In addition to the presidential, Congressional, and state House races, voters across the state will be casting their votes for who they’d like to serve on the boards of Michigan’s three largest universities.
There are two seats up for reelection on the Wayne State University Board of Governors in November. University board members oversee financial operations at the institution, and are responsible for the hiring of the university’s president and other key responsibilities — per the state constitution. Board members serve staggered eight-year terms, and serve without compensation.
WDET distributed surveys to university board candidates on the Michigan ballot in November to gain a deeper understanding of what’s motivating them to run. Below, you’ll find candidate bios and their answers to WDET’s questions about their platform and political priorities.
For more information about the November election, visit WDET’s election guide at wdet.org/voterguide.
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
The 13th Congressional District includes portions of Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Harper Woods and more. View the district’s map below.
A map of Michigan’s 13th Congressional District.
WDET distributed surveys to local, county and congressional candidates in key races on the ballot in November to gain a deeper understanding of what’s motivating them to run. Below, you’ll find candidate bios and their answers to WDET’s questions about their platform and political priorities.
For more information about the November election, visit WDET’s election guide at wdet.org/voterguide.
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
George A. Romero’s 1968 film ‘Night of the Living Dead’ featured an invasion of ghouls – mindless cannibals, thriving off the flesh and brains of humans. While not called zombies in the movie, for many people it was their first introduction to these kinds of paranormal beings.
The term “zombie” is said to come from Haiti, and Haitians used it to describe an enslaved person being controlled by the will of another. And that story tracks, especially knowing Haiti’s history involved with the enslavement of Africans and Natives on the island of Hispaniola.
Kee says zombies really took off in 1929 when author William Seabrook wrote “The Magic Island” about his travels in Haiti.
“He had a whole chapter on zombies and he was thoroughly impressed, because he’d never heard of anything like this,” Kee said. “It was completely unique to his experience. And people were like, ‘We can take you to see real zombies,’ and that really blew his mind.”
A quarter century of screams in Pontiac
While Erebus Haunted House does not have a history as long as zombies, co-owner Edward Terebus and his brother Jim have been in the haunted house business for almost 45 years. They’re celebrating 25 years of making people scream at Erebus Haunted Attraction in Pontiac.
Edward Terebus spoke to WDET assistant producer Dorothy Jones about the haunted house’s history. In 1981, the Terebus brothers set up their first haunted house in the K-Mart parking lot at 12 Mile Road and Van Dyke. It grew over the years until they founded a permanent haunted home in Pontiac.
At Erebus Haunted Attraction, there’s no age limit, Terebus says. If your kid can’t watch horror movies, the haunted house probably is not for them.
“I’ve seen five year olds make it through the haunted house. I’ve seen 25 year olds pee themselves and faint. So it really depends on the person and the people coming through,” Terebus says.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversations with Terebus and Kee.
More headlines from The Metro on Halloween 2024:
To win the race for president, the Harris campaign needs to win over moderate and swing voters, which likely includes people who often vote republican. That’s why it was significant when Fred Upton endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris last week. Upton served 36 years in the House of Representatives and is the most prominent Republican in Michigan to publicly back the Democratic presidential nominee. Upton joined the show to discuss his decision to support Kamala Harris over Donald Trump and why he thinks other Republicans should also do so.
It was November 2020 and President Biden had taken the lead in the election. Meanwhile, poll workers in Detroit were sifting through piles of absentee ballots. Dozens of protesters, some of them armed, showed up and claimed there had been election fraud. They were echoing Trump’s false claims and pushing for a recount. WDET senior news editor Quinn Klinefelter spoke with Detroit election officials and poll workers to discover how things have changed ahead of this year’s presidential election.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Michigan is among 47 states in the U.S. that have early in-person voting this presidential election.
More than 500,000 people have voted early and in-person since it began statewide on Saturday, and more than two million votes have been cast across the state when including absentee ballots.
However, this increase in voting access is seemingly connected to a rise in mistrust of election integrity and claims of fraud.
To discuss this phenomenon, Created Equal host Stephen Henderson was joined on Wednesday by David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research, and political science professor Dale Thomson.
Becker explained that although we do not have much data on the effect of early voting access on voter turnout, early voting improves election integrity by mitigating the effects of family emergencies, technical difficulties, dangerous weather, and disinformation. He also described how some voters perceive the inclusion of more people in democracy to be inherently fraudulent and insecure, especially as they are exposed to a lot of negative rhetoric about election security.
Thomson explained that although there is no evidence of widespread election fraud in recent years, the Trump campaign is using claims of election fraud to cast doubt on election results. He also discussed how immigrants are often targeted with claims of election fraud, even though there’s very little quantitative evidence that non-citizens are committing fraud on a wide-scale.
