UP Gazette

In Township of Ishpeming, where voting officials received funding from a Mark Zuckerberg-related organization, Democrat support rose 26.5% from 2016 to 2020.

In 2020, Joe Biden secured 49% of 2,109 votes, compared to the 46% earned by Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Support for Trump increased in Township of Ishpeming 12.1% in 2020.

Township of Ishpeming was one of 467 Michigan areas where voting officials received money from the progressive Centre for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL). A $350 million donation from Facebook founder Zuckerberg and his wife provided funding for the grants.

Grants from the organization, ranging from $5,000 to $19 million, were given to voting officials in exchange for specific conditions being followed. This included strategically targeting voters, creating ballots and developing what are known as “cure letters” to correct ballots at risk of being thrown out for discrepancies in signatures.

Democrat support across Michigan areas that received funding from the CTCL rose 20.8% in 2020 from 2016.

Such support rose 22.7% in Michigan areas that didn’t receive any funding from the CTCL.

The Republican Party earned 12.1% more votes in Michigan districts assisted by the CTCL, compared to 19.5% in counties without similar funding.

The influx of private money on such a large scale was criticized throughout the contentious 2020 election.

The CTCL was sued by Louisiana’s Attorney General in October 2021 “to prevent the injection of unregulated private money...and protect the integrity of elections in the State.” The lawsuit wasn’t allowed to proceed by a State judge.

Criticism of the CTCL also stemmed from favoring “predominantly Democratic counties” and even gave them a headstart to apply for funding, according to emails obtained through Right-to-Know requests.

“Mark Zuckerberg is providing nearly as much money to this year’s election administration as the federal government,” Phil Kline with the Amistad Project said in a late October 2020 press release.

The US government, in the run-up to the 2020 election, was criticized for underfunding the electoral process at a critical time.

