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After what seems like endless campaigning -- and a barrage of television ads and mailers, often downright nasty in the attacks aimed at the opposing candidate -- the 2026 midterm elections mercifully have finally arrived.
Polls in area counties, in both Michigan and Wisconsin, will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Both states will select new governors, as Michigan's Gretchen Whitmer is out due to term limits while Wisconsin's Tony Evers opted not to seek a third term.
Michigan will have a new U.S. senator and the Upper Peninsula a new 38th District state senator, with Ed McBroom of Waucedah Township also term-limited.
There's Congressional seats on the ballot, in a year when control of the U.S. House will be up for grabs. Even the U.S. Senate majority is now thought to be in play.
Other Michigan races of note include all 110 state House seats, two statewide ballot proposals and candidates for attorney general, Secretary of State and state Supreme Court.
Wisconsin could see majorities shift in state Assembly and state Senate under new districts. The state, too, has three ballot measures. And the 7th Congressional District, which includes Florence County, will select a new U.S. House representative after U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wausau, decided to run for governor.
Finally, Dickinson County voters have some important choices to make for local school boards, though only Iron Mountain School Board has contested seats. Breitung Township Schools is seeking renewal of its sinking fund -- that story can be found on this website at https://www.ironmountaindailynews.com/news/local-news/2026/10/breitung-schools-to-host-forums-before-sinking-fund-renewal-vote/. A rundown of what's on the ballot is at https://www.ironmountaindailynews.com/news/local-news/2026/10/early-in-person-voting-to-open-saturday-extend-through-nov-1/.
So while the level of political rancor in some of the races this year might have been off-putting, this is not an election to sit out. Too much hangs in the balance.
Bridge Michigan, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization, has put together a complete voters guide for the state at bridgemi.com. It offers an easy way to familiarize yourself with what's on the ballot. Michigan Advance at https://michiganadvance.com/ has a voter guide as well.
In Wisconsin, a voters guide can be found at Wisconsin Examiner -- which like Michigan Advance is a part of States Newsroom, the nation's largest state-focused nonprofit news organization -- online at wisconsinexaminer.com/.
If still planning to vote with a mailed absentee ballot, sending it back through the mail is not recommended at this point. Even the U.S. Postal Service stated in a news release that ballots might not make it by Tuesday unless mailed at least a week in advance.
Instead, it should be hand delivered in its signed and sealed envelope to the local clerk's office or taken to a secure ballot drop box. Clerks must receive absentee ballots no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.
Voters can go to mi.gov/vote to check their voter registration, track their mail ballot and find drop boxes.
If not voting with a mail ballot and you can't make it to the polls Tuesday, in-person early voting sites will be open today and Sunday. For Dickinson County, the early voting site is at Kingsford City Hall, 305 S. Carpenter Ave., Kingsford. Iron County has two sites: Iron River City Hall, 801 W. Adams St., Iron River; and Crystal Falls City Hall, 401 Superior Ave., Crystal Falls.
In an election of this magnitude, your voice and viewpoint matter -- but only if you vote.