“A study conducted by the [Brennan] Center for Justice analyzing almost 24 million votes across 42 jurisdictions in the 2016 general election concluded there were approximately 30 instances of non-citizens voting. So there’s data out there,” Thomson said.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Guests:
David Becker is the executive director for the Center for Election Innovation & Research. He’s also the author of “The Big Truth” and host of the podcast The Count.
Dale Thomson is a professor of political science at University of Michigan – Dearborn. He is also the director of the Ottawa Internship Program.
Listen to Created Equal with host Stephen Henderson weekdays from 9-10 a.m. ET on 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Last year, WDET launched a listener survey and heard from you about what you liked about WDET, what you didn’t, and where we could do better. That feedback — along with other data including membership and listener ratings and studies — helped inform changes to our offerings earlier this year.
Your continued feedback is essential to helping WDET leadership understand where we can best improve our service to metro Detroit, and that’s why we are committed to making our survey an annual exercise. This summer we once again reached out to WDET listeners to get their opinions on our programs and offerings.
Below is a summary of this year’s listener survey results.
Inside WDET Studios.
Key survey findings
You rated all WDET programs higher this year compared to 2023, with the average program rating score improving by 20%
Music Programming, NPR news, and local news are the most preferred aspects of WDET programming
Reported digital listenership increased by 5%, and radio listenership decreased by 3%
More of you reported listening to WDET more — with 27% of respondents saying they listen more than 20 hours per week
Less of you reported donating to WDET, compared with last year’s survey
More of you reported listening during weekday afternoons and weekend afternoons
Who responded to the survey?
WDET targeted the survey to current listeners and members via messages on the air, at wdet.org, social media and e-newsletters. More than 900 people responded to an online survey in July and August 2024.
The day before Halloween is referred to as Mischief Night in many parts of the country, but in Detroit, it used to be called Devil’s Night.
For decades, that night filled many with fear, as neighborhoods with abandoned homes or businesses prepared themselves for possible arson. City of Detroit Historian Jamon Jordan joined The Metro on Wednesday — the day before Halloween — to share more about the history of Devil’s Night in Detroit and how community members came together with the city to put an end to it.
Throughout the U.S. there’s always been pranks connected to Halloween — draping toilet paper on trees, throwing eggs at cars, and other mischief that didn’t cause the most damage.
In the 1980s there were about 800 fires around Halloween, Jordan said. Community groups and the city took steps to wipe out Devil’s Night, oftentimes doing patrols the day before Halloween and enforcing youth curfews. In the ’90s, the community and city started doing joint patrols and renamed it Angel’s Night.
“So these things begin to work in concert with one another, and there’s thousands of people who begin to volunteer. By this point, with so many people out on the street with eyes on almost every neighborhood, especially the vacant houses in the neighborhood, it begins to make it have an effect on stopping the fires,” he said. “Within a few years, the fires really go way way down and then eventually we don’t even talk about Devil’s Night…”
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation with Jordan.
More headlines from The Metro on Oct. 30, 2024:
Yesterday, a poll by The Hill showed Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of Donald Trump by five points. But polling has generally been very tight, and most political scientists believe this election could easily go either way. To discuss why the election is so tight in Michigan and how voters are feeling right now, we were joined by Matt Grossman, head of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research.
In the latest spooky episode of CuriosiD, WDET’s Jeff Milo looked into chilling rumors that the Detroit Public Library’s Main Branch on Woodward might be haunted by ghosts.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 11 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today »
The term “devil’s night” has been dead in Detroit for some years… but I do reference it because it went on for such a long time in this city (hence for the photo for this post). This show was a precursor to Halloween, when I’m really going to dive into music that feels like Halloween without actually being a Halloween song. You helped with these — huge thanks to your voicemails! I’ve noted which tracks are listener picks below.
Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.
