Hayley Harding
@hayleyharding.bsky.social
I write about Michigan and our elections and our voting rights and our democracy for Votebeat. Longtime lover of pigeons and newspapers and Detroit. She/her. Bunnies are Honey + Puff!
Pinned
Hayley Harding
@hayleyharding.bsky.social
· Nov 14
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!
✉️: hharding@votebeat.org
📱: 313-437-2115 (call or text!)
My DMs are open here and on other apps!
Thinking about how we're only about six weeks away from Eastern Market weekends.........this will see me through the rest of the winter
February 11, 2026 at 10:27 PM
Thinking about how we're only about six weeks away from Eastern Market weekends.........this will see me through the rest of the winter
Reposted by Hayley Harding
A federal judge has dismissed the Department of Justice's lawsuit aiming to compel Michigan to hand over its voter data. DOJ is now 0-for-3 in court. www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...
February 10, 2026 at 4:22 PM
A federal judge has dismissed the Department of Justice's lawsuit aiming to compel Michigan to hand over its voter data. DOJ is now 0-for-3 in court. www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...
My favorite part of watching the Olympics is when they explain the credentials of the person doing the commentating and they're clearly one of the single most successful person to ever have competed in the sport and also you have never heard of them
February 6, 2026 at 12:13 AM
My favorite part of watching the Olympics is when they explain the credentials of the person doing the commentating and they're clearly one of the single most successful person to ever have competed in the sport and also you have never heard of them
"I never see you at the club" ok well I never see you in the Xerces Society list of Detroit-area pollinator plants and the creatures they help to support. So.
February 5, 2026 at 9:30 PM
"I never see you at the club" ok well I never see you in the Xerces Society list of Detroit-area pollinator plants and the creatures they help to support. So.
Reposted by Hayley Harding
Early voting begins in less than two weeks, and people need to know what districts they’re in. But the mid-decade redistricting and problems with a state voter-registration system have delayed mailings in many counties.
Why many Texans are still waiting for their voter registration cards
Early voting begins in less than two weeks, and people need to know what districts they’re in. But the mid-decade redistricting and problems with a state voter-registration system have delayed mailings in many counties.
bit.ly
February 5, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Early voting begins in less than two weeks, and people need to know what districts they’re in. But the mid-decade redistricting and problems with a state voter-registration system have delayed mailings in many counties.
Every other week I send out the Votebeat Michigan newsletter and every other week, roughly 15 seconds later, I always say "ooh I wonder who is emailing me"
February 5, 2026 at 5:34 PM
Every other week I send out the Votebeat Michigan newsletter and every other week, roughly 15 seconds later, I always say "ooh I wonder who is emailing me"
If you think about it, it was actually soooooo polite for my baby bunnies to wait until AFTER I finished watching a press conference to climb onto the coffee table, chew the grip off a pen and then knock over every other thing on that table 🥰
January 29, 2026 at 4:02 PM
If you think about it, it was actually soooooo polite for my baby bunnies to wait until AFTER I finished watching a press conference to climb onto the coffee table, chew the grip off a pen and then knock over every other thing on that table 🥰
Not now baby mommy has "Sleep, Study or Focus with Rain Sounds in The Woods White Noise | 10 Hours" on
January 28, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Not now baby mommy has "Sleep, Study or Focus with Rain Sounds in The Woods White Noise | 10 Hours" on
Hearing that if I don't write the story it won't get written?
January 27, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Hearing that if I don't write the story it won't get written?
Reposted by Hayley Harding
Calling all election reporters: We at @votebeat.org are hiring a senior national reporter! workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/defau... Reach out to me if you have questions!
Recruitment
workforcenow.adp.com
January 27, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Calling all election reporters: We at @votebeat.org are hiring a senior national reporter! workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/defau... Reach out to me if you have questions!
Listen my husband is an incredibly handsome man but he's maybe never been more handsome than when he reattached our sink!!!!!!
January 27, 2026 at 4:37 PM
Listen my husband is an incredibly handsome man but he's maybe never been more handsome than when he reattached our sink!!!!!!
