{"id":2575643,"date":"2026-03-03T14:43:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T19:43:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/funding-disparities-give-democrats-edge-in-key-michigan-election\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T14:48:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T19:48:00","slug":"funding-disparities-give-democrats-edge-in-key-michigan-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/funding-disparities-give-democrats-edge-in-key-michigan-election\/","title":{"rendered":"Funding disparities give Democrats edge in key Michigan election"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffunding-disparities-give-democrats-edge-in-key-michigan-election%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2575643&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article analyzes how funding and logistics for Michigan\u2019s May 5 special election in the 35th Senate District could affect control of the state Senate. It notes that Saginaw County plans to offer early in-person voting, while the more GOP-leaning Midland and Bay counties have opted not to, due to financial concerns.Local officials have asked Governor Gretchen Whitmer to provide a supplemental appropriation to cover election costs, pointing to about 270,000 residents across three counties; a similar funding approach was used for prior special elections. Democrats currently hold the Senate by one seat, so a Republican win would create a 19-19 tie, with the lieutenant governor breaking ties, though even one Democrat\u2019s absence could derail the party\u2019s legislative agenda. The piece also places the election in the broader context of Michigan politics, noting Democrats\u2019 transformative 2023 agenda and recounting Republican criticisms that Whitmer is delaying the election for political reasons, while highlighting a precedent for state funding of special elections and the potential implications for future governance.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Michigan Democrats appear hesitant to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-slams-house-democrats-election-reform-bill\/\" title=\"... slams ... ...\u2019 election reform bill\">expand early voting<\/a> when it could help GOP in state race<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2103839\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A shortage of funds in two central Michigan counties could have widespread implications in a special election for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-republicans-hope-to-gain-several-state-legislature-seats-in-nail-biter-races\/\" title=\"California Republicans Hope to Gain Several ... ...s in Nail-Biter ...s\">state legislature seat<\/a>, potentially handing Democrats a decisive advantage in a race that could decide control of the state&rsquo;s upper chamber.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats currently control the Michigan Senate by a margin of one seat. That could change on May 5, when a special election to fill a vacancy in the chamber is set to take place in the state&rsquo;s 35th Senate District. The district contains three counties: Saginaw, Bay, and Midland. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saginawcountymi.gov\/departments\/county-clerk\/elections\/9-days-early-in-person-voting\/\">Saginaw<\/a>, the most Democratic of the three counties, has opted to have early in-person voting for the May election. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/midlandcountymi.gov\/clerk-elections\">Midland <\/a>and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/radio.wcmu.org\/2025-12-05\/where-you-can-vote-in-bay-county-for-the-state-senate-special-election\">Bay<\/a> counties, which both lean more toward the GOP, meanwhile, have chosen not to do so, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/commission-approves-first-of-its-kind-charter-school-in-tennessee\/\" title=\"Commission approves first-of-its kind charter school in Tennessee\">citing financial concerns<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4477422\/nancy-mace-ethics-inquiry-alleged-improper-reimbursement\/\">Nancy Mace under House Ethics investigation for alleged &#8216;improper reimbursement practices&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4474424\/former-trump-appointee-enters-race-nancy-pelosis-house-seat\/\">Former Trump appointee enters race for Nancy Pelosi&#8217;s House seat<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4460749\/california-governor-elections-republicans-winning-democrats-gavin-newsom\/\">Republicans have a rare shot at winning the California governorship<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>In <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freep.com\/elections\/results\/race\/2022-11-08-state_senate-MI-24109\/\">2022<\/a>, the last year a state Senate election was held in the district, the Democratic nominee won Saginaw &mdash; the most populous of the three counties &mdash; by a margin of 61% to 39%. The Republican, meanwhile, won Midland comfortably, and Bay was split roughly in half.<\/p>\n<p>Given the collapse of support Republicans have seen in recent cycles when Trump isn&rsquo;t on the ballot, and the historic underperformance of the party in the White House during midterm elections, Saginaw could remain blue in May despite <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/election\/2024\/results\/president?admin1=26&amp;admin2=26145&amp;election-data-id=2024-PG&amp;selected-election-data-id=2024-PG-MI&amp;election-painting-mode=projection-with-lead&amp;filter-key-races=false&amp;filter-flipped=false&amp;filter-remaining=false\">narrowly flipping<\/a> red in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>This may give local Republicans cause for concern as the county&rsquo;s early voting could net Democrats additional votes, a potentially decisive factor in the swing district.<\/p>\n<p>Local leaders, even those in Saginaw, are <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mlive.com\/news\/saginaw-bay-city\/2026\/01\/mid-michigan-governments-request-funding-from-state-for-35th-district-special-election.html\">pushing <\/a>for state funding so that early voting can occur throughout the entire district.<\/p>\n<p>In January, local officials penned a letter to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) requesting special election funding.