Voters Will Decide Detroit’s Future, So Let’s Not Repeat the Past

Detroit is preparing for its mayoral primary election on August 5, where nine candidates are competing to advance to the November general election. Despite the importance of local government in addressing community-specific challenges and managing nearly $3 billion in tax dollars annually, Detroit historically sees low voter turnout for municipal elections compared to presidential races. City Councilman Scott Benson highlights a concerning correlation between income and voter participation, noting that residents with lower incomes often face barriers to political engagement while candidates typically focus on likely voters in middle and upper-middle-class neighborhoods.