Michigan Holds Primary Elections With High Early Voter Turnout

Michigan held primary elections on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, featuring more than 200 races. These contests include gubernatorial and various local positions, as well as a high-profile statewide race to replace retiring Senator Gary Peters. In that race, Congresswoman Haley Stevens is competing against former county health director Abdul El-Sayed.

The Michigan Secretary of State reported significant early engagement, with over 1.2 million voters casting ballots before Election Day. This represents a 16.5 percent turnout rate of active registered voters. The early vote total includes more than one million mail ballots and over 138,000 in-person early votes, marking an 88.6 percent increase in early in-person participation compared to 2024.

Polling places operated from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. To participate, voters were required to declare a party and provide a photo ID or sign an affidavit of identity.