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We, the undersigned, are seeking your assistance with a Supplemental Appropriation to cover the costs our local governments will incur because of the special Primary Election and special General Election for this legislative seat,&rdquo; the letter reads. &ldquo;Our municipalities work tirelessly to manage our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pga-tour-and-liv-golf-merger-being-investigated-by-doj-report\/\" title=\"DOJ investigates PGA Tour and LIV Golf merger: Report\">limited financial resources<\/a> for our residents, resources even more constrained now due to recent budget cuts. The 35th Senate Seat represents 270,000 residents in three counties, and we believe that the cost of these two Special Elections for the State Senate seat should be paid for by the State of Michigan.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Officials from all three counties reportedly signed on to the letter.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gives a policy speech at an event, April 9, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There is precedent for such funding, as the state provided $750,000 for special elections held in the 13th and 25th State House Districts during fiscal 2023-2024.<\/p>\n<p>The Michigan governor&rsquo;s office did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<p>Michigan Republicans have accused Whitmer of playing politics by delaying the special election to safeguard Democratic control of the state legislature. When the seat is filled on May 5, it will have sat vacant for a total of 18 months.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The vacant desk on the floor of the Michigan Senate is starting to collect dust,&rdquo; Republican state Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.senatoraricnesbitt.com\/nesbitt-detroit-news-op-ed-stop-stalling-governor-call-a-special-election-for-the-35th-district\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.senatoraricnesbitt.com\/nesbitt-detroit-news-op-ed-stop-stalling-governor-call-a-special-election-for-the-35th-district\/\">Aric Nesbitt wrote<\/a><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.senatoraricnesbitt.com\/nesbitt-detroit-news-op-ed-stop-stalling-governor-call-a-special-election-for-the-35th-district\/\"> <\/a>in March 2025. &ldquo;More than 115 days have passed since former state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet was elected to her new seat in Congress. &hellip; The governor has called for 10 special elections to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >fill open legislative seats<\/a> over the six years since she&rsquo;s been in office, taking around 17 days on average to fulfill her constitutional obligation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It should not be up to her or me or any other single elected official to determine if the state Senate operates with a new 19-19 tie or returns to a 20-18 split for the remainder of the current legislative term,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;That is a question for the voters of the 35th District.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Democratic control of Michigan&rsquo;s legislature has had far-reaching effects across the state.<\/p>\n<p>After taking control of the state legislature for the first time in nearly four decades following the 2022 elections, Michigan Democrats, with the support of Whitmer, pushed through reams of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2023\/03\/17\/1164040738\/michigan-democrats-abortion-guns-labor-right-to-work-whitmer\">transformative legislation<\/a>, including making it more difficult for religious organizations to discriminate against <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wemu.org\/michigan-news\/2023-03-09\/civil-rights-expansion-passes-michigan-legislature\">LGBT people<\/a>, repealing the state&rsquo;s law protecting workers from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/politics\/michigan-becomes-1st-state-in-decades-to-repeal-right-to-work-law\">compulsory union membership<\/a>, and enacting <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/news\/local\/michigan\/2023\/04\/13\/michigan-gretchen-whitmer-signs-gun-control-bills-passed-in-response-to-deadly-msu-shooting\/70109545007\/\">stricter gun control<\/a> measures.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4438162\/democratic-pac-shuffles-money-after-washington-examiner-report\/\"><strong>DEMOCRATIC PAC QUIETLY SHUFFLES MONEY AROUND AFTER WASHINGTON EXAMINER REPORT ON POTENTIALLY ILLEGAL DONATIONS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Another action taken by Michigan&rsquo;s newly Democratic state legislature in 2023 was the introduction of a bill that would have <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/fastdemocracy.com\/bill-search\/mi\/2023-2024\/bills\/MIB00021956\/\">provided early voting reimbursements<\/a> for special elections. Though the legislation passed the House, it never made it through Michigan&rsquo;s Senate.<\/p>\n<p>Now that expanded early voting could dissolve the Democratic majority in Michigan&rsquo;s Senate, it is unclear if Democrats will support similar funding proposals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>If Republicans win the state legislature seat in May, Michigan&rsquo;s Senate would be split 19 to 19 between the two major parties. While&nbsp;Michigan&rsquo;s lieutenant governor, who is a Democrat, decides ties in the state&rsquo;s Senate, if even one Democratic lawmaker is absent in an evenly split chamber, the party&rsquo;s power to advance legislation evaporates, as there would be no tie for the lieutenant governor to break.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Funds short in two Mich counties could swing the Senate<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":894,"featured_media":2575644,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26021350956064.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[69845,3685,74977,74978,70303],"class_list":["post-2575643","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-campaign-finance-2","tag-democrats","tag-funding-disparities","tag-michigan-election-2","tag-political-analysis-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26021350956064.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575643","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/894"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2575643"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575643\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2575647,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575643\/revisions\/2575647"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2575644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2575643"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2575643"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2575643"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}