Bar

The Williamston Roadhouse hosts Trump supporters on election night

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The Williamston Roadhouse, located on 3700 E. Grand River Ave., featured Fox News on its TVs Tuesday night for patrons watching the presidential election coverage. Credit: Brian Goldsmith

Election night at the Williamston Roadhouse is a relaxing sight for people looking to wind down in the company of their peers, said Sammual L. Hitchcock, 30, a Leroy Township farmer. The Trump supporting-patrons are in high spirits on Tuesday night as they watch the presidential election coverage on Fox News. The restaurant is decorated in Trump-Pence 2020 banners and signs.  

Patrons

Watching the election coverage at the Williamston Roadhouse is a great place because the bar is located only a mile and a half from his house, said Hitchcock. “There’s great people here, we all get along, [and] we’re all hard-working people,” he said.

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

Michigan voters head to polls

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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.

Capital News Service
Total value of in-kind contributions in races for sheriff in Michigan’s 10 most populous counties. Numbers include multiple candidates in some counties and covers from Jan. 1, 2018 to the post-primary filing deadline of Sept. 23, 2020. An in-kind contribution is a non-monetary contribution such as goods or services.

Cigars and vacuum among in-kind contributions to sheriff candidates

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POLITICAL VACUUM: Cigars, a vacuum, a crossbow and $1,200 worth of Red Wings tickets are among the in-kind political contributions Michigan sheriff candidates received in the run up to the 2020 election. A Capital News Service study found that candidates for sheriff in Michigan’s 10 most populated counties received over $69,000 in in-kind campaign contributions. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard received the most – $14,398.14. The average among the 13 candidates who raised or spent enough to file reports was $5,326. Campaign finance experts say the contributions are poorly monitored and penalties for violating contribution rules are rare. By Kyle Davidson and Josh Valiquette. FOR ALL POINTS. Editor’s note: This story is part of a CNS series on money in county political races that can be used up to the election and beyond. The rest of the stories with graphics: County Campaign Finance.

East Lansing

MSUvote extends advice, help to student voters

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MSUvote’s foundation is built on reaching out to student voters and getting them to perform in their civic duty.

MSUvote is a nonpartisan group that tells students that their vote counts and is important and that voting is a great way to have your voice heard and make an impact.

Co-chair of the MSU vote coalition Renee Brown reaches out to the student voters, even if most on-campus classes are down. Brown said that the main focus is to get as many people as possible to register to vote. 

“Registration, Education, Participation,” said Brown. “The whole focus is that the students have the information that they need.”

Absentee Ballot

Absent Voter Counting Board critical to upcoming presidential election

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Absentee voter putting his ballot in the Election Drop Box outside Lansing City Hall. Credit: Asya Lawrence

Because absentee ballots doubled compared to the 2016 presidential election, Ingham County’s counting board is critical to this election. This county board is made up of county residents who will process and account for each ballot. 

Absent Voter Counting Board 

An absent voter counting board or AVCB is a separate group of inspectors who process absentee ballots in designated locations with their own tabulators. 

The AVCB  handles large numbers of absentee ballots said Ingham County Clerk, Barb Byrum. She said changes have been made this year in terms of operating the counting boards. 

Typically, absentee counting boards usually occur at the local level at the city and township clerk’s office; however, the Governor signed Public Act 95 of 2020 that allows for a consolidated county absentee counting board, said Byrum. 

Need for an AVCB due to high volume of absentee ballots

Michiganders are choosing to avoid physically going to the polls and are voting via absentee ballot instead. 

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson recently announced that over 2.7 million voters have requested an absentee ballot. Compared to the 2016 presidential race, there has been a 145% increase in requests of mail-in ballots, according to The Detroit News.  

Clerk Byrum explained the county has received 60,771 absentee ballots.