Gotta be real this seems uhhhhhhhhhh bad
USA TODAY Co., owner of the Detroit Free Press, will acquire The Detroit News and continue to publish it separately, it announced Monday.
The Detroit News to be acquired by USA TODAY Co., owner of Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Co., owner of the Detroit Free Press, will acquire The Detroit News and continue to publish it separately, it announced Monday.
bit.ly
January 26, 2026 at 4:08 PM
Gotta be real this seems uhhhhhhhhhh bad
I mostly really enjoy homeownership but today the undermount sink in our kitchen completely detached from the countertop while full of dishes and that .... is not awesome when there is no landlord to call
January 26, 2026 at 3:12 PM
I mostly really enjoy homeownership but today the undermount sink in our kitchen completely detached from the countertop while full of dishes and that .... is not awesome when there is no landlord to call
Reposted by Hayley Harding
Utah’s top elections official says her office has confirmed that more than 99.9% of Utah voters are U.S. citizens and has removed an additional noncitizen from voter rolls after finding four earlier last year.
via @utahnewsdispatch.com
via @utahnewsdispatch.com
‘Not a widespread problem’: Lt. gov. releases early findings from voter citizenship review
Utah’s top elections official says her office has confirmed that more than 99.9% of Utah voters are U.S. citizens and has removed an additional noncitizen from voter rolls after finding four earlier…
www.newsfromthestates.com
January 23, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Utah’s top elections official says her office has confirmed that more than 99.9% of Utah voters are U.S. citizens and has removed an additional noncitizen from voter rolls after finding four earlier last year.
via @utahnewsdispatch.com
via @utahnewsdispatch.com
People love to call me Haley, which is funny both because it is not quite my name and because it sets me up for a "Hayley with a why" joke that I think could really kill in certain circles
January 22, 2026 at 4:56 PM
People love to call me Haley, which is funny both because it is not quite my name and because it sets me up for a "Hayley with a why" joke that I think could really kill in certain circles
Sorry need yall to know I got it spot on in one guess again
🗳️ Ballot Blocks #13 - 1/7
✅
Play at ballotblocks.com
🗳️ Ballot Blocks #13 - 1/7
✅
Play at ballotblocks.com
January 22, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Sorry need yall to know I got it spot on in one guess again
🗳️ Ballot Blocks #13 - 1/7
✅
Play at ballotblocks.com
🗳️ Ballot Blocks #13 - 1/7
✅
Play at ballotblocks.com
Reposted by Hayley Harding
"No law in Michigan requires circulators — often paid per signature — to tell the truth about what’s on a petition, or to show prospective signers the full text."
via @votebeat.org / @bridgemi.com / @hayleyharding.bsky.social
via @votebeat.org / @bridgemi.com / @hayleyharding.bsky.social
Michigan’s lax petition laws leave voters vulnerable to deception - Bridge Michigan
For decades, Michigan voters have complained that circulators asking them to sign petitions for proposed constitutional amendments have lied about what the proposals mean. Nothing has changed.
bridgemi.com
January 22, 2026 at 2:18 PM
"No law in Michigan requires circulators — often paid per signature — to tell the truth about what’s on a petition, or to show prospective signers the full text."
via @votebeat.org / @bridgemi.com / @hayleyharding.bsky.social
via @votebeat.org / @bridgemi.com / @hayleyharding.bsky.social
Clocked this location based on the plants which will probably be going in my next master gardener scholarship application
🗳️ Ballot Blocks #12 - 1/7
✅
Play at ballotblocks.com
🗳️ Ballot Blocks #12 - 1/7
✅
Play at ballotblocks.com
January 21, 2026 at 8:22 PM
Clocked this location based on the plants which will probably be going in my next master gardener scholarship application
🗳️ Ballot Blocks #12 - 1/7
✅
Play at ballotblocks.com
🗳️ Ballot Blocks #12 - 1/7
✅
Play at ballotblocks.com
Just had to change my clothes halfway through recording a tiktok for work because in the middle of the sentence "I’m Hayley Harding, a reporter covering how elections work in Michigan" I looked down and realized I was wearing a sweatshirt with the word "OHIO" written in impossibly large letters
January 21, 2026 at 6:42 PM
Just had to change my clothes halfway through recording a tiktok for work because in the middle of the sentence "I’m Hayley Harding, a reporter covering how elections work in Michigan" I looked down and realized I was wearing a sweatshirt with the word "OHIO" written in impossibly large letters
My accent is primarily quite midwestern but every so often I hear myself speak and I realize that actually, moving around a lot as a kid DID impact me but just not in ways anyone guessed
January 21, 2026 at 4:57 PM
My accent is primarily quite midwestern but every so often I hear myself speak and I realize that actually, moving around a lot as a kid DID impact me but just not in ways anyone guessed
Reposted by Hayley Harding
There are significant legal and practical barriers to Trump sending troops to polling places — but if he attempts it, it would be a five-alarm fire.
