Author

Allison R. Donahue

Allison R. Donahue

Allison R. Donahue is a former Michigan Advance reporter who covered education, women's issues and LGBTQ issues. Previously, she was a suburbs reporter at the St. Cloud Times in St. Cloud, Minn., covering local education and government. As a graduate of Grand Valley State University, she has previous experience as a freelance researcher for USA Today and an intern with WOOD TV-8.

Whitmer, Gilchrist thank college-aged voters

By: - November 18, 2022

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist penned a letter to Michigan’s college students Thursday thanking them for showing up in record numbers in the midterm election. “No matter why you went to the polls or who you voted for, thank you. You waited in line — sometimes for hours — to make your […]

Right-wing groups focused on winning local school boards this election. Did it work?

By: - November 12, 2022

Education-related issues dominated the last few months of top campaigns in Michigan, especially as Republican candidates like Tudor Dixon pushed bans of “pornographic” books in K-12 schools, anti-critical race theory agendas and anti-LGBTQ+ policies in the classroom.  With these contentious issues firing up parents on the right, that resulted in outsized attention and spending on […]

In Michigan, ‘red wave’ spin gives way to a blue ‘blowout’

By: - November 11, 2022

“This is absolutely historic, an epic landslide for pro-democracy Michiganders.” That was the assessment of Jeff Timmer, a former Michigan GOP executive director now with the anti-Trump Lincoln Party, after seeing the midterm election results Wednesday morning.  Democrats in Michigan have made history for the first time in four decades by taking back control of […]

Karamo still hasn’t conceded, tells supporters to ‘standby’ for more election fraud conspiracies

By: - November 10, 2022

Republican Secretary of State nominee Kristina Karamo continues to push baseless claims about election fraud in the state, telling supporters “there is more to come.” Karamo has yet to concede from the race after losing Tuesday’s election to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson by 14 points — the largest margin of any top statewide race.  […]

Updated: Whitmer beats Dixon in Michigan governor’s race

By: - November 9, 2022

Updated, 1:14 a.m., 11/9/22, with comments from Gov. Whitmer, 1:50 a.m., with updated results With over 65% of the state’s total votes tallied, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer defeated Republican nominee Tudor Dixon in Tuesday’s election. The Associated Press called the election just after 1 a.m. Wednesday. According to White House pool reports, President Joe Biden […]

Michigan voter turnout higher than usual across the state, with few hiccups

By: , and - November 8, 2022

Jake Rollow, a spokesman for Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, said Tuesday afternoon that the election has largely been running smoothly, with a few hiccups along the way that were swiftly rectified.  As of 4:30 p.m., there were 2,022,885 absentee ballots requested and 1,807,127 absentee ballots submitted. Turnout is higher than usual, Rollow said on […]

Dixon focuses on education, crime during last rally in Grand Rapids

By: - November 8, 2022

GOP gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon on Monday night held a final “Welcome Home” campaign rally in Grand Rapid before polls opened Tuesday morning.  “We’ve got to get everybody out because this is a moment where parents need to speak up. Parents and grandparents, this isn’t even about us. This is about the future. This is […]

Judge rejects Karamo’s election lawsuit, says it would disenfranchise Detroit voters

By: - November 7, 2022

Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Timothy Kenny rejected on Monday GOP Secretary of State nominee Kristina Karamo’s lawsuit attempting to disqualify absentee voters in Detroit, calling it “unprecedented” and “intolerable.” “Such harm to the citizens of the city of Detroit, and by extension the citizens of the state of Michigan, is not only unprecedented, it […]

Voting rights advocates prepare for increase of ‘frivolous challenges’ at the polls

By: - November 7, 2022

Voting rights organizations in Michigan are preparing for Election Day after seeing reports about growing efforts from right-wing activists to make “frivolous challenges” at the polls. Progress Michigan, Promote the Vote and All Voting is Local held a press conference Friday morning to discuss last-minute litigation and efforts from organizations and individuals who are sowing […]

Planned Parenthood president: ‘We’re leaving no stone unturned’ before Tuesday’s election

By: - November 5, 2022

“Health care is not a partisan issue,” said Jeff Timmer, a longtime Republican strategist during a Yes on Proposal 3 rally Saturday in Grand Rapids.  With just days before the Tuesday election, that is the message advocates for the ballot proposal to codify Roe-era abortion rights in the Michigan Constitution are trying to spread to […]

Michigan's Supreme Court

Michigan Supreme Court ruling keeps Benson’s poll challenger rules in place

By: - November 3, 2022

Less than a week before the election, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Secretary of State and election clerks will continue to follow the poll challenger guidance put in place by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson earlier this year.  Last month, a Michigan Court of Claims judge blocked a number of the rules […]

Study: Michigan could see the 3rd highest maternal death rate if abortion is banned

By: - November 3, 2022

Michigan has the third-highest expected increase in maternal deaths in the nation if the state’s 1931 abortion ban goes into effect, according to a report released Wednesday from the liberal group the Center for American Progress (CAP). Held off by preliminary injunctions amid a flurry of legal action, Michigan’s 91-year-old law criminalizing abortion hasn’t gone […]