It's down to the last days and hours until Election Day. With more than 1.1-million votes already cast, the turnout likely will come close to the record mid-term election of 2018. The outcome is definitely in doubt: will the polls showing close-but-comfortable leads for the top of the Democratic ticket mean Michigan Democrats successful overcome the historic headwinds of a mid-term, or will the election deniers leading the state's GOP ticket pull off historic upsets?

Add to it continuing false claims of election fraud in 2020 and it's likely that next Tuesday will only be a waypoint in the 2022 election story as any (if not most) losing GOP candidates reflexively shout "rigged election" and "vote fraud".

In the podcast, we mention one story that can help combat the claims of vote fraud: Bridge Michigan's Jonathan Oosting does a deep dive into the many levels of security built into the state's absentee voting process. We recommend the article to one and all!

Also this week:

Cheney tells Slotkin crowd to 'walk away from politics as usual'

Barack Obama rallies for Gretchen Whitmer, seeks to boost turnout in Detroit | Bridge Michigan

Why early vote returns might produce a 'mirage' on election night in Michigan

Tim Michels Says GOP Will 'Never Lose Another Election' in Wisconsin If He Wins

Jocelyn Benson: ‘We’ve delivered on our promises.’ Republicans aren’t so sure. | Bridge Michigan

National issues, pandemic led to partisan Lansing area school board races

Poll: Slotkin leads Barrett in tossup race for U.S. House

Poll: Where Michigan voters stand on Whitmer, Dixon 1 week before election (Glengarrif Poll)

Cygnal Momentum Tracking Poll: Michigan Statewide – 11/1/22

Joining the pre-election conversation is the politics editor of the Detroit News, Chad Livengood.

Chad was a political reporter in The News' Lansing Bureau from 2012 through 2016 before becoming a reporter and columnist at Crain's Detroit Business. He rejoined The News' politics team in May 2022. He began his journalism career as editor of Central Michigan University’s student paper. His early career included stints covering politics and government in Illinois and Delaware before returning to Michigan, and the Detroit News, ten years ago.

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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."