In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for October 30, 2024
“Uriel” – Mary Jane Dunphe
“Method Actor” – Nilüfer Yanya
“Crossbow” – Tamar Aphek
“Nothing Can Surprise Me” – Tamar Aphek
“Svefn-G-Englar” – Sigur Rós *listener pick*
“Cherry Sunshine” – somesurprises
“Talk For Hours” – High Vis
“Mind’s A Lie” – High Vis
“Crazy for You (Alternative Version – Demo Version)” – Slowdive
“Suns of Gold” – Leifur James
“Let Your Hair Down (feat. Hutch the Great)” – Max Sinal
“Firestarter (Jitwam Remix)” – The O’My’s
“i ain’t scared of no devil (feat. dj godfrey ho)” – Jitwam
“Mad Man” – Mike Nyoni and Born Free
“Coffin Maker” – Chrissy Zebby Tembo & Ngozi Family
“Lazy Bones” – WITCH
“Frankenstein” – The Edgar Winter Group *listener pick*
“7/4 (Shoreline)” – Broken Social Scene
“New York” – Cat Power
“Hey” – Pixies
“All Over The World” – Pixies
“Somebody Was Watching” – Pop Staples
“Searching (feat. Sam Gendel)” – Tristan De Liege & Bryony Jarman-Pinto
“Graucha Max (In The Groove Song of the Week)” – DARKSIDE
“X Ray Eyes” – LCD Soundsystem
“100 Yard Dash (Nicky D Remix)” – Derobert & The Half-truths
“Lucid Girl” – Thee Sacred Souls
“Hurting Lies (feat. Allysha Joy)” – EX GENERATION
“Mind Playing Tricks on Me” – Geto Boys *listener pick*
“Easy Easy” – King Krule
“Road Head” – Japanese Breakfast
“Black Cow” – Steely Dan
Listen to In The Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.
Support the shows you love.
WDET’s unique music programs are dedicated to exploring the music and culture of our region and the world. Keep the music going. Please make a gift today. Give now »
A challenge to the state’s rules on water contamination by a group of forever chemicals is on the Michigan Supreme Court’s November oral arguments docket.
The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s rules are aimed at PFAS, a family of chemicals used in clothing, cookware and firefighting foam. PFAS are often called “forever chemicals” because they’re so slow to break down. PFAS have been linked to a variety of conditions and health risks.
The manufacturing company 3M claims the state did not follow the law for promulgating regulations, which includes a requirement to provide an estimated cost of compliance. 3M says that should include the costs of cleaning up drinking water and groundwater. The state says it’s only required to provide an estimate for drinking water cleanup. Lower courts ruled against the state.
The PFAS case is one of a half dozen cases to be argued at the court’s Nov. 13 session.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today »
In Michigan’s 12th Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib is facing Republican challenger James Hooper. Third party candidates Brenda Sanders (Green Party) and Gary Walkowicz (Working Class Party) will also be on the ballot.
The 12th Congressional District includes portions of Detroit, Dearborn, portions of Dearborn Heights, Southfield and more. View the district’s map below.
A map of Michigan’s 12th Congressional District.
WDET distributed surveys to local, county and congressional candidates in key races on the ballot in November to gain a deeper understanding of what’s motivating them to run. Below, you’ll find candidate bios and their answers to WDET’s questions about their platform and political priorities.
For more information about the November election, visit WDET’s election guide at wdet.org/voterguide.
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Howard — the second woman to serve as deputy mayor in Detroit’s history — has served as the mayor’s director of community engagement for the past two years. Before that, she worked as a director of special projects and the department of neighborhoods manager for District 5.
“Melia has been a fierce advocate for residents and absolutely critical in making sure Detroiters have a strong voice at City Hall and in developments proposed in their neighborhoods,” said Duggan in a statement. “Projects like the renovation of Michigan Central and Fisher Body 21, as well as the $3 billion Future of Health development, might not have happened if not for the trust Melia has built in the community and among developers.”
Howard also spearheaded the Saturdays in the D program, which provides Detroit youths and adults on-campus educational activities at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.
According to the city, Howard will continue the Community Violence Intervention (CVI) work that has been led by Bettison.
“As a little girl from the east side, I never thought this was possible and I am truly humbled and honored that Mayor Duggan has trusted me with this enormous opportunity,” she said. “My residents mean so much to me and I will continue to work hard for them.”
A soft opening is taking place from 5-9 p.m. Wednesday for the Old Redford Arts Alley in northwest Detroit. It is the first of nine “Arts Alleys” being transformed by the city of Detroit as part of Mayor Duggan’s Blight to Beauty initiative.
Detroit police are investigating an incident involving Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams related to a weapons violation during a traffic stop, WXYZ reports.
Gas prices are falling across metro Detroit, with the average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded iat $3.19 — five cents lower than a week ago.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Michigan is anticipated to play a critical role in the upcoming presidential election, and the state’s 12th Congressional District could significantly impact voter margins.
The district — encompassing portions of Detroit, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Southfield and more — is known to be heavily Democratic, with a large Middle Eastern population. It’s current representative is incumbent U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who’s been very vocal about the government’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. She’s even called for a ceasefire and arms embargo.
Political analyst Dale Thomson, from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, says while Tlaib has not endorsed a candidate, her position could influence voter turnout.
“We’re looking at small margins of victory in the state of Michigan. Most likely for the… for whoever wins the president. And so every vote you can get matters,” Thomson said.
