The Michigan Daily has put
together a 2020 general election
guide to help Ann Arbor voters
understand what is on their ballot.
Look below to see what options you
have from the two major parties
in federal and state races this
November.
Federal and State Elections
President and Vice President
of the United States
Joseph R. Biden and Kamala
Harris (D)
Biden
is
the
Democratic
presidential nominee. The former
Vice President served in the
White House during the Obama
Administration
and
previously
served as a U.S. Senator from 1973-
2009.
Biden’s campaign “Build Back
Better” plan focuses on creating
a
strong
economic
response
to
the
pandemic,
improving
racial
equality,
providing
the
infrastructure needed for clean
energy and reforming the country’s
immigration laws.
Harris is the Democratic vice
presidential nominee. She ended
her
personal
presidential
bid
late in 2019 to endorse Biden and
was named as his running mate
in August. As a U.S. Senator for
California, she is on the Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs
Committee and the Committee on
the Judiciary, among others.
She previously served as an
assistant district attorney and later
became the Attorney General of
California.
Donald J. Trump and Mike
Pence (R)
Trump
is
the
Republican
presidential nominee and 45th
president of the United States. A
businessman, Trump is the first
president to be elected without
prior
military
or
government
experience.
Trump’s “Make America Great
Again” campaign is focusing on
building a strong economy and
lowering taxes. Since the start
of
the
coronavirus
pandemic,
however, the economy has suffered
as small businesses around the
country have closed and millions of
people have lost their jobs. Trump
recently
contracted
COVID-19
himself but has since recovered.
The Trump campaign has also
been
vocal
about
introducing
harsher
immigration
policies,
particularly on the southern border.
Pence
is
the
Republican
Presidential
nominee
and
is
the 48th vice president of the
United
States.
He
previously
represented Indiana in the House
of Representatives from 2001-2013
and was the Governor of Indiana
from 2013-2017.
U.S. Senate
Gary Peters (D)
Peters is a lifetime Michigan
resident seeking reelection to the
Senate. He is finishing his first
term in the Senate where he was
ranked the fourth most effective of
all Democratic Senators.
Peters previously served in the
U.S. House for three terms. After
serving in the U.S. Navy Reserve
for more than a decade, Peters is the
ranking member on the Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs
Committee and also sits on the
Armed Services Committee. Peters
is focused on strengthening the
Michigan economy, protecting the
Great Lakes and national security.
In an interview with The
Daily this summer, Peters said
that protecting the Affordable
Care Act, promoting affordable
higher education, tackling racial
inequality and a public-health
informed COVID-19 response are
at the top of his agenda.
John James (R)
A University of Michigan alum,
veteran and business owner, John
James will be challenging Peters
in November, facing a Democratic
incumbent for the second time
after challenging current U.S.
Senator Debbie Stabenow in the
2018 election.
James’ campaign is unique, as
he is the only Black Republican
running for a seat in the Senate
in this election cycle and he has
received
national
recognition
for his tremendous fundraising
campaign. He has faced criticism
for his support for the president,
but has declined to disavow Trump.
James is focused on building
an
innovation-driven
economy
by cutting regulation, securing
borders to protect national security
and utilizing incentives for private
corporations to limit pollution and
protect the environment.
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D)
Dingell is seeking reelection
to the United States House of
Representatives.
The
Dingell
family has held office in Michigan’s
12th congressional district for more
than 80 years. She was preceded by
her late husband John Dingell Jr.
and his father John Dingell Sr.
Dingell serves on the House
Committee
on
Energy
and
Commerce
and
the
House
Committee on Natural Resources.
She has long been an advocate
for liberal causes from accessible
health care to the environment.
Jeff Jones (R)
Jones is challenging Dingell as a
Republican. Jones currently serves
as a pastor and works in financial
services at MassMutual. Jones has
challenged Dingell in the past three
election cycles and is focused on
reforming the health care system,
improving veterans affairs and
senior care this election cycle and,
if elected, wants to break from the
status-quo of politics to transform
policy to work more effectively for
12th district residents.
Michigan
House
of
Representatives, 53rd District
Rep. Yousef Rabhi (D)
Rabhi
is
the
Democratic
Floor Leader in the Michigan
House of Representatives and is
currently serving his second term
representing the 53rd State House
district. He has been a consistent
progressive
voice
in
Lansing,
advocating
for
single-payer
universal
healthcare,
enacting
Green New Deal policies at the state
level and reversing cuts to funding
for public schools and universities.
Jean Holland (R)
Rabhi’s
challenger
Holland
works
professionally
in
IT
consulting and as a software
developer and engineer. Holland
is a strong advocate for Second
Amendment rights and supporting
the growth of businesses across the
state.
Michigan Supreme Court
While candidates for the state
Supreme Court are nominated by
parties, they run in nonpartisan
races in the general election.
Bridget Mary McCormack
McCormack was elected to the
Michigan Supreme Court in 2012
and currently serves as the Chief
Justice. McCormack has been
endorsed by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters,
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, U.S.
Rep. Debbie Dingell and many
other democratic local and state
elected
officials.
McCormack
previously served as a professor and
associate dean at the University of
Michigan Law School. McCormack
currently teaches at the Law School
and sits on the Board of Washtenaw
County Families Against Narcotics,
working to address the opioid crisis.
