Jonathan Oosting

The Republican National Committee is deploying legal teams to Michigan and calling for a federal investigation into ‘irregularities’ But elections officials — including some Republican clerks — say their claims don’t add up to much.

Democrats condemned President Trump’s unproven claims of voter fraud in Detroit. Republicans were more circumspect.

A Michigan judge on Thursday rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to halt absentee ballot counting in the state, calling his campaign’s lone piece of evidence “hearsay” and telling attorneys there is “no basis” to believe the lawsuit has merit.

Record turnout boosted the president’s vote totals in dozens of Michigan counties. But suburban voters turned away from the incumbent and gave Biden the margins needed to grab the state’s 16 electoral votes.

Michigan once again could decide the presidency, and Democratic Vice President Joe Biden is ahead in the votes. But Trump and his supporters filed suit, caused disruptions in Detroit and challenged the process.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer hit the campaign trail last month to campaign for House Democrats trying to break the GOP’s decade-long grip on the Michigan Legislature. Instead, Republicans are likely to retain control of both the House and Senate for the remainder of Whitmer’s first term.

President Donald Trump did better in northern Michigan and many areas than he did in 2016, while Democrat Joe Biden banks on late counts from suburbs and Wayne County.

Republican President Trump is growing his margins in rural Michigan while Democratic challenger Joe Biden is running up the score in areas like Oakland County as clerks across the state continue to count ballots.

President Donald Trump airs grievances and waxes nostalgic during a huge campaign stop in Michigan. “You’re so lucky I’ve agreed to be your president,” he tells supporters.

Republicans prepare to challenge any voting irregularities, while Democrats are ready to fight any litigation that seeks to stop valid votes from being counted in Michigan, where President Donald Trump won by 10,704 votes in 2016.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says it could take until Friday to finalize state election results because of high turnout. Local clerks say they hope to have tallies by Wednesday morning.

Speaking from a runway in Oakland County, where he’s struggled to connect with suburban voters, Trump claimed the United States is “rounding the corner” on COVID-19 a day after the state reported a record case count along with climbing hospitalizations and deaths.

Michigan health officials ordered a number of businesses to limit capacity and the size of gatherings as they try to control the swift rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths that have swept the state.

State officials plan to “immediately appeal” the decision to the state Supreme Court ahead of Election Day.

Staff shortages could lengthen voting lines or slow an absentee ballot counting effort, but Michigan officials say there’s no need to panic because clerks and the state have spent weeks recruiting reserve workers.

President Donald Trump, Democrat Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama plan weekend visits before Tuesday’s election. That begs the question: Is Michigan closer than the polls suggest?

Republicans need to hold onto four contested seats to retain control of the state House. Democrats, hopeful for a blue wave, are pushing hard to swing control of the chamber for the first time in a decade.

Trust in polls has eroded since Donald Trump came from behind in 2016 to win the presidential election. Michigan pollsters say they got a bad rap, but they’ve still made changes like contacting more cellphone users.

Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s attempt to ban openly carried weapons at Michigan polling places on Election Day is “likely unlawful” and cannot be enforced, Court of Claims Judge Christopher Murray ruled Tuesday evening.

State officials are urging residents to return ballots to clerks or in drop boxes if they want them to count by Tuesday.