Thomson adds that if a significant amount of Tlaib’s constituents stick to staying uncommitted, or decide to vote for another candidate other than Harris, that could pose a problem in terms of margins of victory.
“In a heavily Democratic district, the Democrats want to turn out as many of those voters as possible so that they can overcome margins in the opposite direction in heavily Republican districts,” Thomson said.
Tlaib is running for reelection of her seat in the 12th District against Republican challenger James Hooper. He’s a political newcomer, whose rhetoric is very similar to presidential candidate Donald Trump’s, Thomson says.
“He is the sort of, what we might classify as an election denier,” Thomson said. “He’s very much focused on Second Amendment rights of pro-life. He advocates for abolishing the Department of Education.”
With Michigan expected to come down to a narrow margin, turnout in the 12th District could have a broader impact beyond the congressional seat, making it one to watch in the run-up to Election Day.
The general election is taking place on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. For the latest election information, visit WDET’s Voter Guide at wdet.org/voterguide.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
You may think of rural West Michigan as Trump country. But Democratic voters live there too, even if they’re outnumbered.
My journey started with Austin Marsman, Democratic candidate for Michigan’s 42nd House District. He’s running against Republican incumbent Matt Hall.
I joined him in August as he knocked on doors in a small lakeside neighborhood southeast of Kalamazoo.
Austin Marsman said he’s been working hard to get himself known in Michigan’s 42nd House District, knocking on around 50 doors a day.
The 42nd district is a targeted seat for the state Democratic Party, meaning it’s a seat they think they can flip, but that means getting Marsman’s name known in the community.
“They see me come to the door, someone new, a breath of fresh air, and they appreciate that for sure,” Marsman told me.
Signs advertising Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump were plentiful in the area. But all who opened their doors were polite, even if they just took a pamphlet and headed back inside.
It was with Marsman that I met the first rural Democrat for this story, Larry Morand.
Morand said for the longest time, people were more reserved with their political beliefs. But now, he said it seems everyone has to be outspoken.
Morand’s lived in this small neighborhood for over 30 years. He’s a retired mail carrier, and now spends his time as a driver for Meals on Wheels. The weather was fair, so we went outside to talk.
Across the road from Morand is his neighbor, who flies two Trump-style American flags and a sign that reads, “Raised Right.”
But Morand is friends with that neighbor and has been for a while. The secret? Just don’t talk about politics.
“Some people, right away, say something to annoy the other person, and then it starts. So, if you’re just not so confrontational, then sure you can get along.”
But that doesn’t mean Morand keeps his beliefs to himself. He’s got a sign for Marsman and a sign for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in his front yard. And he said he’s been seeing more Harris signs crop up in the area as of late.
“I think because the Trump voters, so many of them want to advertise their beliefs, that it’s forced the hand of other people to say, ‘hey, look, we’re here too.’”
Robin and Charles Beacham are surrounded by farms at their rural Lawton area home.
My next stop was a farm just outside of Lawton. On the way, I passed by apple orchards and vineyards and the laborers harvesting the fruit.
Robin Beacham lives in front of one of these vineyards. In fact, her family used to own it.
She said that growing up, she “just kind of had fun with it, but I never worked that hard.”
But that brought us to the topic of migrant labor, which many rural areas rely on.
“If it wasn’t for the migrant — or help, we really wouldn’t be able to get the crop in,” Robin’s husband Charles Beacham said.
While they don’t currently run a farm, Charles said he tries to help his neighbors who do.
He added that Trump’s proposal to carry out mass deportations, which Trump claims will be the largest in the country’s history, have a real chance to hurt local farms.
But as Robin noted, many in the area still support Trump.
“People that make a lot of money off the backs of immigrants and don’t really respect that they deserve the same quality of life.”
Back in 2020, Robin’s father put up a billboard-sized tarp sign on his property a couple miles away, reading “Send A Message, Vote for Democrats.”
“He’d actually got some threatening phone calls when he put that up. So, this year, he asked them to put it in a different place.”
Robin said conflict over politics has also impacted a personal relationship.
“I did have a friend that I didn’t speak to for almost three years, and we’ve since made up, but we cannot talk about it.”
She said this divide never existed before Trump ran in 2016.
“I blame it on him, for spreading so much hateful rhetoric and dividing the country.”
Robin added that things have calmed down, they’ve had no threatening phone calls or lost friends this year. So much so, that the Beachams tentatively plan to put out a sign in support of Harris.
Bloom tries to keep himself busy, not only playing banjos but making them too, in addition to guitars, violas and other string instruments. The final rural Democrat I spoke with lives just outside of Paw Paw.
