Updates About Elections

Mike Duggan, the current Mayor for Detroit, has officially declared his candidacy for Michigan governor. He surprised Michiganders by sharing that he’s running as an independent rather than with his current affiliation as a Democrat. In his campaign announcement, Duggan emphasized his goal to move beyond partisanship, stating his intent to represent all people in our Great Lakes state. Having served three terms as mayor, Duggan highlighted his achievements in Detroit and expressed a vision to bring similar transformative changes statewide, particularly in education and economic retention of young talent.

Duggan’s run marks a significant moment in Michigan politics, as the state has not elected a non-major-party governor since 1842. His campaign launch follows speculation earlier this year about his political future after he announced he would not be seeking reelection as mayor. The gubernatorial field for 2026 remains open, with potential Republican and Democratic candidates yet to formally declare their intentions.

New leadership roles for Michigan’s 103rd Legislature have been announced, effective January 2025:

¶Republican Leadership

• Speaker of the House: Rep. Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) (currently serving as Minority Leader)
• Majority Floor Leader: Rep. Bryan Posthumus (R-Rockford) (currently serving as Minority Floor Leader)
• Speaker Pro Tempore: Rep. Rachelle Smit (R-Shelbyville)
• Associate Speaker Pro Tempore: Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay)
• Assistant Majority Floor Leader: Rep. Brian Begole (R-Perry)
• Majority Whip: Rep. Mike Harris (R-Clarkston)
• Chief Deputy Whip: Rep. Joseph A. Aragona (R-Clinton Township)
• Caucus Chair: Rep. Ken Borton (R-Gaylord)
• Caucus Vice Chair: Representative-elect Nancy Jenkins-Arno (R-Lenawee County)

¶Democratic Leadership

• Minority Leader: Rep. Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton) (currently serving as Majority Whip)
• Minority Floor Leader: Rep. John Fitzgerald (D-Wyoming)

Further announcements on additional Democratic leadership and committee assignments are expected in the coming weeks.

The Michigan Board of State Canvassers officially certified the results of the 2024 Presidential Election on November 22, confirming President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in the state. Bureau of Elections Director Jonathan Brater noted that candidates have 48 hours (excluding weekends) to request a recount, which would require a fee. An automatic recount is only triggered if the statewide vote margin falls within a specified range, which was not the case in this election cycle. In Michigan, Trump defeated Harris by 1.4%, or approximately 80,000 votes.

Recounts are also making headlines in Michigan’s 44th House District race, where Rep. Jim Haadsma (D-Battle Creek) has requested a recount following certification of results that show Republican Steven Frisbie leading by 61 votes. While a batch of erroneously ignored absentee ballots from Battle Creek initially raised concerns, the canvass narrowed the margin but ultimately confirmed Frisbie as the winner. Experts suggest the recount is unlikely to alter the outcome due to the reliability of current technology and previous retabulation of the aforementioned absentee ballots. However, results will be published after the four-day recount process has been completed (December 13th).