Area	Received CTCL Funding?	% Change in Republican Support	% Change in Democratic Support
Ada	Yes	9.7	39.7
Adams	Yes	16.6	20.9
Addison	Yes	13.8	36.3
City of Adrian	Yes	17.7	20.6
Township of Adrian	Yes	18.1	28.9
Albert	Yes	17.8	27.3
City of Albion	Yes	25.8	12.7
Township of Albion	Yes	23.3	14
Alcona	Yes	12.8	24.6
Alger	Yes	16.6	23.5
Algoma	Yes	21.4	51
Allegan	Yes	21.1	35.5
Allendale	Yes	20	45.1
Alma	Yes	16	10
Almena	Yes	21.3	36.8
Almont	Yes	22.6	31.9
Charter Township of Ann Arbor	Yes	9.7	24.3
City of Ann Arbor	Yes	5.4	15.9
Arcada	Yes	26.6	15.2
Argentine	Yes	24.8	31.9
Atlas	Yes	15.3	27.2
Backus	Yes	40.6	30.2
Bainbridge	Yes	10.8	36.3
Bark River	Yes	32.9	16.2
Battle Creek	Yes	-2.9	36.9
Bay City	Yes	394.7	275.1
Beaver	Yes	-81.9	-85.7
Bedford	Yes	-70.5	-67
Belding	Yes	24.6	43.6
Belleville	Yes	10.5	31.9
Bellevue	Yes	26.4	11.2
Belvidere	Yes	34.7	20.3
Benton	Yes	18.9	10.1
Benton Harbor	Yes	42	-0.4
Benzonia	Yes	15.4	29
Berkley	Yes	5.7	30.8
Bethany	Yes	20.1	32
Big Creek	Yes	26.4	27.3
Big Rapids	Yes	26.6	125.1
Birch Run	Yes	16.4	16.9
Blaine	Yes	1.5	35.9
Blair	Yes	18.9	45.3
Blendon	Yes	20	58.6
Blissfield	Yes	19.9	25.7
Bloomfield	Yes	5.3	27.2
Blumfield	Yes	9.8	43.1
Boyne Valley	Yes	30.1	58.1
Breen	Yes	25.7	8.2
Bridgeport	Yes	15.6	7.9
City of Brighton	Yes	11.5	31.1
Township of Brighton	Yes	10.9	37.2
Brookfield	Yes	15.4	27.6
Brownstown	Yes	23	30.3
City of Buchanan	Yes	14.7	25.9
Township of Buchanan	Yes	25.3	34.2
Buena Vista	Yes	19.6	1.1
Burdell	Yes	26.3	22.2
Burlington	Yes	15.1	24.7
Burton	Yes	18.4	22
Cadillac	Yes	14.3	37.1
Caldwell	Yes	27.5	38.9
Caledonia	Yes	18.8	49.7
Cannon	Yes	10.8	43.8
Canton	Yes	11.1	34
Carmel	Yes	14.1	36.9
Caro	Yes	19.7	16
Casco	Yes	18.5	26.8
Casnovia	Yes	26.3	27.3
Caspian	Yes	20.8	-0.6
Cedar	Yes	23.4	31.9
Cedar Creek	Yes	38.2	18.4
Center Line	Yes	11.9	26.4
Champion	Yes	33.3	2.4
Charleston	Yes	19.6	17.2
Charlotte	Yes	21.6	33.3
Chassell	Yes	17.6	22.1
Cheboygan	Yes	8.7	37.1
Chester	Yes	21.1	14.5
Chesterfield	Yes	-24.8	121.5
Chippewa	Yes	18.4	43.8
Chocolay	Yes	10.5	29.5
City of Clare	Yes	28.7	22.6
Clare	Yes	27.3	22
Clark	Yes	6.5	41.5
Clawson	Yes	4.3	33.9
Clay	Yes	22.2	23.8
Clinton	Yes	11.6	24.7
Coldsprings	Yes	22.6	32.4
Coldwater	Yes	9.7	9.9
Colfax	Yes	15	21.4
Colon	Yes	26.9	29.8
Columbia	Yes	18.8	24.2
Commerce	Yes	15.5	40.1
Convis	Yes	21.8	17.9
Conway	Yes	26.5	22.1
Cooper	Yes	12.9	29.4
Corunna	Yes	17.5	19.1
Courtland	Yes	23.4	53.3
Crockery	Yes	28.1	29.9
Croswell	Yes	32.3	36.8
Crystal Lake	Yes	6.6	27.7
Dallas	Yes	18.4	54.7
Dalton	Yes	33.5	20.6
Dearborn	Yes	8.8	27
Dearborn Heights	Yes	8.3	25.2
Deerfield	Yes	22.1	18.9
Delhi	Yes	13.3	33.3
Delta	Yes	7.7	27.7
Denton	Yes	18.9	18.3
Denver	Yes	28.9	16.5
Detroit	Yes	67.8	2.6
Charter Township of DeWitt	Yes	13.5	37.1
City of DeWitt	Yes	9.5	35.4
Dexter	Yes	8.2	34
Douglas	Yes	29.8	26.1
Dover	Yes	32.7	30.4
East Bay	Yes	7.1	40
East Lansing	Yes	312.5	-46.4
East Tawas	Yes	-30.3	107.9
Eastpointe	Yes	222.5	-59.3
Eaton	Yes	14.1	18.9
