Hayley Harding

14 Nov 2024

Hi there. I cover voting + election admin in the state of Michigan for @votebeat.bsky.social. If you have questions/comments/concerns/weird stuff related to that in any way, I'd love to hear from you: ✉️: hharding@votebeat.org 📱: 313-437-2115 (call or text!) My DMs are open here and on other apps!

votebeat.orgWhat stops a local election official who goes rogue?It took a village to stop a rogue election official.

14h

There are eight days until Election Day here in Michigan, and more than 1.2 MILLION people have already voted, per state records. That includes more than a million absentee ballots returned and more than 138,000 early votes cast.

Hayley Harding reposted

Nathaniel Rakich

@baseballot.bsky.social

Please take some time today to read @hayleyharding.bsky.social's wild tale of a local election official (with a MAGA talk show host husband) who tried to cancel a bunch of voters' registrations—and how the system caught her. www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...

I'd like to tell you a story about Michigan's elections that started in 2020 — maybe even earlier — and continues on to today. This is the story of Antrim County Clerk Victoria Bishop.

View full thread

She hasn't always been this way. A decade ago, she went on the record as an Antrim County Canvasser telling folks elections were secure. Now, not so much.

votebeat.orgWhat stops a local election official who goes rogue?It took a village to stop a rogue election official.

But Elections in Antrim County will go on without her. For @votebeat.org, with support from @pulitzercenter.org: A clerk tried to remove voters from the rolls. How her county — and the state — stopped her. www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...

I'd like to tell you a story about Michigan's elections that started in 2020 — maybe even earlier — and continues on to today. This is the story of Antrim County Clerk Victoria Bishop.

votebeat.orgA Michigan clerk insisted she could change voters’ registrations. The state just revoked her privileges.The hardline Republican says she has a mandate to clean the county’s voter rolls — but the state says she overstepped her authority.

You've probably heard about Bishop. She won her election in 2024 promising to clean up the voter rolls after a 2020 disaster sparked conspiracies. But when she tried to do that, the state elections apparatus came down on her — because that was never her job. www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...

Hayley Harding reposted

gwen howerton

@kissphoria.bsky.social

New: OutYouth, an LGBTQ+ youth program in Austin, says it's briefly closing for safety reasons because it was mentioned in the fake trans resource guide pamphlets that went out this week across Texas - www.chron.com/culture/arti...

chron.comTexas LGBTQ+ nonprofit suspends services over false trans resource pamphletsThe Austin LGBTQ+ youth program said it would briefly suspend services "out of an abundance of caution."

I am actually being so chill about election season, if you consider that after work today I'm going to the library to print patterns to make clothes for my porch goose

@jessicahuseman.bsky.social

It is two weeks to Election Day, and 10.7% of the active registered voters in Michigan — 789,572 people — have already voted, according to state records.

Hayley Harding reposted

Jessica Huseman

New from me & @dionnissenbaum.bsky.social for @votebeat.org: USPIS intercepted 100+ letters containing white powder addressed to election offices nationwide. At least 1 U.S. senator and a polling company were also intended recipients. www.votebeat.org/national/202...

votebeat.orgMore than 100 suspicious letters sent to election officials weeks before 2026 midtermsElection officials nationwide are confirming they were sent suspicious letters, some of which contained an “unknown substance,” at a time when officials are increasingly subject to physical threats.

electionexpertdesk.orgReporter Signup Form - Votebeat Election Expert Desk« Back to homepage Reporter Application

Just as a reminder for my fellow reporters: @votebeat.org has an elections experts desk staffed by 125 VETTED election officials around the US to answer basically every election question you could possible have. You can sign up here:

Hayley Harding reposted

Randall Munroe

@xkcd.com

Dogcatcher xkcd.com/3309/

GOD I love when people put babies in a pumpkin. Life is worth living when people put their little children in gourds

you're in her DMs I'm in a pivot table at 6:30 p.m. on a Friday

votebeat.orgAbsentee ballot delays continue to plague Michigan communities; clerk apologizesTuscarora Township waited almost a week after receiving absentee ballots to mail them out.

Updated over on @votebeat.org: A northern Michigan deputy clerk is apologizing after the ACLU sent a letter threatening legal action for a Facebook post regarding delayed ballots www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...

More than 64,000 ballots have already been returned in the Nov. 3 election here in Michigan, per the state's dashboard. That's just shy of 1% of all registered voters in the state more than a month out.

votebeat.orgSome Michigan voters still without absentee ballots after clerks miss state deadlineVoters in multiple Michigan counties are still waiting for their ballots.

The state deadline to get the first batch of absentee ballots out to voters was last week. So why do some clerk not even have them in their hands yet? @votebeat.org

votebeat.orgEmbattled Michigan clerk accused of wrongly canceling registrations one step closer to a recallA state letter says less than a minute was spent on voter-status training marked complete for Antrim County Clerk Victoria Bishop.

Over on @votebeat.org is the next step in a story I've been reporting since April: Victoria Bishop, the embattled Antrim County clerk, is one step closer to a recall after the Board of State Canvassers approved several potential petition options

Hayley Harding reposted

bit.lyError means unknown number of Texas voter registrations haven’t been processed yetIt’s unknown how many prospective voters have been affected.

It’s unknown how many prospective voters have been affected.

Anyway would anyone like to discuss Taylor Swift. I would like to discuss Taylor Swift

Current brain power: Just googled "when is Election Day"

Hayley Harding reposted

Meghan Hoyer

@meghanhoyer.bsky.social

washpost.wd5.myworkdayjobs.comNewsroom Summer Internship Program 2027: Data JournalistApplication Instructions Please list all professional experience and explain any gaps in employment history. All of your application materials, which may include PDF files of work samples and/or links...

