Polls open in Michigan • DOJ monitoring elections in 5 cities • What a 'red mirage' means for the midterms

ELECTION DAY NEWS HIT - The polls are open across Michigan during a consequential midterm election for the state and for the country. While the state's top three seats are up for grabs, there are also three significant ballot proposals that will also impact the state for years to come if approved.

And beyond the local elections in Michigan are major opportunities for party control to shift in Congress. FOX 2 has you covered all the way to the end of the polls when they close at 8 p.m. Tuesday night. 

But even after voting stops at 8 p.m., the drama around election day will continue as it could take up to 24 hours for elections to be called. That's because of the number of absentee ballots that will need to be counted. So far, clerks have had the chance to begin pre-processing the ballots for tabulation - but haven't run the ballot through the machine. 

That process began at 7 a.m.

It will take longest in Wayne County, the state's most populated county whose workers will process tens of thousands of ballots. The counting will happen inside Huntington Place in downtown Detroit. 

Another reason the counting process can take a little while is because after the ballots have been tabulated at a precinct, the results - which are still unofficial at this point - will be loaded onto memory cards that are driven to the Department of Elections. 

From there, the results will be sent to the Wayne County Bureau of Elections. Here's what else to know as election day is underway.

What is a ‘red mirage' and why could it appear on Tuesday?

If voters think back to 2020 when Republican candidates appeared to have a lead in the polls before seeing that gap shrink and eventually flip, it's because of the election day voting processes that were still underway. 

Eventually it was Democrats that secured statewide victories at both the senate and presidential level. That's partly because of absentee ballots that needed to be counted in Wayne County, a Democratic stronghold. The same thing could happen this midterm race, which could leave open the door for candidates to call the results prematurely.

"It would not surprise me if on election night if they are leading - whether its' Tudor Dixon, Kristina Karamo or Matt DePerno - that they would try to declare victory," said Bernie Porn, a longtime pollster of Michigan elections. "Because it may be a day or two later before the final results among absentee voters are weighed in on the total results."

For the 2022 midterm race, more than 2 million ballots were requested through the mail, putting Michigan on track for one of the highest turnouts its ever recorded during a midterm. 

Voters should be wary, Secretary of State says

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said the state was on track for one of it's highest turnouts ever. She also expected the experiences of most voters to be calm and smooth. "I'm confident in this because election officials and law enforcement are more prepared than ever before to immediately address any attempt to interfere or disrupt the elections process or intimidate voters," she said last week

But even with smooth processes, trouble can brew. Benson said voters should be most vigilant in the period fo time from when polls close and when the unofficial results are declared. 

Benson asked voters to be aware of the "likelihood" that some individuals will spread misinformation during that time period. That could come in the form of meritless lawsuits or bogus claims online. 

In Detroit, election officials like Daniel Baxter who is overseeing the voting day processes hopes the "lions share" of ballots are counted between 9 and 10 p.m. in Wayne County. 

DOJ monitoring elections in 5 Michigan cities

Five cities in Michigan will have federal authorities monitoring polls during election day to ensure voting rights laws are upheld and obeyed. Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Pontiac, and Southfield were all named in a release from the U.S. Department of Justice that said it planned to monitor voting rights laws in 64 different jurisdictions. 

The DOJ's procedures Tuesday are part of a long-held tradition by the office to protect the rights of voters, the department said. The office also has a civil rights division that will be fielding complaints from voters about possible violations at the polls. 

The monitoring is happening in cities across 24 states. Among the personnel who are being dispatched to the cities are those at the Civil Rights Division from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Their responsibility is to ensure federal voting rights laws including the National Voter Registration Act, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and the Civil Rights Act are followed. 

If a member of the public sees possible violations, they can call the department at 800-253-3931 or file a complaint at https://civilrights.justice.gov/. The DOJ does ask that anyone who notices disruption at a polling place should report it immediately to local election officials. If threats of violence or intimidation occur, they're asked to call 911.

Sick on election day? You can still vote

Michiganders who are sick or injured on Election Day and cannot make it to the polls can request an emergency absentee ballot.

If the illness or emergency, including hospitalizations and Covid, happens after 5 p.m. Nov. 5, the Friday before the Nov. 8 election, you can request a ballot. This includes personal injuries and illnesses, as well as a family death or illness that requires you to be away on Election Day.

To request an emergency absentee ballot, you may have someone deliver your written request for the ballot to your city or township clerk's office before 4 p.m. on Election Day.

Emergency ballots must be returned to the clerk's office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Live on FOX 2

Daily Forecast

It will be a bit of a nippy day for voters as temperatures tumble into the 50s. The sun will still be out and the weather is expected to warm up later this week, but Tuesday will be on the colder side. 

What else we're watching

1. It hasn't made as much noise as the other ballot proposals, but a millage in Oakland County that would continue funding for public transit with the SMART bus service is up for a vote. The tax hike adds up to about $9 a month for the average homeowner if approved.
2. Among the officials watching over the vote counting process in Detroit will be police, who are expected to be on hand for ballot counting at Huntington Place.
3. It's the governor's race that voters will be weighing on that may have the greatest sway on the future of Michigan politics. Gretchen Whitmer and Tudor Dixon have campaigned for months for the seat. Here's a breakdown of the race and the issues at play.
4. The election day proposals that are also up for grabs would impact Michigan election systems, boosting financial transparency and altering term limits, as well as abortion. Here's a breakdown of all three here.
5. If someone witnesses any form of voter intimidation or harassment, they should notify an election worker and can contact an election hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE.

2022 midterm elections: Here’s what to watch in the high-stakes races

After months of primaries, campaign events and fundraising pleas, the midterm elections that will determine the balance of power in Washington and state capitals are finally here.

Republicans are predicting a massive red wave as anxious Democrats defend their narrow majorities in Congress while struggling to overcome pervasive concerns about the economy, crime and President Joe Biden’s leadership. Democrats are hoping that a backlash against the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade will save them.

The political environment has led to an unusually large playing field as emboldened Republicans press into Democratic strongholds like New York, California, New Mexico and Washington state. Still, the marquee races are taking place in swing states like Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, all of which could help determine the outcome of the 2024 presidential contest.

Read more about the high-stakes races here.