A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Mackinac County Election Division on February 5, 2025. The request was made by us at UP Gazette, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The information requested pertains to the upcoming election candidates in Michigan. Specifically, we asked for a list of all candidates running in the upcoming election. The details sought include each candidate's first, middle, and last name; the office they are running for; jurisdiction of the office; and their party affiliation.
In addition to these basic details about each candidate, we also requested contact information for each individual. This includes their address, phone number, and email address.
As a media organization, we emphasized our role in gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities, which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. We have requested a fee waiver as media professionals given our role in disseminating information.
We await a response from the Mackinac County Election Division regarding this request.
Alerts Sign-up