Jan Bloom is retired, but he keeps himself busy with dog sledding and crafting string instruments like banjos.
His huskies weren’t the quiet type, so we left them upstairs and headed down to Bloom’s basement workshop.
The place was littered with tools, extension cords, wood pieces, and handmade inlays for banjo fretboards, which Bloom makes himself.
Bloom said he’s been here since the ’70s. He’s a Democrat, but his congressman, state senator, state representative, county commissioner, and township supervisor are all Republicans.
“The best you could do is hope to get an old-fashioned centrist Republican,” he said.
And while some in the area think this is how things will stay, Bloom is hopeful for change.
“I can only hope, going forward, that it does. On the other hand, I’m not sure that I’m going to be around to see it.”
For now, the area remains under Republican control, and Bloom said that leaves him feeling unrepresented.
This is especially relevant when it comes to issues that matter to him, like climate change, which Trump tells people not to worry about.
As stated previously, Bloom is musher. He’s been racing his dogsled since 2018, and he’s won his fair share of races.
“I couldn’t do anything athletic in high school. Here I’ve got, I’ve got a silver medal, a national silver medal. Oh my gosh.”
But dog sledding is hard to do without snow.
“That first year I was racing, there were five or six sled races in Michigan.”
But that’s steadily decreased according to Bloom, with snow last winter being sparse.
Despite the dwindling races, Bloom’s staying right where he is. And that’s a sentiment shared by everyone I spoke with. That, even though many of their neighbors’ views are different, they’re proud to live beside them.
“If I needed help, they’d be there to help me. If they need help, I’m there to help them,” Bloom said.
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program. WMUK also spoke with urban Republicans. That story is coming soon.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Happy Halloween, everyone! This week, on MI Local, I dedicated the latter third of the show to play some songs that aren’t conventionally Halloween-themed, lyrically speaking, but they just have a certain vibe about them that feels frightfully fitted to the spooky season.
Leading off that set is the theremin-centric soundscapes of Via Mardot, with a song called “Portals.” This is a slightly older song by the multi-instrumentalist, singer and composer, but you can follow her on Instagram and find more information about her latest album, Higher Higher Burning Fire.
Along with these “eerie-Halloweeny,” or, as I dubbed them, “…music to carve pumpkins to…,” I also played new music from Kalamazoo-based singer/songwriter Elisabeth Pixley-Fink and Detroit-based artist Na Bonsai. We were also to exclusively premiere new tracks from Ypsilanti singer-songwriter Chris DuPont and Detroit-based indie-rock band Speed Circuit, the latter of which has an album release party THIS SATURDAY at Bowlero Lanes Lounge!
I’m off next Tuesday, as NPR presents live coverage of the presidential election, but I’ll have another power-hour showcase of all-local music ready for you on Nov. 12 — Tune in!
See the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.
MI LocalPlaylist for Oct. 29, 2024
“Only Human” – Jon Torrence
“Long Drive” – Chris DuPont
“Habits” – Elisabeth Pixley-Fink
“Meri Misery” – Mark Fain
“Complicated” – Speed Circuit
“Man of Clay” – The Long Stairs
“Planet Paralysis” – Na Bonsai
“Skidmarks on My Heart” – Zem
“Into a Dream” – Turtle Heist
“Portal” – Via Mardot
“Necrodancer” – Jack and the Bear
“The Hustle” – Bars of Gold
“Catmandance” – Passalacqua
Support the shows you love.
WDET’s unique music programs are dedicated to exploring the music and culture of our region and the world.
The state’s 11th Congressional District incumbent, Democrat Haley Stevens, faces Republican challenger Nick Somberg and Green Party candidate Douglas Campbell. The 11th Congressional District includes Ferndale, Royal Oak, Pontiac, Oak Park, Troy, Farmington Hills and surrounding areas. View the district’s map below.
A map of Michigan’s 11th Congressional District.
WDET distributed surveys to local, county and congressional candidates in key races on the ballot in November to gain a deeper understanding of what’s motivating them to run. Below, you’ll find candidate bios and their answers to WDET’s questions about their platform and political priorities.
For more information about the November election, visit WDET’s election guide at wdet.org/voterguide.
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Las elecciones generales se llevarán a cabo el martes 5 de noviembre. A continuación aparecen algunos puntos a considerar:
Fechas clave
Período de votación anticipada en persona: 26 de octubre-3 de noviembre (algunos municipios, incluido Detroit, deciden empezar desde el 19 de octubre).
Registro del votante en persona: 22 de octubre-5 de noviembre.
Las elecciones generales se llevarán a cabo el 5 de noviembre.
