'no major concerns' at polls
All eyes are on Michigan as voters shape the balance of power and decide critical statewide ballot measures in the 2026 midterm election.
Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, a U.S. Senate seat, and two proposals are up for grabs, as well as plenty of local races. Follow along below for live updates, observations, and on-the-ground reporting from Michigan Public journalists.
📊 Essential election 2026 resources
- Michigan Midterm Election Results: Track live vote tallies and race calls in real time.
- Michigan Public Election Master Guide: Revisit candidate responses, proposal summaries, Q&As and more.
- Why Michigan Election Results Take Time: Learn from The Mids how pre-canvassing and absentee processing work across Michigan clerk offices.
- Michigan Voter Information Center
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What's at stake for schools, utilities and the environment
There's a lot of national attention on Michigan in this 2026 midterm election and for good reason, with critical races for U.S. Senate, governor and more that could shift the balance of power.
But there are plenty of statewide and local races on Michiganders' ballots that could shape everyday life across the Great Lakes State.
Colin Jackson of Michigan Public Radio Network, Micah Walker of Bridge Detroit, and Dustin Blitchok of Planet Detroit recently discussed what's at stake in Michigan and the races they're watching, including Detroit's school board race, data center development, ballot proposals, and more.
You can watch the video above (or tap here).
Detroit clerk expects record turnout
Detroit Clerk Janice Winfrey said over a quarter of the city's registered voters have already turned in a ballot as of 1 p.m. today.
That includes over 90,000 ballots that have been tabulated from early and absentee voting. Another 42,984 votes have been cast today.
Winfrey said she's anticipating up to 130,000 people will cast ballots today.
“We expect nearly 45% turnout, and that certainly is a record for a midterm,” she said.
Her office didn’t really do anything different to attract new voters, she said.
“I think people are maybe tired of the economy. Maybe they want more money in their pocket and they feel like maybe they can do something differently,” Winfrey said. “And if you've never voted before, voting is doing something differently that really matters.”
No issues have been reported at polling places thus far, she said, despite an unusually high number of federal and congressional election monitors.
“Everybody's being professional, being polite,” Winfrey said. “As long as it stays that way, we're good.”
The clerk's office aims to have all ballots counted by 4 a.m., though that may change depending on the number of absentee ballots that arrive throughout the day. Results from early voting and absentee ballots submitted over the last few weeks could be posted within an hour of polls closing.
Secretary of State: No major issues at polls yet
The Michigan Department of State says in-person voting is going smoothly aside from the usual amount of technical glitches with tabulators.
There are federal election monitors at polling locations across the state.
Kim Bush with the state Attorney General’s office says there have been a couple reports of monitors with the U.S. Department of Justice going outside the scope of their training.
“As with any large group of volunteers, there's likely going to be some people who make mistakes," Bush said. "We're going to continue monitoring and continue talking to the cities, but as of right now, we don't have any major concerns.”
The election monitors are in cities such as Detroit, Dearborn, and Lansing.
The 'I Voted' stickers you'll find at the polls this year
Polls are open across Michigan on Nov. 3 for the 2026 midterm election.
With that comes the opportunity to snag a special "I Voted" sticker, designed by students across the state, to display your civic participation.
Michigan’s “I Voted” sticker contest started during the 2024 election at the advice of Michigan’s Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force. Its results quickly went viral, in part due to the artistic skills of the then-12-year-old Jane Hynous, who drew an iconic sticker featuring a werewolf ripping its shirt off in front of the American flag.
This year’s contest received four times as many submissions as in 2024. The winners, like those of 2024, were chosen in an online vote that selected three winners each from three categories: Elementary/Middle School, High School, and General contestants.
Here are the options you’ll find at the polls this year.
