Michigan set a record in the 2024 election. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced that 79% of eligible voters in the state cast their ballots — the highest turnout in the state’s history. However, turnout in Detroit decreased — and nationwide, nearly 13 million voters stayed home.

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The efforts to expand voter rolls are working, but why aren’t they connecting in places like Detroit? Mario Marrow, political consultant and president of Mario Marrow and Associates, and Brady Baybeck, professor of political science at Wayne State University, joined Created Equal on Wednesday to unpack the story of turnout on Election Day and what it means for our elections going forward. 

Baybeck pointed out that although many people feel compelled to vote because of a sense of civic duty, voting still comes with personal cost for many people. He stressed the importance of candidates inspiring voters to participate and explained that Trump was very effective at inspiring his base to vote, noting that Democratic messaging to voters could have been more widespread. 

Marrow suggested that Harris had difficulty gaining momentum among voters because Biden dropped out late in the campaign, resulting in low turnout in some areas. He also explained that Trump was more successful connecting with his base through his use of TV and social media advertising, whereas the Harris campaign’s focus on knocking on doors and in-person organizing was inefficient at reaching out to an already fatigued voter base. 

“It doesn’t work, you have to move into an area of technology, you have to move into getting to your constituents with an emotional affect,” Marrow said. 

Use the media player above to listen to the full interview.

Guests:

• Mario Marrow is the president of Mario Marrow and Associates.
• Brady Baybeck is a professor of political science at Wayne State University

Listen to Created Equal with host Stephen Henderson weekdays from 9-10 a.m. ET on 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand.

There are several nonpartisan organizations and groups that will be offering free transportation to the polls on Election Day in metro Detroit and around the state.

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Among them are APIA Vote MI, which has teamed up with Lyft to provide free rides with the goal of helping to increase voter turnout in the region.

Executive Director Rebeka Islam says lack of transportation can prevent people from voting. 

“We hope that by providing one reliable and free transportation, we can increase voter turnout, especially, again, amongst our committees who might otherwise face logistic challenges or feel like you know, it’s not important to vote,” Islam said. “We want to make sure that we empower our community, that every vote counts.”

Other organizations offering free rides to the polls on Tuesday include:

• Detroit Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. – Rides are available to and from polling locations on Election Day (November 5). Request a ride by calling (888) 328-4283 or email contact@oakland-service.com. Rides are wheelchair accessible.

• Detroit Bus Company – Rides are available on Sunday, November 3 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Election Day (November 5) after 9 a.m. Request a ride by calling (313) 444-2871 or filling out this form.

• Detroit Downriver APRI – Rides are available from Saturday, October 26 through Election Day (November 5). Request a ride by filling out this form. We encourage you to fill out the form one day in advance.

• Voter Transportation Project – Rides are available now through Election Day (November 5). Call or text “Detroit” to (866) 759-8683 to book a free Lyft ride.

• Warriors on Wheels – Rides are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Thursday, October 31 through Sunday, November 3 and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day (November 5). Request a ride by calling (313) 552-2916 or filling out this form. Rides are wheelchair accessible.

For a complete list of discounted or free rides around the state, visit MichiganVoting.org/rides. 

Other headlines for Monday, Nov. 4, 2024:

• The Justice Department says it will dispatch election monitors to check for compliance with federal voting rights laws in Warren, Ann Arbor, Hamtramck, Detroit and Flint for the general election Tuesday.
• Real Estate firm Bedrock is bringing Cosm, a new experiential entertainment venue, to Downtown Detroit.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

The 2024 general election is less than 24 hours away, and the WDET News team has been hard at work bringing Michigan residents the information they need about early voting, election security, and the many candidates running for president, Congress, state Legislature, county leadership positions and more.

Pre-election and Election Day coverage

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson will join Stephen Henderson on Created Equal Monday to share her takeaways from Michigan’s early in-person voting period, which ended on Sunday. Then on Tuesday, Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist and Detroit community activist Desiree Cooper joins the show to reflect on the current state of American democracy and how this historic election might affect its future.

On The Metro, BridgeDetroit reporter Malachi Barrett joins the show Monday with Imani Harris — communications lead for Detroit education nonprofit 482Forward — to discuss early voting engagement. Also on the show, Dance for Democracy Co-director Ellen Vial previews an upcoming dance party at Spot Lite Detroit on Tuesday to help encourage civic engagement among young people. The event will feature performances from Detroit artists Stacey Hotwaxx Hale, Haute to Death and more.

WDET News Director Jerome Vaughn will join the show on Election Day to talk about WDET’s election coverage, election integrity and what to expect on election night.

Tune in to 101.9 FM for additional election-related conversations and information throughout the day from the WDET News team.

Election night coverage

WDET will pre-empt our regular Tuesday evening programming from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Election night to carry NPR’s live special coverage, offering election results, analysis and insights from across the country. Vaughn will join All Things Considered host Russ McNamara in-studio to provide live updates on local races and other news you need to know throughout the night.

