BridgeDetroit will never tell you who to vote for. But we do want you to feel informed and empowered to vote. Use this nonpartisan voter guide to help you prepare.

Detroit Votes and Bridge Michigan partnered with BridgeDetroit in the creation of this guide. If you have suggestions for election coverage, reach out: info@bridgedetroit.com | (313) 284-6407

• Frequently asked questions about voting
• How to vote in Michigan’s Primary election
• How to be an informed voter and detect misinformation
• What happens to ballots in Michigan

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Who are the statewide candidates? 

• Full list of candidates for every race
• Republicans for governor: Mike Cox, John James, Perry Johnson, Aric Nesbitt, Ralph Rebandt
• Democrats for governor: Jocelyn Benson, Chris Swanson
  • Governor candidate stances on key issues: K-12 schools | Health care | Data centers | Taxes 
• Attorney General: Doug Lloyd (R) v. Eli Savit (D)
• Secretary of State: Anthony Forlini (R) v. Garlin Gilchrist II (D)  
• US Senate: Abdul El-Sayed (D), Mallory McMorrow (D), Haley Stevens (D) vs Mike Rogers (R)
• US House: Explore candidates in all 13 districts
• Michigan House: Candidates in all 110 districts
• Michigan Senate: Candidates in all 38 districts

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Who are the countywide candidates?

County Executive

• Warren C. Evans (D)
• Sigmunt John Szczepkowski, Jr (D)
• Michael A. Evans (R)

County Commissioner – District 5 (partial term ending Jan. 1, 2028)

• Jenell C. Mansfield (D)
• Angelique Peterson-Mayberry (D)

Delegate to County Convention

• Ryjean Reid (D)

3rd Circuit Court

No Primary because candidates are nonpartisan. Detroiters can vote on their choices in the General election.

• Incumbent – 6-year term (16 positions)
  • David J. Allen
  • Chandra W. Baker-Robinson
  • Christopher M. Blount
  • Nicole L. Castka
  • Bradley L. Cobb
  • Chris Dingell
  • Charlene M. Elder
  • Helal A. Farhat
  • Nicole N. Goodson
  • Edward J. Joseph
  • Mary Beth Kelly
  • Don Knapp
  • Cylenthia LaToye Miller
  • Carla G. Testani
  • Margaret M. Van Houten
  • Shannon Nicol Walker
• Non-incumbent – 6-year term (1 position)
  • Shakira Lynn Hawkins
• Incumbent – partial term ending 01/01/2031 (1 position)
  • Aliyah S. Sabree

Probate court

No Primary because candidates are nonpartisan. Detroiters can vote on their choices in the General election.

• Non-incumbent – 6-year term (3 positions)
  • Sarah Colegrove
  • Suzanne Fanning
  • Vanessa M. Moss

36th District Court

No Primary because candidates are nonpartisan. Detroiters can vote on their choices in the General election.

• Incumbent – 6-year term (6 positions)
  • Demetria Brue
  • E. Lynise Bryant
  • Adrienne Hinnant-Johnson
  • Shannon A. Holmes
  • Kenneth J. King
  • Millicent D. Sherman
• Non-incumbent – 6-year term (3 positions)
  • WIlliam Burton, Jr.
  • Delphia J. Burton
  • Jo A. Irby
• Incumbent – partial term ending 01/01/2031 (3 positions)
  • Ponce D. Clay
  • Herman Griffin IV
  • Chastity A. Youngblood

Wayne County Community College District

No Primary because candidates are nonpartisan. Detroiters can vote on their choices in the General election.

• District 2 trustee
  • Asm Kamal Rahman
• District 8 trustee
  • Susan C. Steeby
• District 9 trustee
  • Sharon P. Scott

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Who are the citywide candidates?

Congressional Districts (U.S. House)

• 12th District: Covers Western Detroit, along with areas like Dearborn, Redford, and Southfield.
  • Shanelle Jackson (D) 
  • Byron H. Nolen (D)
  • Rashida Tlaib (D) 
  • James D. Hooper R) 

Read more on the race from the Arab American News.