Township of Eaton	Yes	18.2	19.5
City of Eaton Rapids	Yes	15.2	25.5
Township of Eaton Rapids	Yes	12.3	27.2
Eckford	Yes	-67	308.7
Ecorse	Yes	24.3	1.5
Egelston	Yes	-64.6	-69.3
Elba	Yes	14.1	27.1
Elmwood	Yes	7.5	35.2
Ensign	Yes	17.8	13.8
Escanaba	Yes	17.5	20.3
Essex	Yes	21.8	18.6
City of Evart	Yes	11.6	36.1
Township of Evart	Yes	16.2	12.7
Ewing	Yes	46	41.4
Farmington Hills	Yes	7.3	20.1
Fennville	Yes	24.5	55.9
Fenton	Yes	22.7	38.2
Ferndale	Yes	3.8	26.7
Charter Township of Flint	Yes	13	14.9
City of Flint	Yes	18.3	1.6
Flushing	Yes	11.2	24.7
Forest	Yes	30.7	7.6
Fort Gratiot	Yes	15.7	28.6
Frankenmuth	Yes	3	42.1
Frankfort	Yes	8.2	27.3
Fraser	Yes	9.3	29.1
Fredonia	Yes	19.4	22.5
Free Soil	Yes	31.5	16.4
Freeman	Yes	40.5	43.9
Frenchtown	Yes	24.5	27
Frost	Yes	25.4	27.5
Fruitport	Yes	25.3	25.7
Fulton	Yes	26	27.4
Gaastra	Yes	13.8	30
Gaines	Yes	11.5	44.4
Galesburg	Yes	14.4	37.4
Garden	Yes	19.8	30.4
Geneva	Yes	13.6	31
Genoa	Yes	12.4	42.6
Gerrish	Yes	11.8	17.8
Gibraltar	Yes	19.8	23.4
Gobles	Yes	36	25.8
Goodland	Yes	24.8	12
Charter Township of Grand Haven	Yes	20.3	41.6
City of Grand Haven	Yes	13.1	34.2
Grand Rapids	Yes	8	29.6
Grand Traverse	Yes	11.3	36.8
Grandville	Yes	5.2	48.7
Grant	Yes	15.4	40.7
Grayling	Yes	16.6	32.3
Green	Yes	28	18.7
Green Oak	Yes	16.7	39.6
Greenbush	Yes	11.8	18
Greenwood	Yes	26.9	11.6
Grosse Ile	Yes	11.6	28
Grosse Pointe Farms	Yes	5.3	36.9
Grosse Pointe Park	Yes	7.9	26.6
Grosse Pointe Woods	Yes	0.8	31.1
Groveland	Yes	16.2	36.2
Hadley	Yes	17.1	32.5
Hamburg	Yes	15.5	38.7
Township of Hamilton	Yes	35	12.5
Township of Hamilton	Yes	16.8	7.4
Hamlin	Yes	19	31.6
Hampton	Yes	16.2	19.5
Hamtramck	Yes	47	24.9
Hancock	Yes	23.7	35.3
Hanover	Yes	23.9	13.5
Harper Woods	Yes	1.5	13.6
Charter Township of Harrison	Yes	13.9	22
City of Harrison	Yes	26	33.8
Hartford	Yes	21	30.2
Hatton	Yes	21.9	24.3
Hawes	Yes	21.8	24.4
Hayes	Yes	36.1	25.6
Hazel Park	Yes	17.3	37.3
Henrietta	Yes	24.2	28.6
Hersey	Yes	21.1	23.3
Higgins	Yes	17.3	35.8
Highland	Yes	-35.1	149.5
Highland Park	Yes	103.8	-0.6
Charter Township of Holland	Yes	14.8	52.7
City of Holland	Yes	7.6	30.9
Holton	Yes	47.8	15.1
Homer	Yes	17.7	27.2
Hope	Yes	22.5	15.2
Howard	Yes	15.1	19.6
Howell	Yes	-95.6	-93
Hudson	Yes	24.3	15.2
Hudsonville	Yes	4	62.4
Huntington Woods	Yes	-1.4	18.6
Huron	Yes	527.2	621.3
Ida	Yes	25.9	9.2
Imlay City	Yes	23.9	43.3
Independence	Yes	13.9	37.3
Ingham	Yes	8.6	19.1
Township of Ingham	Yes	12.4	45.6
Inkster	Yes	47.3	10.3
Iron Mountain	Yes	7.8	24.3
Iron River	Yes	9.8	36.7
Irving	Yes	22	46.9
City of Ishpeming	Yes	14.7	28.4
Township of Ishpeming	Yes	19.5	26.5
Ithaca	Yes	20.8	28.5
Jackson	Yes	18.1	14.9
Jamestown	Yes	18.7	83.9
Johnstown	Yes	20.5	20.7
Juniata	Yes	23	21.6
Kalamazoo	Yes	-44.2	-62.1
Kalamo	Yes	21.3	20.7
Kentwood	Yes	10.4	31.1
Kimball	Yes	27.7	27.8
Kingsford	Yes	10.1	19.8
L'Anse	Yes	13	31.8
Lafayette	Yes	16.1	4.9
LaGrange	Yes	11.3	19.4
Lake	Yes	23.3	39.4
Charter Township of Lansing	Yes	10	22.4
City of Lansing	Yes	16.5	21.7