Be sure to follow along with us at wdet.org/electionresults for real-time updates on key metro Detroit, state and national races.

Still undecided?

For those still unsure about what’s on your ballot or who to support in this election, there is still time to familiarize yourself with the candidates running in your district. Visit wdet.org/voterguide to get more information about the candidates running for president, Congress, state House of Representatives, university boards and more in Michigan. You can also find helpful links to check your voter registration status, look up your polling place, view a preview of your ballot and more.

For real-time updates on winners and votes tallied in the national, state and local races in Michigan, visit wdet.org/electionresults.

This week, we’ve got Día de los Muertos celebrations, live performances and some early holiday shopping opportunities.

Plus, it’s almost Election Day! Read on to learn more about how you can make a plan to make sure your vote counts.

Día de los Muertos celebrations

In celebration of Día de los Muertos, the Detroit Institute of Arts, in partnership with Detroit’s Mexican Consulate, the Southwest Detroit Business Association and Mexicantown CDC, presents their twelfth annual community Ofrendas exhibition. The Day of the Dead is the time when Latin American cultures celebrate the lives of close relatives, friends and community members who have passed away. Objects important to lost loved ones are collected and incorporated into elaborate displays that include pan de muerto (bread of the dead), sugar skulls, candles, flowers, papel picado (paper cutouts) and other decorations. The DIA’s Ofrendas exhibition is on display now through Sunday, Nov. 3. For more information, visit dia.org.

On Sunday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m., there will also be a special discussion with the artists behind the altars on display at the DIA’s Ofrendas exhibition. The event will begin with a presentation by members of the Mexican Consulate, exploring the rich history of Día de Muertos and the tradition of Ofrenda altars. Following this, each artist will share the inspiration and significance of their altar and will be available to answer questions. This program is free with museum admission, and includes ASL interpretation. For more information, visit dia.org.

La Jalisciense Supermercado y Taqueria in Detroit is also hosting their second annual Día de los Metros festival from Thursday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Nov. 3. There will be cultural workshops, themed art activities, live Folklórico dance performances and an interactive graveyard experience. Tickets range from $4-$30 with discounts available for those dining in. For more information, visit their Eventbrite page.

On Saturday, Nov. 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy will host their annual Día de los Muertos Celebration at Valade Park. This free, family-friendly event will feature food, live music, ballet folklórico, vendors, children’s activities and more. Guests can participate in the community ofrenda by leaving a name or message for a lost loved one. For more information, visit detroitriverfront.org.

Live performances

On Friday, Nov. 1, Comedy at the Congregation presents a Chicago Takeover. This show features guest host Ali Ahmed, producer Sarah Lynn, and three of Chicago’s most talented comedians. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $15 online or $20 at the door. Please note that this event space is not ADA accessible. For more information, visit their Eventbrite page.

This weekend is your final chance to see Fat Ham at the Detroit Public Theatre. The story’s reluctant hero, Juicy, is a Black, queer, young man just trying to get his online degree in HR when his father’s ghost shows up, demanding that Juicy avenge his murder. But can Juicy do what his father commands? A family cookout becomes a compelling examination of love and loss, pain and joy, and a strange, surprising and often hilarious journey. Remaining performances are on Friday, Nov. 1 at 8 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. For more information, visit detroitpublictheatre.org.

This weekend only, Mark Morris Dance Group will present “The Look of Love” at the Detroit Opera House. This performance is a wistful and heartfelt homage to the chart-topping songs of Burt Bacharach, known for his soaring melodies and unique orchestrations influenced by jazz, rock and Brazilian music. The show features original choreography by Mark Morris and new musical arrangements by Ethan Iverson, performed live by an ensemble of piano, trumpet, bass, and drums, with Broadway star Marcy Harriell on lead vocals. Performances take place on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 3 at 2:30 p.m. For more information, visit detroitopera.org.

Holiday shopping

The All Things Detroit Holiday Shopping Experience and Food Truck Rally returns to Eastern Market on Sunday, Nov. 3. Founded by Jennyfer Crawford-Williams of Ask Jennyfer, this event marks the start of the holidays in the city and is the ideal place to shop local. This year’s market features free photos with Santa, hourly giveaways and over 200 small business vendors with a wide range of gifts, from art to accessories. General admission is $5 and is open from noon to 5 p.m., or you can beat the crowd from 10 a.m. to noon for $10. For more information, visit allthingsticketing.org.

Democracy in action

Tuesday, Nov. 5 is the last day to vote in the general election! If you haven’t already submitted your ballot, you’ll want to make a plan to do so on Election Day, as early voting has already ended in some communities. Several nonpartisan organizations are offering free rides to the polls, which will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. You can learn more about national and local races as well as proposals with our 2024 Voter Guide (available in English y en español). We’ll be posting up-to-date election results once the polls close on our website and social media pages.