Registrarse para votar
Puede registrarse para votar a cualquier hora hasta las 8:00 pm el día de las elecciones en la oficina del secretario del municipio o ciudad donde viva. Si decide votar otro día, su solicitud para votar debe ser recibida o enviada con sello al menos 15 días antes de las elecciones.
Para registrarse y votar necesita:
Ser residente de Michigan (al momento de registrarse) y ser residente de su ciudad por al menos 30 días (cuando vote).
Ser ciudadano estadounidense.
Tener al menos 18 años de edad (cuando vote).
No estar cumpliendo una condena en la cárcel o prisión.
Formas para votar
En persona antes de las elecciones. El periodo anticipado para votar en Detroit es del 19 de octubre al 3 de noviembre en alguno de los 14 Centros de Votación Anticipada en la ciudad. Para encontrar el centro que más le convenga, visite detroitvotes.org.
Por correo como votante ausente. Usted puede recoger una boleta de votante ausente en la oficina del secretario de la ciudad de Detroit. Puede enviarla por correo, regresarla a la oficina de votación o depositarla en cualquiera de los 35 buzones en Detroit hasta el 5 de noviembre a las 8:00 pm. Para saber la ubicación del buzón más cercano, visite detroitvotes.org.
En las casillas el día de las elecciones. Las casillas están abiertas el día de las elecciones (5 de nov.) de 7:00 am a 8:00 pm.
Si usted no lee o escribe en inglés y la boleta no está disponible en su idioma, tiene el derecho de recibir ayuda de un familiar, un vecino o un amigo. Sin embargo, la persona no puede ser:
Su patrón
Un agente de su patrón
Un agente o funcionario de su sindicato
Se le pedirá que muestre una identificación cuando se registre para votar. Si no tiene ninguna, aun así puede votar. De ser así, un trabajador de la casilla le pedirá que firme un documento antes de votar en el que se explique que no tiene identificación. Su boleta se incluirá en la urna y su voto contará.
Tipos de identificación que se pueden usar para registrarse:
Licencia de manejo de Michigan o identificación del estado (aunque esté vencida).
Licencia de manejo o identificación del estado expedida por otro estado.
Identificación con fotografía expedida por un gobierno local, estatal o federal.
Pasaporte de Estados Unidos.
Identificación militar con fotografía.
Identificación con fotografía de una institución educativa.
Identificación tribal con fotografía.
Derechos de los votantes
No se le puede negar el derecho a votar si está legalmente calificado para hacerlo.
Tiene el derecho a:
Pedir ayuda a cualquier funcionario de las elecciones.
Que se le muestre cómo marcar y entregar su boleta.
Pedir una nueva boleta si quiere cambiar su voto antes de entregarla.
Recibir una boleta provisional si no tiene identificación con fotografía o si su nombre no aparece en la lista de votantes y usted cree que debería aparecer.
Llevar a su hijo a la casilla de votación.
Votar si ha hecho fila para las 8:00 pm, aunque las casillas hayan cerrado.
Contiendas nacionales clave
Presidente de Estados Unidos
El expresidente Donald Trump se enfrentará a la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris en la elección presidencial de 2024. En las últimas semanas, ambos candidatos han pasado mucho tiempo de su campaña en estados péndulo como Michigan con miras a las elecciones generales. Ambos candidatos han pasado tiempo considerable en Detroit en las últimas semanas con la intención de atraer la simpatía de los votantes afroamericanos, latinos y árabes-americanos. Otros candidatos como Jill Stein (Partido Verde), Chase Oliver (Partido Libertario) y Cornel West (Independiente) también aparecerán en la boleta, junto con el candidato del Partido de la Ley Natural, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., quien terminó su campaña en agosto y desde entonces ha tratado de excluir su nombre de la boleta.
Senado de Estados Unidos
La representante demócrata Elissa Slotkin se enfrenta al excongresista republicano Mike Rogers en busca del escaño vacante por Michigan en el Senado estadounidense, una vez que la senadora demócrata Debbie Stabenow se jubilara. Los candidatos se han enfrentado en dos debates públicos en los que se abordaron temas candentes como la economía, el control de armas, migración y el costo por los servicios de salud. Otros cinco candidatos también aparecerán en las boletas: Douglas Marsh (Partido Verde), Joseph Solis-Mullen (Libertario), Doug Dern (Partido de la Ley Natural), Dave Stein (Partido de los Contribuyentes de Estados Unidos) y James Frizzell (Independiente).
Cámara de Representantes de Estados Unidos
Los 13 asientos correspondientes a Michigan en la Cámara de Representantes aparecerán en las boletas de noviembre. Hay 11 titulares que se postulan para la reelección, y seis de ellos se enfrentan a los ganadores de las elecciones primarias.
