Gender divide

A gender divide among Michigan voters could preview the state’s electoral results

From CNN's Kylie Atwood and DJ Judd

Many Michiganders who spoke to CNN in Kent County Tuesday are split down gender lines when it comes to casting their ballots: Many female voters are backing Vice President Kamala Harris, while many male voters are voting for former President Donald Trump — a possible preview of just how turnout among genders could impact the state’s results on Election Day.

Emmanuel and Joe Farage, brothers who are voting in the presidential election for the first time, say that they are backing Trump because of his economic policies. Their home is politically divided along gender lines: Their father is a Trump supporter and their mother is a Harris supporter, and they see the gender split among their friends as well.

“Most of my guy friends are voting for Trump,” said Emmanuel, 21. But when it comes to their female friends?

“Most of them I think are voting for Kamala,” said Joe, who is 20 years old.

Marie Hoekman, who voted for Trump in 2016, said that her decision to now vote for Harris is influenced by reproductive rights for women.

“A lot of it is women’s reproductive rights, just learning that even just like some like birth control methods that are very available now could potentially be outlawed,” Hoekman told CNN. “That is terrifying to me and to the people I love and that really pushed me over the edge to it.”

She is not alone.

Kelly Sowle, a 63-year-old Michigan voter who is also backing Harris, explained that “respect for women’s rights” is her “number one” issue. The right to abortion is enshrined in the Michigan constitution after voters overwhelmingly supported it in 2022, but Sowle is concerned about new challenges to that right if Trump wins.