City of Lapeer	Yes	-10.6	82.7
Township of Lapeer	Yes	15.7	22
Larkin	Yes	9.1	43.8
Lawrence	Yes	17.8	26.3
Le Roy	Yes	28.1	6.5
Lee	Yes	23.5	21.3
Leland	Yes	4.3	38.1
Leroy	Yes	14.6	24.5
City of Leslie	Yes	28.2	17.9
Township of Leslie	Yes	11.2	24.7
Lexington	Yes	16.6	32.1
Lima	Yes	40.9	10.3
Charter Township of Lincoln	Yes	5.2	42.4
Township of Lincoln	Yes	5.2	42.4
Lincoln Park	Yes	17.5	24.4
Linden	Yes	18.6	22.6
Livonia	Yes	8.4	31.4
Logan	Yes	46.4	23.2
London	Yes	32.8	10.9
Long Lake	Yes	11.2	40.5
Lowell	Yes	2.3	55
Luna Pier	Yes	30.6	9.2
Lyon	Yes	24.2	56
Macomb	Yes	23.5	37.7
Madison	Yes	18.1	13.9
Madison Heights	Yes	17.6	33
Mancelona	Yes	28.3	19.7
Manton	Yes	28.9	22.7
Marathon	Yes	14	21.9
Marengo	Yes	-39.9	165.7
Marine City	Yes	20.5	33.5
Township of Marion	Yes	23	45.1
Township of Marion	Yes	-8.6	-37.2
Markey	Yes	24.6	22
City of Marquette	Yes	1.9	28.9
Marquette	Yes	11.2	27.6
Township of Marquette	Yes	3.6	29.9
Martin	Yes	25.3	46.6
Mason	Yes	12.7	32
Masonville	Yes	19.8	20.1
Mayfield	Yes	28.7	37
Melvindale	Yes	16.1	16.1
City of Menominee	Yes	18	23.8
Menominee	Yes	21.1	22
Metamora	Yes	12.1	39.4
Michigamme	Yes	19.3	13.6
Mills	Yes	18.2	3.1
Minden	Yes	27.3	-6.9
Monroe	Yes	13.5	21.4
City of Montague	Yes	19.2	22.9
Township of Montague	Yes	27	22.1
Moorland	Yes	28.8	29.4
Mount Clemens	Yes	16.7	17.2
Mount Morris	Yes	23.3	8.3
Mount Pleasant	Yes	5.4	17
City of Munising	Yes	14.7	21.3
Township of Munising	Yes	14.2	23.1
Charter Township of Muskegon	Yes	26	25
City of Muskegon	Yes	26.1	22
Muskegon	Yes	24.9	22.4
Muskegon Heights	Yes	80.2	1.1
Negaunee	Yes	13.6	34.4
New Baltimore	Yes	20.7	31.6
New Haven	Yes	17.3	21.6
Niles	Yes	10.2	26.9
North Branch	Yes	24	19.1
North Muskegon	Yes	9.4	32.3
North Shade	Yes	22	32.7
Northfield	Yes	17.1	36.3
Northville	Yes	11.1	37.3
Norton Shores	Yes	17.9	27.7
Norwich	Yes	15.9	24.4
Novi	Yes	10.6	36.7
Oak Park	Yes	40	14.1
Charter Township of Oakland	Yes	12.8	43.6
Oakland	Yes	12.7	26.5
Ogden	Yes	9.5	4.4
Olive	Yes	21.4	90.1
Olivet	Yes	5.2	8
Oneida	Yes	18.5	17.5
Onondaga	Yes	19.9	15.9
Ontwa	Yes	10.4	35.1
Orange	Yes	20.4	28.3
Orion	Yes	13	42.3
Osceola	Yes	19.1	8
Otsego	Yes	12.7	35
Ottawa	Yes	14.1	43.9
Overisel	Yes	13	60.3
Oxford	Yes	18.4	47.3
Paradise	Yes	16.4	33.9
Parchment	Yes	19.5	26.3
Park	Yes	9.7	37.2
Pavilion	Yes	18.2	25.8
Peninsula	Yes	2.7	31.1
Petoskey	Yes	9.6	33.9
Plainfield	Yes	10.5	42.2
Plainwell	Yes	14.9	22.9
Charter Township of Plymouth	Yes	6.2	31.5
City of Plymouth	Yes	11.8	28.7
Pontiac	Yes	34.3	10
Charter Township of Port Huron	Yes	22.3	27
City of Port Huron	Yes	22.2	30
Port Sheldon	Yes	20	45.9
Portage	Yes	9.8	31.4
Potterville	Yes	24.9	33.8
Putnam	Yes	14.5	39.1
Raisinville	Yes	21.5	23.2
Ravenna	Yes	17.2	34.5
Ray	Yes	20.8	36.4
Redford	Yes	7.8	23.8
Reeder	Yes	26.3	35.2
Richfield	Yes	14.7	10.7
Richland	Yes	17.3	32.5
Richmond	Yes	21.1	23.4
Ridgeway	Yes	23.1	16.6
Riga	Yes	13.6	16.2
Riley	Yes	-65	333.7
Riverside	Yes	22	18.2
Riverview	Yes	11.7	23.4
Rives	Yes	15.2	27.9
