On Election Day, students prepared to vote across campus and the East Lansing area at their assigned polling location. Many were first-time voters who stood in line for hours after the polls closed to cast their vote.
While Michigan’s election results may have shocked some, first-time voter Astrophysics sophomore Alexis Arndt was not.
“I wasn’t surprised about Michigan because I know that it’s turning into a blue state,” Arndt said. “So most of the results were democratic, which I expected.”
Michigan’s Democratic incumbents swept the votes for governor, secretary of state and attorney general.
Tudor Dixon, a Republican, challenged Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, but Whitmer will remain in office for an additional four years.
Dana Nessel won the attorney general race against Matthew DePerno, a Republican trial lawyer and conspiracy theorist.
Jocelyn Benson, an American activist, politician, and former academic administrator, also won her race. Michigan Democrats also made history for the first time in nearly 40 years, gaining control of the state legislature.
Governor Whitmer attended Michigan State’s campus the day before Michigan’s polls opened for a final campaign event. According to an article by State News reporter Lily Guiney, during the rally, Whitmer focused on some achievements from her first term in office, like job growth and education funding.
Whitmer also encouraged students to vote yes on Proposal 3 – the Reproductive Freedom for All proposal.
Michigan State Alumna Savannah Feeley said it’s essential that everyone’s voices are heard and wishes more people would vote.
“I think that abortion is essential health care,” Feeley said. “I’m pleased that Michigan voted to add it to Michigan’s constitution.”
After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, states like Michigan, California, Kentucky and Vermont allowed voters to address the state’s constitutional rights regarding abortion.
In Michigan, residents cast more than 95% of votes , and 57% of those votes were “Yes,” allowing the proposal to create a state constitutional right to reproductive freedom, including decisions related to abortion and contraception.
Journalism and Political Science senior Taylor Truszkowski said she is pro-choice and wanted Proposal 3 to pass, allowing abortion to remain a right for Michigan women.
“I wanted it for myself, for my sister, for all the young women I know,” Truszkowski said. “It’s just safer for us this way, I think it’s really important women make their own decisions about what they want to do with their body.”