The impact of Michigan's 3rd-party votes
Good morning, it's Saturday. We're just three days from Election Day.
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The 3rd party effect
When you cast your vote for president this year, you'll notice it's not just Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in the running. In Michigan, six third-party candidates for president are on the ballot. But is it possible that they could be spoilers that affect the race in Michigan?
"A lot of the threats for spoiler effects are overblown," said Valdosta State University political science professor Bernard Tamas. But this year, he said he sees potential for Michigan's election to see third-party votes to have an impact.
"If there is a state where the spoiler effect will happen, it's most likely in Michigan," he said. "I think it's actually probably pretty low in most states unless the votes are extremely close. But Michigan is a little bit of an outlier."
In addition to Harris and Trump, Michigan voters will see these names on their ballot for president:
- Natural law candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- Independent candidate Joseph Kishore
- Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver
- Green Party candidate Jill Stein
- U.S. Taxpayers candidate Randall Terry
- Independent candidate Cornel West
As reporters Clara Hendrickson and Kristi Tanner show, there are issues that will have people voting for third-party candidates and it could play an important role in this election.
➡️ Voting early this weekend? Here's what to know. And use our voter guide to get to know who's on your ballot.
Also worth reading
📺 Business: Dan Gilbert plans to bring an immersive, ultra-high-definition TV viewing venue for sports and events to Detroit.
📰 News: Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has named a banking executive as his new chief operating officer.
🗳️ Politics: Donald Trump was in Warren and JD Vance visited Grand Rapids on Friday making their case to voters before Tuesday's election. Trump made a stop in Dearborn as well, promising peace in the Middle East as he met with Arab American leaders.
🍲 Dining: Just in time for cozy season, Panera Bread is offering cups of soup for $1 this fall. Find out how to redeem here.
🕑 Daylight saving: Don't forget, you'll get an extra hour of sleep tonight when the clocks turn back at 2 a.m. for Daylight Saving Time.
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