Our POLITICS + POLICY category provides users with an extensive list of articles dealing with past, present, and future issues relating to politics and policy throughout the UP.
Recently Published
Michigan’s Flat Tax
Michigan is one of nine states in the country with a flat income tax. Over the years, however, there have been a total of 22 bills introduced to either allow graduated income tax or to get rid of the constitutional prohibition on the graduated tax.
Upper Peninsula Voting Data Published
A new paper detailing Upper Peninsula election data has been published to Rural Insights, using information compiled by Isabelle Karl, one of our student researchers.
Is Rural America Failing or Succeeding? Maybe Both
Kenneth Johnson and Daniel Lichter of the University of New Hampshire Casey School of Public Policy summarize the findings of their peer reviewed article that provides cautionary lessons regarding the commonplace narrative of widespread rural decline and urban growth.
Rural Insights’ David Haynes Interviewed on U.P. Absentee Ballot Numbers
TV6’s Nick Friend spoke to Rural Insights Director & Editor David Haynes recently about the rise in absentee ballots seen in the Upper Peninsula.
Absentee Ballot Requests Show Increased Voter Participation for 2020 Election
Research by NMU student Max Steele on absentee ballot requests in six Upper Peninsula counties for the November 2020 election show that voter participation is higher than the previous two presidential elections.