• 13th District: Covers Eastern Detroit, along with suburbs like Hamtramck and the Grosse Pointes.
  • Shri Thanedar (D) – incumbent
  • Donavan McKinney (D) 
  • Mary Waters (D) – disqualified
  • John Goci (D) – disqualified and running a write-in campaign
  • Martell D. Bivings (R) -disqualified 
  • Raphiel King (R) -disqualified 
  • T.P. Nykoriak (R) 

Read more on the race here. 

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State Senate district seats 

• District 1
  • Abraham Aiyash (D)
  • Justin Onwenu (D)
  • Patrick O’Connell ®
• District 2
  • Abbas Alawieh (D)
  • Erin Byrnes (D)
  • Harry Sawicki (R)
• District 3
  • Mohammad Alam (D)
  • Bobby Christian Sr. (D) – withdrawn
  • John Conyers III (D) 
  • LeJuan Council (D)
  • LaTanya Garrett (D)
  • Korey Hall (D)
  • Kimberly Hill Knott (D)
  • Adam Hollier (D)
  • Gary Hunter (D)
  • Theodore Jones (D) – withdrawn
  • Toinu Reeves (D)
  • Abraham Shaw (D)
  • Eboni Taylor (D)
  • Rachel Udabe (D) – withdrawn
• District 6
  • Mary Cavanagh (D)
  • Stephen Jensen (D)
  • Joi Pokerwinski (R)
• District 7
  • Jason Hoskins (D)
  • Shadia Martini (D)
  • Rakesh Ramakrishnan (D)
  • Anthony R. Paesano (R)
• District 8
  • Dayna Polehanki (D)
  • Dean Raymond Wojtowicz (D) – withdrawn
  • Kenneth Massey (R) 
  • Jody White (R)
• District 10
  • Mark Anthony Murphy Jr. (D)
  • Natalie Price (D)
  • Amanda Treppa (D)
  • Michelle Nard (R)
• District 11
  • Joseph Michael Hunt (D)
  • Alysha Johnson (D) 
  • Veronica Klinefelt (D)
  • Johnnie S. Townsend (R)
• District 12
  • Kevin Hertel (D)
  • Joseph A. Backus (R)
  • Patrick Shawn Biange (R)
  • John Goldwater (R)
  • Eileen Tesch (R)
  • Shelley Wright (R)

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State House district seats

MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON

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Detroit Board of Education

There are five seats up for election on the Detroit Board of Education. MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON

What are the ballot issues Detroiters can vote on?

Wayne County Transit Authority Wayne County Public Transportation Millage

Read a breakdown of the issue here.

• Language on the ballot: A proposal to authorize the Wayne County Transit Authority to levy a millage for the purpose of funding public transportation services in Wayne County, including operating, maintaining, improving, and expanding transit services; creating and expanding new fixed routes for bus service connecting local communities; expanding transportation services for seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and the general public to access healthcare, education, and other daily needs. 
  • The millage would be levied at a maximum rate of 0.9831 mills (0.98 cents per $1,000 of taxable value) for a period of 10 years beginning with the 2026 tax year levy and ending with the 2035 tax year levy. 
  • This millage would replace an expiring millage levied by the Wayne County Transit Authority supporting the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (“SMART”). 
  • If this new millage is approved and levied, revenue will be distributed to Wayne County, SMART, Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT), and other community and regional transit providers. It is estimated that $57,616,329.00 will be collected in the first year. 
  • Should this proposal be adopted? 

Proposal S Detroit Public Schools Community District Operating Millage Replacement Proposal

Read a breakdown of the issue here.

• Language on the ballot: If it is determined that the School District of the City of Detroit is no longer authorized to levy an operating millage to retire its legacy debt under State law this proposal would replace that levy by authorizing the Detroit Public Schools Community District to levy the statutory limit of 18 mills on all property, except principal residences (owner occupied homes) and other property exempt by law, for general operating purposes and allow the School District to continue to levy the statutory limit of 18 mills in the event of future Headlee rollbacks of up to 6 mills. This authorization will allow the School District to receive revenues at the full per pupil foundation allowance permitted by the State. 
  • Shall the limitation on the total amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residences and other property exempted by law, situated within the Detroit Public Schools Community District, County of Wayne, Michigan, be increased in the amount of 24 mills with 18 mills being the maximum allowable annual levy ($18.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation), for a period of twenty (20) years, 2026 to 2045, inclusive? This operating millage if approved and levied, would provide estimated revenues to the School District of $112,000,000 during the 2026 calendar year, to be used for general operating purposes. 

