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How to vote and when to do it: A Michigan primary primer

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How to vote and when to do it: A Michigan primary primer


LANSING, MI — Though Tuesday, Feb. 27, is the official date for Michigan’s presidential primary this year, voters statewide have more options than ever for casting ballots ahead of time.

From who’s on ballot to how to cast one, here’s what you need to know about this month’s election.

What’s this election about?

Michiganders will get a chance to cast their votes in the upcoming presidential primary on Tuesday, Feb. 27.

The primary is a closed one, meaning voters must either opt for a ballot comprising solely Democratic or Republican candidates when either at the polls or voting absentee.

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Who’s on my ballot?

On the Democratic side, voters can choose from President Joe Biden and U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota.

Marianne Williamson, an author and speaker, will also appear on Michigan’s Democratic primary ballot despite dropping out of the race Feb. 7.

On the Republican side, there will be a slew of names on the ballot come election day, though only two are actually still in the running: former president Donald Trump and ex-U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

As with Williamson, candidates like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis or entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will still appear on Michigan’s Republican primary ballot since they dropped out of the race after Michigan’s printing deadline.

So what does that mean for me?

Nothing much will change for Democrats with respect to the primary. That’s to be expected, considering Michigan’s Democratic legislature was the one to push for the new primary date in 2023.

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For Republicans, however, the move is a bit more complicated.

When taking to the polls later this month, voters will see little difference from presidential primaries of years past. Behind the scenes, though, the Michigan Republican Party has worked with the Republican National Committee for months to finalize a hybrid caucus and primary plan.

Michigan Republicans’ internal presidential caucus would be tied for fifth in U.S.

A candidate needs to secure at least 1,215 delegates nationally to secure the Republican Party’s nomination. In Michigan, 55 of those delegates are up for grabs.

With the dual system implemented in 2024 – done to avoid Michigan Republicans being penalized for holding a primary prior to March 1, which violates RNC rules –16 of those 55 delegates will be awarded through a proportional system based on the Feb. 27 results. In order to win a delegate in the February election, a candidate will need to win at least 12.5% of the vote.

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The remaining 39 delegates would then be allocated in closed caucuses, held in each of Michigan’s 13 congressional district Republican parties. The RNC has reportedly approved a plan where officials in each congressional districts will vote how to award three delegates apiece.

Where can I check if I’m registered to vote?

Michiganders can check online with the Department of State to see a number of things, including:

  • Whether they are registered to vote;
  • Where their nearest ballot drop boxes are;
  • Where their polling place is located, if voting in person, and;
  • Where their local clerk’s office is.

How can I vote?

There are several ways Michiganders can cast their ballots later this month.

No reason absentee: Since 2018, Michiganders have been able to vote absentee without needing a reason to do so. Registered voters can request an absentee ballot online through the state’s online absentee voter request form. The last day to do so is prior to 5 p.m. the Friday before an election.

Forms to request an absentee ballot – which must be returned to your local clerk either in person or by mail to get an absentee ballot – are available to download online in English, Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, Spanish and in large print format. You can also call your city or township clerk and ask that an application for an absentee ballot be mailed to you if unable to print one.

For those who have already requested an absentee ballot, the state began mailing out those forms Jan. 18. Should you have already mailed yours back in, and are curious if that’s been received yet, you can check the status of your absentee ballot online.

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Voters will have until 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16 to spoil an already mailed absentee ballot, but would need to do so via in-person written request in order to receive a new ballot from their clerk’s office.

It’s recommended to turn in absentee ballots by hand to your local clerk’s office if doing so within two weeks of election day.

Early in-person: Effective Saturday, Feb. 17, voters may vote in-person ahead of the actual primary date. The last day to vote early, according to the Department of State, is Sunday, Feb. 25.

To find out where that’s available to you, click here.

On election day: Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. You have the right to vote if you are in line by 8 p.m. Click here to figure out where your polling location is.

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Why so many options to vote this year?

In 2022, 60% of voters approved Proposal 2, a constitutional amendment to expand voting rights in the state of Michigan.

As part of that amendment, the move:

  • Recognizes the fundamental right to vote without harassing conduct;
  • Requires military or overseas ballots to be counted if postmarked by election day;
  • Allows voters to verify identity with photo identification or signed statement;
  • Provides the right to a single application to vote absentee in all elections.
  • Require state-funded absentee-ballot drop boxes, and postage for absentee applications and ballots
  • Dictates that only election officials may conduct post-election audits;
  • Requires nine days of early in-person voting;
  • Allows donations to fund elections, which must be disclosed, and;
  • Requires canvass boards to certify election results based only on the official records of votes cast.



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Michigan

Michigan's Newest Lakeside Inn Is Giving Gilmore Girls Traditional, But in the Midwest

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Michigan's Newest Lakeside Inn Is Giving Gilmore Girls Traditional, But in the Midwest


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From dreamy decor to top-notch amenities, Domino’s “Wish You Were Here” series is your first-class ticket to the most design-driven getaways around the world. Whether you’re looking to steal away for a few days or just steal a few ideas for back home (we encourage both, for the record), check out where we’re checking in.

I was born and raised in the Midwest (specifically outside of Chicago), which means I spent summers exploring Lake Michigan’s shores for family vacations. So when I pulled up to the newly renovated Wickwood Inn in Saugatuck, Michigan, why did I feel like I was suddenly starring as an extra in an episode of Gilmore Girls?

