Hi there, Michigan. 

We’re in the homestretch leading up to the midterm elections. How are you feeling? Do you have a voting plan, if you’re not one of the 12.4% of active Michigan voters who have already cast their ballot? That’s more than 920,000 people, if you’re keeping track.

If you’re still deciding how to best cast your ballot, remember we have all the info on how to vote right here. You can also reach me with questions — this is my last biweekly missive before Election Day (although there might be some stories I send your way), but I’m at [email protected] if you see something strange I should know about.

In the meantime, I’d like to direct you to my new story on the happenings in Antrim County. I’ve written a lot about Antrim County Clerk Victoria Bishop and her battles with the state after she allegedly changed voter registration statuses and sent postcards to more than 1,500 voters across her county. 

This story was written over the course of several months, and I want to tell you what went into it. Of course, I talked to anyone who would take my call. I went to Lansing several times to watch the recall effort take shape before finally winning approval late last month. I gathered a slew of public records from the Michigan Department of State. I talked a lot to the team at Interlochen Public Radio, who has been following this for their listeners as well. I listened to, in the most conservative estimate, at least 50 hours of “Your Defending Fathers,” the radio talk show hosted by Trucker Randy, Bishop’s husband.

One of the most valuable things I did? I visited Antrim County myself. It’s a beautiful place, with giant trees and gorgeous lakes — the kind of place you imagine when you think of how beautiful Michigan can be. While there, I talked to voters and township clerks and even attended a county commissioners’ meeting to introduce myself to the county clerk. I ate pizza and touched Torch Lake for the first time in my life.

The end result is the most thorough account we have of how Antrim County got here — and how elections will continue, even if one official takes actions that are outside the purview of her job. I traced Bishop’s path from county canvasser a decade ago to a clerk without QVF access today, touching on the controversies and conspiracies that brought us to this very moment. 

I hope this story will make a difference not only for the folks of Antrim County, but for all of Michigan and anyone who wants to understand how our elections work. I’d love to hear your thoughts, if you have them — you can find me at [email protected]. And if you know someone else who would enjoy this work? Encourage them to subscribe to this newsletter.

And enjoy these final days leading up to the election! May the television ads sing you to sleep.

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