See why as we help you make an informed choice
Michigan has been one of the states hit hardest by the economy and has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation. A lot of you say you want change and this year you'll have the chance.
2010 is going to be a year of big change in Michigan politics.
Tonight we begin our "decision 2010" coverage with an overview of what's up for grabs.
From the Governor on down term limits are the main reasons for major turn over in Lansing.
Governor Jennifer Granholm is term limited out so you'll be choosing a new chief executive for the state. Because of term limits you'll also be choosing a new Attorney General and Secretary of State.
U.S. Representative Pete Hoekstra is not term limited out, but he is running governor, so that opens up the 2nd congressional seat which includes lake shore counties from Benzie down to Ottawa.
U.S. Representative Bart Stupak announced he is not running for re-election after his controversial vote on healthcare. That opens up the 1st congressional district which covers the Upper Peninsula and the north and northeastern part of the Lower Peninsula.
While we're guaranteed to get new faces in these positions, you may recognize some of the names on the ballot as some state lawmakers who cannot run again for their current positions are making a run for U.S. Congress.
Term limits are leading to major turnover in Lansing.
In fact, three quarters of state senators cannot run again for re-lection because of term limits.
About a third of state representatives are term limited out.
In our area there will be no incumbents running in for the state senate, and out of the ten state representative seats in our area there are only 3 incumbents running for re-election.
So you will be choosing a lot of new people to make some very big decisions for Michigan. We want to help you make an informed decision.
Starting tomorrow we will be introducing you to all of the candidates as we gear up for the August primary. We will also be posting their information on our website upnorthlive.com
Then as we head into November's general election we will take an even deeper look into where they stand on issues that impact you.
