DETROIT (WXYZ) — Michigan's midterm election is tomorrow.
And there's a lot on the ballot — from Michigan governor, to state attorney general, congressional seats, school boards, judgeships and much more.
And then there's the three statewide ballot proposals voters will decide on covering issues like abortion, voting rights, and term limits.
We asked metro Detroit voters what issues are impacting their decisions come Tuesday.
“The economy, food of course,” is what Chuck Ingram of Southfield told Action News as he was loading groceries into his car.
Chuck voted early. Detroiter Deborah Clemen is heading to her precinct in-person on Tuesday. We asked what’s driving her to the polls.
“Definitely, proposal 3,” she said out of a Kroger in Southfield.
Prop 3 is likely the ballot measure you’ve heard the most about. It covers things like birth control, abortion, infertility care, and more.
“In short, Proposal 3 makes reproductive freedom a right in the state’s constitution,” said Jonathan Hanson, a lecturer at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at U of M.
On the subject of abortion, a "yes" vote on Prop 3 would allow lawmakers to ban or regulate the procedure after fetal viability — that’s usually around 24 weeks.
There's a lot included in the proposal. 7 Action News went in-depth on the language of the proposal, what's behind it, and what a yes or a no vote on the measure would mean for Michiganders. You can learn more specifically on Proposal 3here.
Here’s what other proposals you’ll decide on:
Prop 1 deals with term limits and financial disclosures for state elected officials. Let’s start with term limits - A “yes” vote would limit state lawmakers to serving 12 years in the legislature instead of the current 14.
“But the big difference would be that all twelve of those years could be the same legislative body. So one could serve 12 years in the house or in the senate or 12 years overall,” said Hanson.
The financial disclosure portion of Prop 1 would be a significant change for our state, Hanson said.
"Compared to other places and the federal government, Michigan has not had as much transparency for the finances of elected officials in the state," he told Action News. "So this would be a step that brings Michigan in line with what's happening in the federal government and with many other states."
If passed, state lawmakers like the governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and state legislators would need to file financial disclosures showing things like:
“Their assets, their liabilities, their sources of income, and any gifts that they receive from lobbyists,” said Hanson.
Prop 2 focuses on voting and voter rights. A "yes" vote supports an amendment to Michigan’s constitution to require nine days of early voting and guarantees a right to vote absentee, among other things.
“Additionally voters would be able to request an absentee ballot for every election in the future so that it would just come automatically,” Hanson added.
If Prop 2 were to pass, it would also require any audits of an election be done by public officials in Michigan, not outside private firms.
There's also several judgeships at stake on Tuesday. From state supreme to circuit court, district, and appellate court. The non-partisan posts are for six year terms, with the exception of state supreme which is for eight years.
If you want to explore what on your sample ballot and perhaps get to know some candidates better. You can find a sample ballot and tons of other helpful resources ahead of Tuesday. Just click on the Democracy 2022 portion of WXYZ.com.