Can Trump send National Guard troops to the polls in the 2026 election?
There are significant legal and practical barriers to Trump sending troops to polling places — but if he attempts it, it would be a five-alarm fire.
bit.ly
January 20, 2026 at 7:58 PM
There are significant legal and practical barriers to Trump sending troops to polling places — but if he attempts it, it would be a five-alarm fire.
Reposted by Hayley Harding
College students told @hayleyharding.bsky.social circulators said a proof-of-citizenship petition was about everything but proof of citizenship — from longer voting hours to helping trans voters.
That’s legal in Michigan.
Latest from @votebeat.org ⬇️
www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...
That’s legal in Michigan.
Latest from @votebeat.org ⬇️
www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...
Michigan voters say signature gatherers lie. Lawmakers haven’t fixed it.
Michigan lawmakers have tried to change laws governing signature gathering, but proposals have stalled.
www.votebeat.org
January 20, 2026 at 5:25 PM
College students told @hayleyharding.bsky.social circulators said a proof-of-citizenship petition was about everything but proof of citizenship — from longer voting hours to helping trans voters.
That’s legal in Michigan.
Latest from @votebeat.org ⬇️
www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...
That’s legal in Michigan.
Latest from @votebeat.org ⬇️
www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...
I spent months talking to college students who say they were lied to by signature gatherers for a potential constitutional amendment that could be on the ballot in November.
It's a longstanding problem across ballot questions. But for decades, nothing has changed. www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...
It's a longstanding problem across ballot questions. But for decades, nothing has changed. www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...
Michigan voters say signature gatherers lie. Lawmakers haven’t fixed it.
Michigan lawmakers have tried to change laws governing signature gathering, but proposals have stalled.
www.votebeat.org
January 20, 2026 at 4:22 PM
I spent months talking to college students who say they were lied to by signature gatherers for a potential constitutional amendment that could be on the ballot in November.
It's a longstanding problem across ballot questions. But for decades, nothing has changed. www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...
It's a longstanding problem across ballot questions. But for decades, nothing has changed. www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...
Reposted by Hayley Harding
National news outlets with this big of a platform should really weigh analysis like this with local perspective, which - I promise - comes to the opposite conclusion. This really makes me very sad.
Sorry to say, the 2026 election may not happen, our guest warns: www.newyorker.com/podcast/poli...
A Stark Warning About the 2026 Election, with Robert Kagan
Can American democracy come back from the brink?
www.newyorker.com
January 20, 2026 at 3:49 PM
National news outlets with this big of a platform should really weigh analysis like this with local perspective, which - I promise - comes to the opposite conclusion. This really makes me very sad.
Reposted by Hayley Harding
About the size of a half-dollar, the tiny painted river terrapin hatchling — a critically endangered species — at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in D.C. should get an Olympic gold medal.
A surprise at the National Zoo: An endangered terrapin hatchling
A painted river terrapin hatchling was found swimming in an enclosure at the National Zoo. It’s the first successful breeding of the species at the zoo.
wapo.st
January 16, 2026 at 8:00 PM
About the size of a half-dollar, the tiny painted river terrapin hatchling — a critically endangered species — at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in D.C. should get an Olympic gold medal.
