Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris They are fighting to win Michigan and secure the state’s 15 electoral votes.

Michigan played a decisive role in the fourth consecutive presidential election; Trump and Harris campaigned heavily in pursuit of the state’s electoral votes. Both campaigns sought to appeal to people in vote-rich Detroit and its suburbs and in western Kent County, home of Grand Rapids and a key swing region of the state.

With 52 percent of the votes counted, Trump was ahead of Harris with 51.9 percent of the votes. CNN projections.

Who Did Michigan Voters Elect in 2016 and 2020?

Michigan, along with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, was one of three presidential battlegrounds that tipped in Donald Trump’s favor in 2016 after nearly 30 years of support. Democrats for the president. Democrat four years later Joe Biden He won back all three states for Democrats in Michigan by a margin of nearly 154,000 votes out of more than 5.5 million votes cast.

As of October 1, 2024, there were approximately 8,148,345 registered voters in Michigan, of which 2,522,847 (31%) were Democrats. Republicans 3,261,441 (40%) and third party/other links total 198,538 (2.44%). This is an increase from 2020, when Michigan had approximately 8,105,524 registered voters, of whom 7,151,051 were classified as active.

What Were the Poll Averages in Michigan?

Accordingly Nate SilverIn late October 2024, popular model Kamala Harris held the lead in Michigan with 48.4 percent of the projected vote compared to Donald Trump’s 47.2 percent, giving her a slight advantage of 0.4 points. That margin narrowed from the beginning of the month, with Trump improving his numbers by 0.9 points since September.

FiveThirtyEight’s model also showed Harris holding a 1-point lead over Trump; Harris had 48 percent of the votes and Trump had 47 percent.

Biggest Issues in Michigan

In Michigan, a manufacturing state, voters were primarily interested in the economy, immigration and the conflict in Gaza. Despite positive economic indicators such as low unemployment and falling inflation rate, the rising cost of living remained a pressing problem; Most surveys identified economic stability and job security as top priorities.

Reflecting national sentiment, immigration was another focus for Michigan voters, centered around debates about border security and pathways to citizenship. The ongoing conflict in Gaza resonated particularly strongly among Michigan’s Arab American community (the largest in the United States), and foreign policy considerations weigh heavily.

A recent survey Washington Post It found that the Gaza conflict is seen as a more important issue in Michigan than in other states, and that Trump has a slight edge over Harris in the public’s perception of his handling of the situation.

As of November 1, 2024, Michigan has seen a significant number of early votes cast ahead of the November 5 election. More than 2.5 million people participated in early voting statewide; That number accounts for about 35.5% of the state’s 7.27 million registered voters.

This total included both absentee ballots and in-person early voting. Specifically, 1,843,060 absentee ballots were returned, representing approximately 78.5% of the 2,348,351 ballots submitted. Additionally, 736,894 voters voted in person in early voting.

Both Campaigns Collected Heavily in Michigan

Both candidates’ target was Michigan; Trump and Harris have each stayed in the state 14 times this year. Trump aimed to mobilize his base by visiting cities such as Detroit, Warren and Novi with his “America First” message.

Harris, along with the former first lady, has focused on boosting Democratic support in areas like Grand Rapids and Lansing. Michelle Obama He joins her in Kalamazoo for the bike’s first campaign appearance in October.