We’re less than two weeks away from election day; about three-quarters of a  million ballots have already been cast, and another million absentee ballots have been issued. November 8 may be Election Day, but the election could well drag on for weeks as losing candidates … at least among the Republican nominees … scream “stolen election”.

Some of the highlights of this week in Michigan politics:

Barack Obama records TV ad promoting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

5 clashes in the final Gretchen Whitmer-Tudor Dixon gubernatorial debate

Michigan governor final debate: Fact checking Tudor Dixon-Gretchen Whitmer | Bridge Michigan

Extremist Leader Boasts of Helping Michigan GOP Governor Candidate Tudor Dixon’s Campaign

Records: DeVos PAC spent $6.3M on Tudor Dixon bid for Michigan governor | Bridge Michigan

FACT CHECK: Tudor Dixon’s Ad Covers Up Her Dangerous Agenda to Gut School and Public Safety Funding While  Reversing Economic Development  - Michigan Democratic Party

Carl Marlinga, John James spar in debate for US House seat

Polls

Morning Consult weekly tracking poll (national) (October 21-23)

CNN Polls shows Whitmer ahead in races for governor

Cygnal Poll (October 19-23)

CBS YouGov Poll - October 12-14

Michigan’s 7th District voters favoring Democratic candidates, but Slotkin-Barrett race tight

Joining the conversation this week is Michigan's top non-partisan elections expert, Chris Thomas. Thomas served as the state Elections Director for 36 years under both Republican and Democratic Secretaries of State. In that role he administered Michigan election law, campaign finance act and lobbyist disclosure law and served as Secretary to the Board of State Canvassers. He began his election administration career in 1974 in Washington, D.C. with the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Federal Election Commission, joining the Michigan Elections office in 1982.

In 2013, President Obama appointed Thomas as a Commissioner on the Presidential Commission on Election Administration, which made recommendations to improve the election day experience of America’s voters. Thomas earned a B.A. in Political Science from Michigan State University, a M.A. in Urban Affairs from St. Louis University in St. Louis, MO, and a J.D. from Thomas Cooley Law School.

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This week's podcast is underwritten by Practical Political Consulting and EPIC-MRA. We thank them for supporting "A Republic, If You Can Keep It."