Today, Tuesday, Aug. 4, is primary day in Michigan. The biggest race is the one to determine who will be the Democratic candidate for U.S. senator this November; outside of Michigan it’s being watched as a test of the progressive vs. moderate left. The race is between Abdul El-Sayed (one-time governor candidate with public health background), Haley Stevens (current U.S. representative) and Mallory McMorrow (state senator, suspended her campaign but still on the ballot).

I voted in person three days ago, during an “early voting” window that opened on July 25. It’s the first time I’ve done it that way — I’ve only ever voted on the day of the election or mailed in an absentee ballot. But while driving to the library to return some overdue items on Saturday I noticed a lot of signs around pointing to different places I could vote, and thought, Oh, right, there’s an election. I realized I’d be on vacation the day of the vote, so I did as the signs instructed and stopped at a nearby church to get it done.

Political signs
Campaign signs outside the polling place. Heavy on military graphics.

The whole process took about six minutes. It was just me and five staff members in the church’s lobby. After giving them my ID, something on their computer warned them I’d already been mailed an absentee ballot, prompting them to ask me a question I thought was sort of interesting: “Did you bring your absentee ballot with you?” “No,” I answered, wondering who would ever bring their absentee ballot with them to vote in person and why they would do such a thing. I was allowed to vote only after signing an affidavit lying that I had destroyed my absentee ballot.

They had two “I Voted” stickers for my reward: the usual one I’ve seen since starting to vote 10 years ago and another they described as “designed by kids.”

Old ‘I voted’ sticker
The usual sticker I’ve gotten a few times now.
New ‘I voted’ sticker
The one ‘designed by kids.’

I took the one designed by kids. I haven’t been able to determine where it comes from — it’s not a leftover from the 2024 sticker design competition, because this wasn’t one of the winning designs, and this year’s competition is for stickers for the November election, not this primary. Maybe this one was from a local competition, but I couldn’t find any info on that. I emailed Clinton Township Clerk Kim Meltzer but haven’t heard back.