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Courtesy of Wickwood Inn

That magic is partly due to the charming town but also thanks to Martin Horner and Shea Soucie of Soucie Horner, their Chicago-based design firm, who bought the 1937 home two years ago and turned it into a modern inn befitting of Stars Hollow.

Vintage desk with four bird prints above

Courtesy of Wickwood Inn

Before the pair could make any cosmetic changes, they first had to consider the building’s history: Since the ’90s, the colonial structure was already a beloved inn run by adored cook Julee Rosso, author of The Silver Palate Cookbook. “When we bought the inn, we were very conscious of [Rosso’s popularity and returning guests], but we also had to make it our own,” Horner says. So instead of taking down walls and turning the 11-room property into a sleek Scandi hotel, they paid homage to the legendary former owner by working in details that were already there, like the art and furniture, which they reupholstered or repurposed. (The bathrooms however? Those were gutted and replaced with new tile and marble.) 

View into bathroom with blue vanity

Courtesy of Wickwood Inn
Wood paneled guest room with clawfoot tub in room

Courtesy of Wickwood Inn

The rest of the inn’s “jewelry,” as Horner calls it—like the bamboo bed frame in the room I stayed in—came from epic vintage shopping trips, Facebook Marketplace hauls, and even Horner and Soucie’s own homes. In fact, no two guest rooms are exactly the same other than the lighting, bedding, and Waterworks faucets. To further keep consistency, they went with a soothing, neutral Benjamin Moore paint palette. (Fan favorite White Dove was their go-to in most areas.) New Vispring mattresses appear in each guest room, too. 

Bamboo bed frame with white bedding and green pillow

Courtesy of Wickwood Inn

In the lobby and dining room, a fireplace and wood-paneled walls adorned with one of Rosso’s original tapestries, create cozy spaces in which to convene before a day spent exploring the area’s wineries and art galleries (prioritize Ox-Bow, trust me). Plus the backyard and screened-in gazebo are the perfect places to sip cocktails or indulge in the lobby’s complimentary chocolate chip cookies. 

Traditional-style room with lamp and chair

Courtesy of Wickwood Inn
Open shelving with bowls and fresh fruit and vegetables on counter

Courtesy of Wickwood Inn

The result almost feels delightfully non-Midwest, and certainly not beachy, even though the inn is just steps from the Kalamazoo River, where you can rent a candy-colored retro boat for an afternoon (highly recommend). Instead, the quiet luxury vibe paired with former Oprah Winfrey chef Rose Duong’s refined menu and the warm welcome from general manager Susan Michele make the whole experience decidedly Midwest. The only thing missing is Luke’s Diner.

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Ferndale man receives first beating-heart transplant in Michigan

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Ferndale man receives first beating-heart transplant in Michigan


Michigan’s first two beating-heart transplants took place at Henry Ford Health in Detroit recently.

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On his 58th birthday, Ken Miller of Ferndale was given the news that he would be undergoing the first-ever beating-heart transplant in the state.

Now, he is in the process of recovering. 

“I didn’t expect to be feeling this well,” Miller said. “I’m feeling great and blessed.”

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Miller had been in heart failure for more than a decade. He spent 25 days in a hospital bed, on a machine, prior to receiving his new heart –and a kidney– on May 31.

“I’m really excited about this outcome and excited about how well this heart worked,” said cardiac transplant surgeon at Henry Ford Health, Dr. Kyle Miletic.

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Ken Miller of Ferndale underwent Michigan’s first ever beating-heart transplant on May 31, 2024. (Provided by Henry Ford Health)

Heart transplantation has come a long way.

Generally, a donor heart is good for about four hours, which limits how far away a donor heart can come from. However, the “heart in a box” technology has been a breakthrough – which is a mini heart lung machine that keeps the heart beating.

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But still, the heart has to be stopped, twice, before being transplanted.

“We are always very concerned every time we have to stop the heart. Now, it’s inevitable. It’s going to have to be stopped once at the donor hospital to put it on this box, but the problem is we have to stop it a second time,” Miletic said.

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That can be problematic. But with the beating heart transplant technique, the donor heart does not have to be stopped a second time; it keeps beating.

“We hooked the donor heart up to his own blood stream. Once it came from the box, his blood was providing that blood and the nutrients to his new heart, and we sewed it in again as it was beating,” Miletic said.

Henry Ford surgeons performed a second beating-heart transplant just last week. That heart came from about 2,000 miles away.

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“Despite being the furthest distance we’ve ever traveled – really woke up right away with no issues, and that patient is doing extremely well and has excellent cardiac function,” the doctor said.

The new technique is not only revolutionary for heart transplant patients, but liver and lung patients as well.

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As for Miller, he’s ready to get back on his feet and back to his family.

“I look forward to just being able to move, walk, go upstairs,” he said. “All the things we take for granted.”



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Storms close Michigan’s Adventure for the day

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Storms close Michigan’s Adventure for the day


FRUITLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Storms Tuesday morning forced Michigan’s Adventure to close for the day.

The park closed “due to a power outage and inclement weather,” it announced on its Facebook page. It said most tickets for Tuesday will be honored through Labor Day.

“Thank you for understanding,” it wrote.

A line of strong storms swept through West Michigan Tuesday morning, leaving tens of thousands without power. Damage from the storms included downed trees and broken windows at a Grand Rapids post office.

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Consumers Energy crews will be working throughout the day to restore power. Some may not have power back until Wednesday, a Consumers Energy spokesperson told News 8.

Michigan’s Adventure isn’t the only West Michigan closure. Some local schools and churches, including many in Kent County, have canceled summer activities for the day.



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