Michigan election guide: When polls open, how many electoral votes, and more questions

What to know before voting in the 2024 election

Whether you're going to vote early or you're waiting to cast your ballot on election day, here's what to know one week out from the 2024 presidential election.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Michigan is expected to play a huge role in the 2024 presidential election for the third straight time as the state, which was once part of the formidable ‘blue wall’, has a tight race for president – plus competitive races that could tip the balance of power in both chambers of Congress and the state House of Representatives.

Eight years ago, Michigan was one of three battlegrounds that went to Republican Donald Trump. Those states were part of the 'blue wall', which had supported Democrats for almost 30 years prior to Trump's victory. Four years later, Democrat Joe Biden won all three states back for Democrats, with a margin in Michigan of about 154,000 votes out of more than 5.5 million votes cast.

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This year, Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris are both campaigning hard for Michigan's 15 electoral votes – with a focus on the Detroit area and Kent County.

When are polls open in Michigan?

Michigan polls open for in person voting on Election Day at 7 a.m. local time.

Due to Michigan covering two time zones, some voters in the Upper Peninsula will have to wait an extra hour to vote.

Polls will remain open until 8 p.m. local time. But again, due to the second time zone, that will be 9 p.m. ET before all polls are closed.

How many electoral votes does Michigan have?

The winner of the presidential race in Michigan will receive 15 electoral votes.

Electoral votes are calculated by adding the number of U.S. House of Representatives seats that a state has to the number of Senate seats. Each state has two Senate seats and Michigan has 13 House seats, giving the state 15 votes in the Electoral College.

House seats are determined by population in the most recent U.S. Census. Four years ago, Michigan lost a House seat, thus losing a vote in the Electoral College as well.

What are Michigan's key races and candidates?

President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Jill Stein (Green) vs. Randall Terry (U.S. Taxpayers Party) v. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Natural Law Party) vs. Joseph Kishore vs. Cornel West.

U.S. Senate: Elissa Slotkin (D) vs. Mike Rogers (R) and four others.

7th Congressional District: Curtis Hertel (D) vs. Tom Barrett (R) and one other.

8th Congressional District: Kristen McDonald Rivet (D) vs. Paul Junge (R) and four others.

Michigan's Senate race

But the presidential race isn't the only one getting massive amounts of attention.

In the U.S. Senate, Democratic U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin and Republican Mike Rogers face off to replace Democratic incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Stabenow elected to retire after five terms in the Senate, turning the once safe seat into a chance for Republicans to pick up the seat for the next six years.

Rogers retired from the U.S. House, a seat that Slotkin later won, but was recruited by Republicans to return to politics in an effort to end a 24-year-drought in races for the U.S. Senate in Michigan.

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Slotkin has won her House district every two years since first being elected in 2018 but, with a run for Senate on her plate, could not seek election to the 8th Congressional District in the Lansing-area.

Michigan's House races to watch

Running to replace Slotkin are Democrat Curtis Hertel and Republican Tom Barrett, both former state senators. Voters in the 7th District narrowly backed Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020.

In the 8th District, which includes Flint and Saginaw, Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet and Republican Paul Junge are running to replace Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, who is not seeking a seventh term. McDonald Rivet is a state senator, while Junge is a former prosecutor and local news anchor who lost to Kildee in 2022.

Michigan House seats could flip

In the state Legislature, Democrats are defending the narrow state House majority they won in 2022 and reclaimed in April after winning special elections to fill a pair of vacancies. All 110 state House seats are up for election this year. The state legislative campaign organizations for both national parties have listed the Michigan state House as one of its top priorities for November. Democrats also hold a small majority in the state Senate, but those seats will not be up for election until 2026.