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Divided Michigan voters flock to the polls. Here are their voices

People waiting to vote
Voters head to the polls at Windmill Pointe Park in Grosse Pointe Park on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. The turnout has been steady since the polls opened at 7 a.m., according to Alison Kulas, the precinct 5 chairperson. As of mid-afternoon, nearly 300 people had voted in her precinct at the Lavins Activity Center located in the lakeside park. (Bridge photo by Kathy Kieliszewski)
  • Few issues reported at the polls throughout Tuesday
  • Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson predicted that turnout break a 64-year-old record
  • Voters expressed worry about the economy, democracy and war as they head to the polls

Michigan’s deeply divided electorate flooded to the polls on Tuesday, encountering heavy lines but few major problems on what could be a record day for turnout. 

Motivated by issues from inflation and abortion to immigration and foreign policy, millions turned out, and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson predicted Tuesday morning that Michigan could top 1960’s record 72.7% participation.

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The election was the first major one in Michigan since laws took effect broadening access to voting, including no-reason absentee balloting and nine days of early voting.

Before the first poll opened at 7 am, 46% of voters had already cast ballots.  

“It’s a great thing for voters and democracy,” Benson said, noting “the eyes of the nation are on us” as a battleground state.

As of 8 pm, major issues that marred the 2020 election had not been reported, despite some bomb threats at polling locations in Michigan and swing states that the FBI said originated from Russia and were not credible.

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Among other races, Michigan voters are deciding the successor to retiring US Sen. Debbie Stabenow, all 13 congressional representatives (including four that could tip the balance of power in the US House), control of the Michigan Legislature and state Supreme Court, as well as scores of councils, school boards and judgeships.

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But the marquee match was the acrimonious presidential election between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump. 

One common denominator among divided voters: fear.

Here are some of their voices.

Raymond Tadgerson, 58

Grand Ledge

Trump voter

Raymond Tadgerson poses for a photo

Raymond Tadgerson, who works in sales, said his two top issues heading were the economy and immigration.

“I know everybody’s 401(k)s are going great, but day-to-day life is a little bit different right now,” Tadgerson said. “It’s a little bit more of a struggle.”

He said the problems with increased illegal immigration have been “a burden on our finances, on our economy.”

“You can’t influx a huge group of people and not expect it to have some type of an effect,” he said.

And he thinks part of Trump's appeal is that other politicians don’t like him.

“I have looked at DC for years as it’s one big group,” he said. “I don’t think there’s two separate parties anymore, and I think honestly, they laugh at us behind closed doors.”

Grant Ainsworth, 34

Grand Rapids

Harris voter

Grant Ainsworth poses for a picture outside

Grant Ainsworth has twice voted for Trump. Not this year.

Now a father to a newborn, the data analyst said Trump “just doesn’t seem like a leader for children.” 

He said he leans Libertarian, but Harris’ plan to make the child tax credit a larger, monthly payment resonated with him as well as Trump’s behavior.

“Being a bully, possibly a bigot and calling people names” is not the example Ainsworth would want his child to see.

During Trump’s first term Ainsworth’s retirement account swelled, but as a price analyst at Meijer, he doesn’t place blame squarely on Democrats for inflation. He said Trump seems disinterested in unifying the country and hopes Harris would do better.

Erin Gifford, 47

Tecumseh

Trump voter

Erin Gifford poses for a picture outside

When Erin Gifford explains her vote, it comes with tears. A housewife with two children, one with asthma, Gifford said she voted for Trump and hopes he will win because her family’s life was better then.

Her husband, Robert, had a factory job making $27 an hour, she said, but lost it in 2023. Now he makes $12.50 and pays nearly a third of that each week to pay for health care.

“It’s less than half of what he made,” Erin said outside the polling station in Tecumseh, a purple city that voted for Trump in 2016 but then for Biden in 2020. “I pray to the Lord every day that we don’t have (health) issues.”

Gifford said she has tried to find work without success. “Nobody is hiring, although they say the economy is great,” Gifford said. 

She said she believes Trump “helped out regular workers before. He understood how hard it is.”

Roxanne Turner, 58

Eaton Rapids

Harris voter

A photo of Roxanne Turner

Lifelong Republican Roxanne Turner voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, but just couldn’t do it this time. “He scares me,” said Turner, 58, of Eaton Rapids south of Lansing. “He’s not talking about policy. He’s just insulting everybody.”

The last time Turner voted for a Democrat for president was 40 years ago, in 1984, when she voted for the first time and was drawn to the first woman to be nominated for vice president, Geraldine Ferraro.

This election, “I pondered it and pondered it. It was tough, because, you know, the border security and inflation. But at the same time, I don’t know what he (Trump) is going to do” if he regains office.

Turner said Trump’s blunt way of speaking is funny at times, but “we ain't laughing anymore.”

Sarah and John Fowler

Monroe

Voted for Trump

Sarah and John Fowler pose for a photo with their child in arms

Sarah and John Fowler cast votes for Trump — tired, they said, of trying to keep up with bills and hoping he can help lower prices..

John Fowler, 24, had voted with daughter, 1-year-old Artemis, on his lap, and in the parking lot, she wore his voting sticker.

“I want to be able to go to the grocery store and not have to spend $200 a week,” stay-at-home Sarah Fowler said.

She trusts Trump to tamp down inflation.

As they struggle to pay for groceries, John Fowler said he was also upset that  US aid continues to flow to Ukraine. Fowler said he works both as a certified nursing assistant and at the Meijer distribution plant north of Monroe.

“Something has to change,” he said.

Cedric Henry

Detroit

Voted for Harris

A photo of Cedric Henry posing for a photo outside

Cedric Henry, 83, of Detroit said the war in Palestine is a top issue.

“I’m very aware of what’s going on over there,” said Henry, who served in the National Guard and said he’s visited Israel several times. “They need to stop the damn war, killing all them folks, babies, and everybody, dropping bombs on everybody, they need to stop the war. Trump wants to keep the war going.” 

He said he wasn’t going to vote this year, but was persuaded to vote for Harris after she picked 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. A former San Francisco resident, Henry said he didn’t trust Harris but Walz’ experience — and gender — caused him to change his mind.

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Jen Roberts

Saline Township

Voted for Trump

Jen Roberts, 32, a data analyst and resident of Saline Township, said her biggest issues are inflation and immigration. 

Groceries were more affordable when Trump was president, she said, adding she hopes he “fixes the economy” and deports people who are in the United States illegally.

Bridge Michigan reporters Paula Gardner, Mike Wilkinson, Robin Erb, Ron French, Kelly House, Janelle James, Simon Schuster and Isabel Lohman contributed, as did BridgeDetroit reporter Jena Brooker

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