Wayne County, Michigan is a region rich in history and influence, impacting everything from music and manufacturing to politics.
Voter turnout in this county could be crucial in Michigan, a swing state that President Joe Biden won by just 150,000 votes in 2020.
Here are five important facts you should know:
– Home of the “Motor City” –
Wayne County is home to Detroit, the famous “Motor City,” where Henry Ford revolutionized the automobile industry when he introduced the assembly line at his Highland Park plant in 1913.
The so-called “Big Three” automakers – General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Chrysler (now part of Stellantis) – still have their headquarters in the Detroit area.
– Democratic stronghold –
Wayne County is Michigan’s most populous county, with around 1.8 million residents, and plays a crucial role in presidential elections, often tipping the balance in favor of the Democratic candidate.
High voter turnout here can offset the conservative vote in more rural and suburban parts of the state.
In 2016, Hillary Clinton received 66 percent of the vote in the county, but lower voter turnout contributed to her narrow defeat to Donald Trump.
In 2020, 68 percent of voters in Wayne County supported Joe Biden, helping him narrowly win Michigan and secure the presidency.
– Certification drama –
Biden’s overwhelming victory in Wayne County was temporarily delayed by a certification delay caused by two Republican members of the four-member Electoral College who claimed discrepancies in certain precincts.
The stalemate was broken within hours after Republican representatives backed down following fierce protests and promises of a full review.
– MENA Hub –
The 2020 census was the first to solicit responses from people with Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) roots. However, they were required to first select “white” and then indicate their country of origin.
Nearly 140,000 Wayne County residents, or 7.8 percent of the population, reported being from a MENA country – the highest percentage in the United States.
Arab and Muslim Americans in the Detroit suburbs of Dearborn and Hamtramck expressed dissatisfaction with Biden’s stance on the Gaza Strip after “undecided” candidates outperformed him in the state’s Democratic primary.
– Motown –
As the birthplace of Motown, Detroit has a rich musical heritage. This genre blended soulful pop and R&B and played a key role in the civil rights movement, bringing black music into the mainstream and dominating the airwaves in the 1960s.
Legendary artists such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye all rose to fame through Motown Records.
More recently, Eminem brought worldwide attention to Detroit’s hip-hop scene, while The White Stripes, featuring Detroit-based bands Jack and Meg White, helped revive garage rock in the early 2000s.
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