Our data team is seeking an enterprising senior or grad student to join us next summer, working on data analysis and/or reporting tools. You should have solid coding skills, smart ideas and enthusiasm for learning alongside our collaborative, fun team: washpost.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/washin...

Hayley Harding reposted

bit.lyWill the midterms happen? Your election questions, answered | Part 2Submit your election questions to Votebeat reporters, and they’ll answer them live on Sept. 15 at 1 p.m. EDT.

🗓️ TOMORROW, get your election questions answered! Votebeat's experienced election reporters @jessicahuseman.bsky.social, @alexandershur.bsky.social, @hayleyharding.bsky.social, and @sashahupka.bsky.social will explain what mail voters need to know, election security basics, and more.

Hayley Harding reposted

bit.lyIn Delaware, corporations can vote in local elections. Some people are trying to change that.A Delaware beach town offers broad voting rights to corporations, spurring broader debate over who should be allowed to take part in elections.

A Delaware beach town offers broad voting rights to corporations, spurring broader debate over who should be allowed to take part in elections.

You can't talk like to that me, a person who has all her windows open

11 Sept

My bunny is snoring really loudly so unfortunately I have to cancel all calls meetings or productivity this afternoon so I can stare lovingly at her

eventbrite.comWill the midterms happen? Your election questions, answered | Part 2Submit your election questions to Votebeat reporters, and they’ll answer them live on Sept. 15 at 1 p.m. EDT.

11 Sept

Next week, you have an exclusive chance to have a bunch of election reporters answer all the questions you have about the midterms. Join me and my @votebeat.org colleagues on Tuesday:

Hayley Harding reposted

10 Sept

On Tuesday, get your midterm election questions answered. Submit a question to @jessicahuseman.bsky.social, @alexandershur.bsky.social, @hayleyharding.bsky.social, and @sashahupka.bsky.social here: www.eventbrite.com/e/will-the-m...

10 Sept

I really do respect that Gannett and McClatchy continue to duke it out for the highly coveted title of "just the absolute fucking worst" with occasional shows from whatever Alden is calling themselves these days

9 Sept

I've started addressing groups of people as "median voters" and I would say everyone really really loves it

votebeat.orgTop Republican voting priority fails to make Michigan ballotThe proposal would have required all Michigan voters to prove their citizenship in order to vote a full ballot.

4 Sept

Michigan's proof-of-citizenship ballot initiative is dead. For now. Over on @votebeat.org:

Hayley Harding reposted

@bycarterwalker.bsky.social

26 Aug

You've got election questions. We've got answers. Join @jessicahuseman.bsky.social, @alexandershur.bsky.social, @hayleyharding.bsky.social, and @sashahupka.bsky.social for a free Q&A event as the midterms heat up. Attend for free! ➡️ www.eventbrite.com/e/will-the-m...

Hayley Harding reposted

Carter Walker

25 Aug

Replying to @bycarterwalker.bsky.social

Next, on Sept. 15, we're hosting a virtual event where @alexandershur.bsky.social, @hayleyharding.bsky.social, @sashahupka.bsky.social, and @jessicahuseman.bsky.social will take your questions about the 2026 midterms. All are welcome! Not just reporters. Details: www.votebeat.org/national/202...

votebeat.orgLive event: Will the midterms happen? Your election questions, answered, Part 2Votebeat reporters will answer your questions about the midterms on Sept. 15 in a virtual webinar. RSVP to attend.

votebeat.orgSupporters vow to go to court to force election on whether Michigan voters should have to prove their citizenshipIf approved, the amendment would give Michigan one of the strictest proof-of-citizenship requirements in the country.

25 Aug

Over on @votebeat.org: Here's what happened today — and what happens next www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...

Five minutes until the building locks down! The excitement of public meetings

The Board of State Canvassers has deadlocked. The proof of citizenship amendment is not on the ballot as it stands, but it's likely to go to the MI Supreme Court. @votebeat.org

We've been looking at signatures for 10 mins.

Hayley Harding@hayleyharding.com

We have 34 minutes until this meeting ends. Three signatures needed. It is ... not clear how many are outstanding.

We have 34 minutes until this meeting ends. Three signatures needed. It is ... not clear how many are outstanding.

Board of State Canvassers have to be done by 5 p.m. It is now 4:01 p.m.

For those following along at home, if this does end up certified today, they also have to write the 100-word summary that will appears on ballots.

Canvassers are going signature by signature through the rejected ones. So far most are deadlocks on party lines

Nurya Love Parish@nuryalp.bsky.social

More importantly how is it looking?

Canvassers are back. Appears they ate Jimmy Johns, if anyone cares.

Canvassers are taking 30 mins for lunch. Back at 2.

Two signatures have added to the total. ACV is only three valid signatures away from seeing their ballot question certified, which would mean MI voters weigh in on documentary proof of citizenship requirements this fall.

MI Director of Elections Jonathan Brater is explaining why the state considers a sample of 1,000 signatures rather than reviewing 710,000 individual signatures. (TL;DR: that would take too long.)

The staff report from last week found 612 signatures were valid, short of the 629 needed. After analyzing rebuttal from sponsor and challenger alike, the number is now at 624.

Michigan's primary election has been certified by the Board of State Canvassers.

Good morning from the Michigan Board of State Canvassers, where board members today will decide if a proof-of-citizenship effort will be on the ballot this fall.