Election 2018: Crews Deal With Power Outages At Polling Places Following Severe Thunderstorms
LANSING (AP) — The Latest on Michigan's primary election (all times local):
11:20 a.m.
Utility crews in the Detroit area are working to restore electrical service to several polling places without power due to severe thunderstorms.
In a video on DTE Energy's Twitter feed , executive director Ryan Stowe says about 14 polling places were without power following Monday evening's storms and as of Tuesday morning crews had restored power to at least five. In all, he says about 40,000 customers lost power and about half were restored Tuesday morning.
Stowe says the utility is "doing everything we can" to get power back quickly to voting locations for the primary election.
Storms knocked down trees and power lines, with the heaviest damage reported on the east side of Detroit. In suburban Grosse Pointe Park, WWJ-AM reports a polling place at Pierce Middle School used generator power Tuesday morning.
11:15 a.m.
Jason Rybak says business has been good at his tax-and-law office in suburban Detroit, but he's eager for an outsider in the Michigan governor's office.
The 46-year-old says he voted Tuesday for Dr. Jim Hines in the Republican primary over Attorney General Bill Schuette and Lt. Gov. Brian Calley. Rybak of St. Clair Shores says Hines is the "only one who's not a career politician."
Rybak says Schuette and Calley don't have the same "energy."
Laura Hetzler of Grosse Pointe Woods says she voted for Gretchen Whitmer in the Democratic primary. She likes Whitmer's emphasis on education and says the ex-lawmaker should have wide appeal in a general election.
Hetzler says she'll vote for a Democrat in the fall but is concerned about "anti-Muslim bias" if Dr. Abdul El-Sayed wins the primary.
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7:05 a.m.
Polls are open in most of Michigan where primary voters will decide key nominations are for governor, U.S. Senate and other offices.
Voters on Tuesday are choosing would-be successors to Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, who cannot run again due to term limits, and a GOP nominee to face third-term Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow.
The primary also is when the next congressman or congresswoman will effectively be chosen in two solidly Democratic U.S. House seats opening due to retirements, and when nominees will be selected for an open battleground district in suburban Detroit.
Democrat Gretchen Whitmer and Republican Bill Schuette are considered the favorites for governor. She faces challenges from Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and businessman Shri Thanedar.
Schuette is going against Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, state Sen. Patrick Colbeck and Dr. Jim Hines.
Polls close at 8 p.m.
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12:45 a.m.
Key nominations are at stake for governor, U.S. Senate and other offices in Michigan's primary.
Voters on Tuesday will choose the major party candidates who will vie to replace Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, who has reached his term limit, and a GOP nominee to take on Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who is seeking a fourth term.
The primary also is when the next congressman or congresswoman will effectively be chosen in two solidly Democratic U.S. House districts whose seats are opening due to retirements, and when nominees will be selected for an open battleground district in suburban Detroit.
Democrat Gretchen Whitmer and Republican Bill Schuette are considered the favorites for governor, but Michigan's electorate is unpredictable. Whitmer faces challenges from Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and businessman Shri Thanedar.
Schuette is going against Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, state Sen. Patrick Colbeck and Dr. Jim Hines.
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