En el condado Wayne, el novel congresista Shri Thanedar busca reelegirse en el Distrito 13 y se enfrenta al republicano Martell Bivings quien hace dos años perdió por 110 mil votos ante Thanedar en la contienda por este escaño. Otros candidatos que también aparecen en la boleta son Christopher Clark (Partido Libertario), Christopher Dardzinksi (Partido de los Contribuyentes de Estados Unidos) and Simone Coleman (Partido de la Clase Trabajadora).
La representante Debbie Dingell busca la reelección en el Sexto Distrito del Congreso que incluye todo el condado Washtenaw y partes de los condados Wayne, Monroe y Oakland. Dingell se enfrenta a la contrincante republicana Heather Smiley, jubilada de Ford, así como al candidato del Partido Verde, Clyde Shabazz, y al libertario Bill Krebaum.
En el Distrito 12 del Congreso en Michigan, que abarca partes de los condados Wayne y Oakland, la congresista Rashida Tlaib contiende contra el republicano James Hooper. Otros candidatos como Brenda Sanders (Partido Verde) y Gary Walkowicz (Partido de la Clase Trabajadora) también buscan el escaño.
Contiendas estatales clave
Cámara de Representantes de Michigan
Todos los 110 escaños de la Cámara de Representantes de Michigan estarán en la boleta este noviembre. Los republicanos esperan terminar con la super mayoría que han tenido los demócratas en el estado desde las elecciones intermedias de 2022.
Actualmente, los demócratas tienen una escasa mayoría de dos escaños tanto en el Senado como en la Cámara, lo que les ha permitido aprobar una serie de políticas progresistas como la protección del aborto, seguridad de armas y la derogación de la ley estatal sobre el derecho al trabajo de 2012, entre otras.
No habrá elecciones en los 38 escaños del Senado de Michigan y la gubernatura este año, sino hasta 2026.
Tonight on the Detroit Evening Report, we cover a Boston-based education nonprofit’s expansion to Detroit; family-friendly Halloween activities that won’t break the bank and more.
Boston-based education nonprofit Bottom Line is expanding to Detroit, thanks to a $600,000 multi-year investment from Greenlight Fund Detroit. The organization focuses on getting kids to and through college, providing post-secondary advising to high school seniors and continuing support until students enter “economically mobilizing” first careers. Detroit is the fifth city in Bottom Line’s portfolio, with the organization planning to serve 725 local students per year beginning this summer. It already operates in Boston, New York, Chicago and Dayton, Ohio.
Free Halloween fun at the library
Halloween is upon us, and there are lots of fun free offerings for the whole family:
The Bryant Branch of Dearborn Public Libraries is hosting a Halloween tunes-themed Family Dance Party from 4-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30.
Halloween in the D
Halloween in the D’s Trunk or Treat events invite the community into local police stations, fire houses and recreation centers Thursday, Oct. 31. Visit halloweeninthed.org for a list of the 19 locations and event times.
Our Inner Circle hosting Harvest Festival
For those looking for a different vibe for their Oct. 31 celebrations, the organization Our Inner Circle and Detroit Councilmember Mary Waters are hosting a Harvest Festival in Eastern Market’s Shed 3 from 5-8 p.m.. The event will feature hay and train rides, refreshments, arcade games, crafts and entertainment. Costumes are allowed but organizers request attendees not wear scary costumes. The family-friendly event is free but requires registration. To register, call 313-728-9677.
Detroit Reparations Task Force hosting public session
Detroit’s Reparations Task Force will have a public session from 2-4 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 2, at Butzel Family Recreation Center, 7737 Kercheval Ave., Detroit. Attendees can join in person or virtually. To join online go to cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/87510091466.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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The 10th Congressional District includes the majority of Macomb County, Rochester and Rochester Hills.
A map of Michigan’s 10th Congressional District.
WDET distributed surveys to local, county and congressional candidates in key races on the ballot in November to gain a deeper understanding of what’s motivating them to run. Below, you’ll find candidate bios and their answers to WDET’s questions about their platform and political priorities.
For more information about the November election, visit WDET’s election guide at wdet.org/voterguide.
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
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On this installment of 5 on 5, we’re diving into the music of Rebekka Ling to explore her soulful sound in five key tracks that paint a portrait of her journey as both an artist and storyteller.
Born in a musical home in Amsterdam with a gospel-singing mother and a percussionist father, Ling absorbed a variety of influences, from soul to jazz, gospel to hip-hop. She studied classical flute for seven years but found her voice was her true calling. Ling’s early career began as a backing vocalist with the hip-hop group The Proov, contributing to their EP and album, Traditions.
