Farmington and Farmington Hills voters head to the polls today, Tuesday, Aug. 4, for a primary election that will shape races for governor, U.S. Senate, Congress and the state Legislature. A countywide school millage is also on the ballot. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Some voters will find new polling locations. Farmington Hills consolidated from 27 precincts to 23 after State Senate redistricting placed the city in District 8. Voters previously assigned to Woodcreek Elementary now vote at the Costick Activities Center, 28600 Eleven Mile Road. In the City of Farmington, precincts shrank from five to three; voters formerly at Longacre Elementary or Freedom Gateway Church now vote at Farmington High School.

SMART is offering free rides on all Oakland County services Tuesday, including SMART Flex on-demand in the Farmington area. No fare or ticket required.

Pick one party

Michigan's primary is partisan. Voters must choose either the Democratic or Republican ballot and vote only within that party. Splitting between parties invalidates the partisan portion of the ballot, a mistake that affects thousands of ballots each primary, according to Fox 2 Detroit. Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown noted in late July that August primaries produce the most spoiled ballots statewide.

Governor

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited, making this the first open governor's race since 2018.

Republicans: U.S. Rep. John James of Shelby Township, who has President Trump's endorsement, faces Bloomfield Hills businessman Perry Johnson. Johnson has spent nearly $30 million of his own money on the race, according to Bridge Michigan. Former Attorney General Mike Cox and state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt suspended their campaigns but still appear on the ballot.

Democrats: Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson faces Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. Benson leads fundraising with a $6.4 million war chest.

U.S. Senate

Sen. Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township is retiring after two terms, leaving the seat open for the first time since 2014.

Democrats: U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens of Birmingham, a four-term congresswoman, faces former Wayne County Health Director Abdul El-Sayed of Ann Arbor in what WDET reports is the second most expensive Democratic Senate primary ever, with nearly $70 million spent. Stevens has the backing of Gov. Whitmer, Peters and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. El-Sayed is endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the United Auto Workers. State Sen. Mallory McMorrow of Royal Oak suspended her campaign July 5 but her name remains on the ballot.

Cook Political Report rates the general election as a toss-up. Former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers of White Lake Township is unopposed on the Republican side.

U.S. House, 11th District

Stevens' Senate bid leaves an open seat in the 11th Congressional District, which covers Farmington, Farmington Hills, Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Troy, Pontiac, Royal Oak and other central Oakland County communities.

Democrats: State Sen. Jeremy Moss of Bloomfield Township leads fundraising with $1.49 million raised as of July 15, according to Michigan Advance. He faces attorney Aisha Farooqi of Troy, court administrator John Paul Torres of Waterford and retired Ford engineer Don Ufford of Bloomfield, who raised $1 million over the same period.

"This is a district with the highest concentration of Jewish residents in our state and I'm obviously a proud Jewish Michigander," Moss told Michigan Advance on July 30, responding to rivals who accused him of ties to AIPAC donors. "It's really shameful to mischaracterize all of my Jewish supporters as a part of a PAC conspiracy."

Republican: Troy Mayor Ethan Baker is unopposed. The district is considered solidly Democratic.

State Senate, District 8

Farmington Hills and Farmington are now in Senate District 8 after redistricting. Incumbent Democrat Dayna Polehanki is running unopposed in the primary. Republican Kenneth D. Massey is also unopposed.

State House, District 19

The contested local legislative race for most Farmington Hills voters is in the 19th House District. Incumbent Rep. Samantha Steckloff, 42, a lifelong Farmington Hills resident who served on the city council from 2013 to 2020, faces Brandon Young, 38, a Southfield business owner, in the Democratic primary. On the Republican side, Kevin J. Hammer faces Mitch Swoboda.

Oakland County school millage

All Farmington and Farmington Hills voters will decide on a countywide school enhancement millage: 1.5 mills for six years, raising an estimated $125.8 million in the first year. That works out to about $225 per year for a home valued at $300,000, distributed at $781 per pupil to all 28 public school districts, including Farmington Public Schools. Oakland would join just eight other Michigan counties and one two-county region that already have such a millage, Bridge Michigan reports.

Farmington Public Schools Superintendent Kelly Coffin said in late July that the funds would support after-school tutoring, manageable class sizes, career and technical education and teacher professional development.

How to vote

Same-day registration is available Tuesday at your local clerk's office with proof of residency. Farmington Hills has five ballot drop boxes, including at the Police Department (31655 W. Eleven Mile) and the Costick Activities Center. The Farmington Hills Clerk's Office is at 31555 W. Eleven Mile Road, 248-871-2410. Farmington's Clerk's Office can be reached at 248-474-5500.

Voters can verify registration, view sample ballots and find polling locations at elections.oaklandcountymi.gov.