A "vote" sign is staked outside Dixie Baptist Church in Oakland County's Springfield Township.

Michigan voters head to polls

Michigan voters headed to the polls this morning amid a pandemic that’s helped push absentee voting to record levels. More than 3 million Michigan voters have cast absentee ballots, according to the Secretary of State’s office, and 2 million people are expected to vote in person at the polls today. That could beat a turnout record of just over 5 million ballots cast in 2008.

Watch Focal Point: President Trump rallies in Lansing, enrollment down at MSU, and Spartan football prepares for game against U-M

On this edition of Focal Point, President Donald Trump visits Lansing for the first time ever. Our team meets supporters and protestors at the rally. With admissions down at MSU, Jacob Lothamer investigates how the school is handling a $54 million loss in revenue. We preview MSU football’s massive matchup with Michigan and catch up with Jalen Watts-Jackson. Those stories and more on Focal Point.

Ingham County City Hall Election Box

Ingham County voters are opting for absentee

As controversy continues to form around the 2020 Presidential Election, many local residents seem to have opted to vote absentee for the recent primary, and the numbers show similar trends for the general election in the fall. According to a July Detroit Free Press article by Paul Egan, over 22,000 voters have requested absentee ballots of which 60% have been returned. The total number of absentee ballots sent out for the 2016 Presidential election was 5,500. Michigan State student and Ingham County resident Cassy Landes said she knew “no matter what I wanted to vote in this election” so voting absentee was the only choice. “I thought about it (voting absentee), but I never seriously considered it until COVID reared its ugly head,” Landes said.

The race continues: Biden or Sanders

Former Vice President Joe Biden

A spokesman for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign announced Tuesday, March 24, that Sanders will debate Joe Biden if one is scheduled for April. Despite Biden’s wins in primaries across the nation, Sanders does not seem to be dropping out anytime soon. Over a month ago, representatives of six Democratic campaigns attended MSU College Democrats’ primary event on Feb. 20 with the intent to educate students on the candidates’ policies. 

“It all sort of fell together very nicely, so I’m really excited that it’s here, and I’m hoping that a lot of people turn out so that we can really make this an educational and worthwhile event,” said Mary Gibbons, president of MSU College Democrats. “We want to make sure that people have a good idea of what their plan is to vote before spring break.”

Only two candidates remain after a month of candidates dropping out of the Democratic presidential race: Sanders and former Vice President Biden.