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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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Menominee, Michigan man arrested on sexual assault charges involving a minor

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Menominee, Michigan man arrested on sexual assault charges involving a minor


MENOMINEE, Mich. (WLUK) — 24-year-old Ethan Raymond Masters of Menominee was arrested on sexual assault charges June 30th, according to the Menominee County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office, deputies learned of an incident involving a 24-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl which happened in Menominee June 22nd. Following a sexual assault investigation, police charged Masters.

Masters was arraigned July 2nd on 2 counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct First Degree. He remains in the Menominee County Jail on a $250,000 cash bond.

Menominee City Police and the Michigan State Police Crime Laboratory of Marquette assisted with the investigation.

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Michigan immigration advocates react after Supreme Court ruling on Temporary Protected Status

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Michigan immigration advocates react after Supreme Court ruling on Temporary Protected Status


Twenty-four thousand immigrants in Michigan have Temporary Protected Status (TPS), but a recent Supreme Court decision could put their protection in jeopardy.  

TPS is a humanitarian protection granted to U.S. immigrants fleeing dangerous situations in their home countries, often from natural disasters or political instability. The status allows immigrants from the designated countries to live and work in the U.S.  

The Supreme Court overturned those for 356,000 Haitians and Syrians in a recent decision. While the court’s decision directly impacted Haitian and Syrian immigrants, it also established that the Secretary of Homeland Security has the authority to determine TPS status without judicial review or input from the courts.

That means that the Secretary of Homeland Security can eliminate TPS for any immigrant group that is currently in the U.S. under protection. That puts 1.3 million immigrants in the U.S. at risk of deportation. In Florida, 113,000 healthcare workers with TPS are at risk of deportation. The Haitian population in Philadelphia is also expressing concerns about what comes next for them.  

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“The Supreme Court turned its back on our moral and legal commitments to people seeking safety,” said Christine Sauvé, manager of Policy and Communication at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. “The decision eliminates legal protections for people fleeing danger and allows the Trump Administration to really advance its mass deportation agenda.”

Left without the ability to live or work in the U.S., these Haitian and Syrian immigrants with TPS now face deportation. But going back home could still be incredibly dangerous.

“It’s not really an option to go back to their home country,” said Melanie Goldberg, immigration attorney with the Institute of Metro Detroit. “In the case of Haiti, they don’t even have an airport in Port-au-Prince that’s operational. Yet they say it’s safe for these citizens to go back.”

In Michigan, immigrants with TPS have contributed $349 million to the state’s economy, a sign that they are deeply embedded in the community, according to Sauvé.  

“Many TPS holders have been in our communities for a very long time,” Sauvé said. “They’ve really spent decades building their lives here in Michigan. We welcomed them here, only to see that completely ripped away with the stroke of a pen.”

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The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center encourages Haitian and Syrian immigrants with TPS, as well as any immigrants in the U.S. with a TPS designation, to seek out a qualified legal service provider and review the “Know Your Rights” Materials on the MIRC’s website



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Sherrone Moore’s former assistant sues University of Michigan over alleged FOIA violations

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Sherrone Moore’s former assistant sues University of Michigan over alleged FOIA violations


A former University of Michigan assistant whose relationship with ex-coach Sherrone Moore was under investigation is accusing university officials of refusing to provide records related to the probe.

Paige Shiver filed the lawsuit on Wednesday in Washtenaw Circuit Court, claiming that U of M “arbitrarily and capriciously” violated the Michigan Freedom of Information Act by repeatedly denying her requests. Shiver and her legal team are seeking a court order requiring the university to disclose the records.

The lawsuit also alleges that throughout Shiver’s four-year employment with U of M, she was “discriminated against and subjected to a hostile work environment on the basis of her sex, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Michigan law including Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act.”

“The lawsuit filed today demands transparency and accountability from the University of Michigan, President Grasso and the Board of Regents,” said Shiver’s attorney, Andrew M. Stroth. 

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On Wednesday, CBS News Detroit reached out to U of M, which says it has no comment.

The investigation led to Moore’s firing in December 2025. At the time, it was determined that he was in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, who was later identified as Shiver. 

Moore was arrested hours later after authorities said he went to Shiver’s home and threatened to harm himself. He was charged with third-degree felony home invasion, as well as misdemeanor counts of stalking and of breaking and entering. Moore was sentenced to 18 months’ probation after pleading no contest to the two misdemeanor charges.

According to the lawsuit, Shiver filed a FOIA request in February 2026 for audio, video and transcripts of interviews of herself, her father, Jeff Shiver, and Moore. The lawsuit alleges that the university denied her request, citing the ongoing investigation.

The lawsuit alleges that Shiver submitted a similar request months later, in June, but was told by the university that it was “overly broad and vague” and “does not describe a ‘public record sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record.’”

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The lawsuit claims that requests were submitted in March and May, respectively, for all emails sent to the law firm Jenner & Block (UMconcerns@jenner.com) and for recordings of Shiver’s meetings by the university through Jenner & Block. However, those requests were denied because the university cited that it had no responsive records, according to the lawsuit.

The law firm was hired by U of M to investigate Moore and Shiver’s relationship. The university later expanded the investigation to include the athletic department.

The lawsuit also claims that Shiver requested copies of emails between Moore and athletic director Warde Manuel that contained the words “affair,” “discipline,” “pregnancy,” “baby” and “abortion.” The university denied the request, citing the communication between U of M employees as “exempt information,” according to the lawsuit.

However, Shiver’s legal team argued that the university has not shown evidence that the emails are exempt.

“This public university paid Jenner & Block $12 million to investigate the Sherrone Moore scandal and the abuse, Title IX and Title VII violations within the athletic department and Schembechler Hall, yet now refuses to release the investigation’s findings. It was important for our client to file this initial FOIA lawsuit to ensure the truth and facts come out,” Stroth said.

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Shiver appeared on ABC News’ “Good Morning America” in April to discuss her relationship with Moore. In the interview, she said she became pregnant by Moore and sought an abortion after medical complications were discovered about the pregnancy.


Note: The video above previously aired on April 14, 2026.



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