Elizabeth Welch
Welch is a Michigan attorney
serving individuals, nonprofits and
small businesses. Welch is a long-
time East Grand Rapids School
Board Trustee and is the former
president of the Michigan League
of Conservation Voters. Welch has
been endorsed by the Detroit Free
Press and numerous prominent
Democrats, including U.S. Reps.
Debbie Dingell, D-Mich. and Dan
Kildee, D-Mich. Welch plans to
bring her diverse set of experiences
to the court if elected and is focused
on and passionate about the fight
for equity in public education.
Mary Kelly
Kelly is a graduate of Michigan
State University and received her
law degree from the Detroit College
of Law. Kelly previously served as
a prosecutor in St. Clair County,
as an attorney and as a general
practitioner in private practice
with an emphasis on domestic
cases, civil litigation and criminal
matters. Kelly’s platform said she
is focused on holding individuals
accountable for their actions if
elected to the Michigan Supreme
Court.
Brock Swartzle
Swartzle has been endorsed
by more than 85 local officials
and the Farm Bureau AgriPac,
Michigan Chamber of Commerce
and Michigan Realtors. Sawrtzle
plans to put politics aside and focus
on the law if elected, particularly
to respect the federal governing
bodies but legislate for Michigan as
a separate sovereign.
University of Michigan Board
of Regents
Mark Bernstein (D)
Bernstein has been on the
board of regents since 2012 and
is a University of Michigan alum.
He supports providing accessible
public education while promoting
diversity and protecting labor and
the environment. Over the summer
Berstein voted in favor of a tuition
increase in this year’s budget
and has expressed his support in
aligning the University with Ann
Arbor’s carbon neutrality goals.
Shauna Ryder Diggs (D)
Diggs
also
graduated
from
the University of Michigan as an
undergraduate and has served on
the board of regents for the last
eight years. She supports efforts to
make college more affordable and
to provide more equitable funding
across
the
University’s
three
campuses. Diggs voted against the
budget this summer that included
a tuition increase and has been
receptive to the Climate Action
Movement and One University’s
criticism of the Board’s response to
climate change.
Carl Meyers (R)
Meyers, also a University alum,
has previously run for the Board
of Regents numerous times. He
supports resuming athletics and
returning to in-person activities,
in addition to calling for a tuition
freeze. Meyers has also said
he would prioritize protecting
civil liberties and free speech on
campus.
Sarah Hubbard (R)
Like Meyers, Hubbard is an
alum who wants to fight increases
in tuition and backs returning
students
to
in-person
classes.
Hubbard is also a vocal supporter
of the Second Amendment and pro-
life movement, claiming that these
voices need to be heard more at the
University.
DESIGN BY MEGHANA TUMMALA
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
News
Wednesday, October 28, 2020 — 3
The Michigan Daily’s state and federal election guide
Learn more about the different options that will be at the top of the ballot for voters living in Michigan this November
HANNAH MACKAY &
SARAH PAYNE
Daily Staff Reporters
Students can still vote under stay-in-place order
Washtenaw County clarifies U-M undergraduates can participate in election-related activities despite COVID-19 restrictions
ANGELINA LITTLE
Daily Staff Reporter
University
of
Michigan
undergraduates can vote and
participate in election activities
as well as study by themselves
in designated areas on campus,
according to a Friday update
to the stay-in-place order from
the Washtenaw County Health
Department.
Registering to vote, working at
polling stations and participating
in campaign outreach are all
allowed.
Students can also go on campus
to access “essential technology”
at designated areas with single
person study spaces. Permitted
activities
include
studying,
printing or participating in virtual
classes. The order still prohibits
studying in groups or going to
study at coffee shops, restaurants
or “other establishments where
multiple
students/people
may
gather, even if they are on campus
or in U-M buildings.”
Students must follow social
distancing guidelines and wear
face masks if they leave their
homes.
The stay-in-place order issued
by the county Tuesday to prevent
further
spread
of
COVID-19
initially included a number of
exceptions for students to leave
their residences, including voting.
The
University
continues
to
encourage students to vote.
University
President
Mark
Schlissel stressed this exception
to the order in his weekly COVID-
19 update email Friday morning.
“The
Washtenaw
County
Health Department Stay in Place
order
specifically
exempted
election
related
activities
at
polling places, including going out
to register to vote and to vote on
or prior to election day,” Schlissel
wrote. “Additionally, the order
exempts working or volunteering,
which could include working at
a polling place, to the extent the
work cannot be done remotely
and you have the approval of the
employer.”
Students are encouraged to
continue to make use of the Ann
Arbor City Clerk satellite office
in the University of Michigan
Museum of Art, which opened
last month to assist students in
registering and voting in the
upcoming election. As of Oct.
13, more than 2,600 students
registered to vote and around
3,000 voted in-person or returned
their
absentee
ballot
at
the
UMMA.
With 11 days to Election Day,
UMMA will extend its hours to
remain open on Saturdays from
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. beginning on
Saturday.
Macy
Lighthall,
assistant
manager at the UMMA store, said
she has observed some difference
in student traffic since the stay-
in-place order took effect but says
it remains unclear how exactly it
will affect the number of students
voting.
“The day before the stay-at-
home mandate, or order, we had
a line for voting… almost to the
street … along with full capacity
inside the building,” Lighthall
said. “And then today, for a very
nice day on Friday, around noon,
it’s been very quiet. We don’t
have a full line, we are not at full
capacity, so… I guess I would say
there’s definitely been a difference
but I don’t know the numbers
exactly for the week.”
Daily News Reporter Angelina
Little can be reached at angelit@
umich.edu.