Shortly after, Dutch soul singer Berget Lewis invited her to join her tour, expanding Ling’s exposure to live performance. She would briefly study jazz at Amsterdam’s conservatory but soon followed her own creative path, collaborating with artists like Benny Sings and Sandra St. Victor in jazz and pop. Her own solo debut album, Travel Light would soon follow.
5 essential tracks by Rebekka Ling
1. “Travel Light”
“Travel Light” is the title track from her debut album, whose message to listeners was an invitation to shed our burdens and embrace the lightness of life. Released in 2012 on Phoenix Wood Records, Travel Light fused NuJazz, soul and R&B with hip-hop and gospel, capturing an uplifting, whimsical feel.
The album charted well on the Dutch R&B/soul charts and earned Ling an invite to perform at the North Sea Jazz Club.
2. “Fly Away”
“Fly Away” is another track from the same album that showcases Ling’s smooth, laid-back vocal style and her embrace of the ’60s-’70s soul and jazz sound. The production was helmed by Glenn Gaddum Jr, bassist for artists like Frank McComb and Matt Simons, and brought another subtle groove and nuanced texture to Ling’s voice.
3. “Keep Rising”
“Keep Rising,” released in 2021, was produced during the COVID-19 pandemic and speaks to life’s challenges with resilience. The track would be a pandemic anthem, reflecting on the importance of perseverance and spiritual connection. It’s a soulful testament to finding strength in struggle, with Ling’s unique sound deeply resonating.
4. “Be Alright”
“Be Alright” is not only a fan favorite, but also part of the soundtrack to the British indie film, “Crown.” Filmed in London, this song underscored a pivotal theme in the movie: staying grounded through life’s turbulent moments. In this track, Ling’s soulful and hopeful delivery shines to the degree that it has become one of her signature songs, reminding listeners to maintain inner peace amid external chaos.
5. “Dynamite”
“Dynamite” is a special single release that shows off Ling’s versatility, blending her jazz roots with a more soulful pop-infused sound.
Ling stands as a true force in the Amsterdam music scene and beyond. Her soulful sound, steeped in jazz, gospel and hip-hop influences, resonates with a profound sense of resilience and authenticity. With each release, she captures the heart of classic soul while pushing boundaries that bring her style into the modern era. From her roots in Amsterdam to a growing global audience, Ling’s artistry and upward momentum reflect an artist deeply committed to her craft and connected to her audience. Her journey is one to watch.
If you’re into genre-blending soulful music artists like Rebekka Ling, tune in to The Progressive Underground every Saturday evening from 6-8 p.m. on 101.9 WDET-FM and wdet.org.
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The National Weather Service says this winter could be warmer and wetter than usual in southeast Michigan.
The agency recently issued its seasonal outlook for the region. It forecasts the chances of various weather scenarios based on 30-year averages.
The probabilities favor higher-than-normal temperatures and precipitation between Dec. 1, 2024, and Feb. 28, 2025.
Meteorologist Trent Frey says a phenomenon known as La Nina will affect our weather patterns.
“La Nina is when the Pacific Ocean waters near the equator are cooler than the long-term average,” Frey said. “It affects where the jet stream sets up during the winter months, and that affects how it steers storm systems across North America.”
Winter is coming…right?
The past two winters in southeast Michigan were among the 10 warmest since the U.S. government started keeping records for Detroit in 1874. Frey says 2023-24 was the warmest winter on record for the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. He says warmer winters are becoming more common.
The National Weather Service’s Detroit forecast office is in White Lake Township.
“The way that climate change is manifesting here in southeast Michigan is that our winter months are becoming warmer much faster than our summer months are,” Frey said.
Detroit’s average high temperature in winter is 35 degrees Fahrenheit. Frey says over the past 15 winters, the normal temperature has risen by about one degree compared with the longer 30-year average.
“That might not seem like much, but is pretty significant,” Frey said.
Slushy, anyone?
Southeast Michigan typically gets about 6.5 inches of rain and almost 3 feet of snow a year.
Frey says it’s hard to predict how much snow will fall this winter.
“Out of the past five week La Ninas, we’ve seen two of those had above normal snowfall, two of them had below normal snowfall, and one of them had near normal snowfall.” Frey said.
Last winter’s outlook accurately predicted warmer temperatures, but slightly underestimated rainfall.
“It actually ended up being a little wetter than normal,” Frey said. “But because we were so warm, our snowfall ended up being about 20 inches below the normal.”
The NWS Detroit forecast office recorded almost 2 feet of snow in 2023-24. That’s the 16th smallest amount of annual snowfall on record for the region.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
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