Robinson	Yes	23.1	42.3
Rochester Hills	Yes	9	31.1
Rockford	Yes	8.3	40.9
Rockwood	Yes	22.7	20.2
Rogers City	Yes	17.2	19.9
Romulus	Yes	23.5	15.2
Roosevelt Park	Yes	12.1	28.8
Roscommon	Yes	27.6	19.7
Rose	Yes	8.7	28.6
Roxand	Yes	20.8	27.4
Charter Township of Royal Oak	Yes	161.1	4.1
City of Royal Oak	Yes	5.8	27.2
Rubicon	Yes	25.8	29.8
Rutland	Yes	22.1	29.8
Charter Township of Saginaw	Yes	6.5	26.7
City of Saginaw	Yes	12	5
Saline	Yes	5.1	28.1
Sands	Yes	9.2	25.2
Sandstone	Yes	19	34.4
Sanilac	Yes	22.8	22.8
Schoolcraft	Yes	21	33.9
Scio	Yes	3.2	27
Seville	Yes	30.9	15.8
Shelby	Yes	16.9	33.5
Sheridan	Yes	32.8	26
Sherman	Yes	18.4	0.8
Solon	Yes	7	28.1
South Haven	Yes	24.6	37.7
Southfield	Yes	25.3	8
Southgate	Yes	18.8	25.2
Sparta	Yes	23.4	37
Spencer	Yes	41.1	20.6
Spring Arbor	Yes	15.8	39.2
Spring Lake	Yes	9.8	35.2
Charter Township of Springfield	Yes	15.1	38.6
City of Springfield	Yes	26.6	33.2
St. Clair	Yes	13.5	32.1
St. Clair Shores	Yes	11.2	26
St. Ignace	Yes	42.7	23.1
St. James	Yes	-24	28.4
St. Louis	Yes	27.6	21.3
Stanton	Yes	43	9.6
Sterling Heights	Yes	22.1	25
Stockbridge	Yes	23.3	26.7
Sullivan	Yes	37.1	19.1
Summerfield	Yes	23.1	14.4
Sumner	Yes	36.6	11.8
Sumpter	Yes	-9.5	68.1
Sunfield	Yes	26	11.4
Superior	Yes	20	29.4
Surrey	Yes	27.5	17.2
Swan Creek	Yes	14.2	25.8
Swartz Creek	Yes	13.1	19.4
Sylvan	Yes	26.6	16.8
Taylor	Yes	21.4	20.9
Tecumseh	Yes	14.4	33.8
Thomas	Yes	8.9	24.9
Thornapple	Yes	23.9	46.3
Three Rivers	Yes	27	19.5
Tompkins	Yes	25.7	10.4
Torch Lake	Yes	16	24.4
Traverse City	Yes	6.3	29.5
Trenton	Yes	12.5	24.1
City of Troy	Yes	8.2	32.7
Township of Troy	Yes	21.4	-30
Tuscola	Yes	12.3	29.9
Union	Yes	13.8	32.4
Utica	Yes	16.7	36.4
Van Buren	Yes	18.9	19
Vergennes	Yes	16.9	43.1
Vermontville	Yes	22.8	14.1
Vevay	Yes	8.7	27.3
Vienna	Yes	-5.7	51.8
Walker	Yes	10.1	39.4
Walled Lake	Yes	20	31.3
Warren	Yes	14.2	22.4
Washington	Yes	19.5	37.5
Washtenaw	Yes	11.1	22.3
Waterford	Yes	15.2	33.3
City of Wayland	Yes	21.1	28.8
Township of Wayland	Yes	35.1	31.6
City of Wayne	Yes	15.4	19.5
Wayne	Yes	15.5	15
Wells	Yes	-42.6	118.4
West Bloomfield	Yes	18.7	19.1
Westland	Yes	18.8	24.3
Wheeler	Yes	20	24
White Lake	Yes	14.7	39.5
White River	Yes	14.2	36
Whiteford	Yes	17	22.6
City of Whitehall	Yes	27	32
Township of Whitehall	Yes	14.9	28.8
Williamstown	Yes	27.9	6.7
Windsor	Yes	11.5	31.3
Winfield	Yes	29.7	22.4
Winterfield	Yes	44.9	22.4
Woodhaven	Yes	16.1	27.8
Wyandotte	Yes	20.2	28.1
Wyoming	Yes	10.3	36.7
Yankee Springs	Yes	29.9	42.2
Charter Township of Ypsilanti	Yes	11.7	23.6
City of Ypsilanti	Yes	1.3	13
Zeeland	Yes	8	57.2
Zilwaukee	Yes	12.3	19.6
Alpena County	No	17.6	23
Arenac County	No	19.8	16.4
Chippewa County	No	17.1	23.6
Gladwin County	No	21.8	19.2
Gogebic County	No	14.5	22.1
Hillsdale County	No	20.9	22.6
Keweenaw County	No	5.9	27.5
Lake County	No	24.9	18
Luce County	No	20.1	23.6
Manistee County	No	20.3	22.7
Oceana County	No	23	24.4
Ontonagon County	No	14.1	18.3
Otsego County	No	18.3	33.4
Schoolcraft County	No	20.9	16.1