It’s Election Day in Michigan — again. But few people will vote

SowhydowehaveaMayelectioninMichiganatall?There’sastatelawinvolved,butmostlycomesdowntomoney. A2003lawconsolidatedelectionsFormanyyears,Michigandidn’thavesetdatesforelections.  “Therewerejustelectionsallthetime,”saidChrisThomas,whoservedfordecadesasstatedirectorofelectionsbeforeretiringin2017.“Schoolmillages,fillingvacancies,itwasjustallover.” InDecember2003,Sen.BeverlyHammerstrom—aRepublicanfromMonroeCountyandaformerclerkherself—introducedabillthatconsolidatedelectionstojustfourdaysintheyear.ThosedatesmightbefamiliartoMichiganvotersnow:TheywerethefourthTuesdayinFebruary,andthefirstTuesdayafterthefirstMondayinMay,August,orNovember. ThebillmovedquicklythroughtheLegislature,andGov.JenniferGranholmsigneditonDec.31.Ittookeffectin2005.Laterchangesestablishedthatcertainofficesandissuesweretobevotedonincertainyears,Thomassaid,andtheFebruaryelectionwas“eventuallydumped”—thoughMichiganrecentlyresumedholdingitsp