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How to vote in Michigan’s Primary election

Check your registration

First, verify if you are already registered by putting your information into https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index and it will tell you. 

You need the following qualifications to vote:

1. Be a U.S. citizen
2. Be at least 17.5 years old and turn 18 before Election Day
3. Have lived in Detroit for at least 30 days

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Registering to vote

Are you ready to register to vote? What you need to do depends on how close to the election it is. 

If you aren’t already registered and it’s more than 14 days before the election, you have three options:

• You can register to vote at the Detroit City Clerk’s office (2 Woodward Ave. #200 Detroit, MI 48226) or the Department of Elections (2978 W. Grand Blvd. Detroit, MI 48226) Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. You need to prove that you live at your address, so you must bring a printed record of one of the following:
  • Your Michigan driver’s license or state ID card
  • A utility bill, bank statement, pay check, government check or any other government document with your name and Detroit address on it. 
• You can register to vote online if you have a valid Michigan driver’s license or state ID here. If you don’t have one of those, you need to register in person at the City Clerk’s office.
  • July 20 is the last day you can register to vote online for the Aug. 4, 2026 Primary election.
  • Oct. 19 is the last day you can register to vote online for the Nov. 3, 2026 General election.
• You can mail a completed voter registration application to the Detroit City Clerk (even if you don’t have a Michigan driver’s license, state ID, or Social Security number). Your application must be postmarked 14 days before Election Day or sooner. Download a voter registration application here. Fill out your application; put your completed application in an envelope addressed to Detroit City Clerk, 2 Woodward Ave. #200, Detroit, MI 48226; stamp your envelope and put it in the mail.
  • Your registration application must be postmarked on or before July 20 for the Aug. 4, 2026 Primary election and on or before Oct. 19 for the Nov. 3, 2026 General election.

If it is 14 days or fewer before the election, you must register to vote in person at a Detroit Early Vote Center or the Detroit City Clerk’s office.

• Starting on July 21, you’ll need to register in person at the Detroit City Clerk’s office with proof of residency for the Aug. 4, 2026 Primary election.
• Starting on Oct. 20, you’ll need to register in person with the Detroit City Clerk’s office with proof of residency for the Nov. 3, 2026 General election.

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Early voting 

Want to vote before Election Day? You can vote in person at the Detroit City Clerk’s office or at an Early Voting Site starting nine days before Election Day.

• You can vote using an absentee ballot at the Detroit City Clerk’s office located at 2 Woodward Ave. #200, Detroit, MI 48226 starting 40 days before Election Day until 4 p.m. the Monday before Election Day.
• For the Aug. 4, 2026 Primary Election, you can vote early in person with an absentee ballot at the Detroit City Clerk’s office starting on June 25. If you are registered to vote at your current address, you can vote at the Clerk’s office until Aug. 3 at 4 p.m.
• For the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election, you can vote early in person with an absentee ballot at the Detroit City Clerk’s office starting on Sept. 24. If you are registered to vote at your current address, you can vote at the Clerk’s office until Nov. 2 at 4 p.m.
• You can vote in person at a Detroit Early Voting Site. When you vote at an Early Voting Site, your voting experience will be similar to that of voting at a polling place on Election Day. You will complete your ballot, place it in a secrecy sleeve and then deposit it into the voting tabulator.

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Vote early from home

Prefer to vote from home? Get your absentee ballot as soon as possible. Make sure you select the option to sign up for the “permanent mail ballot list” to receive an absentee ballot in the mail before every election. Request your ballot online here.

Call the Detroit City Clerk’s office at 313-224-3270 and request an application for a ballot be mailed to you. Once you receive your application, mail it to the Detroit City Clerk’s office.

Download a ballot application form here and mail it to the Detroit City Clerk’s office: Detroit City Clerk, 2 Woodward Ave. #200, Detroit, MI 48226

Detroit Votes recommends you request your absentee ballot for the Aug. 4, 2026 Primary election by July 14 and for the Nov. 3, 2026 General election by Oct. 13.

You can check to see if the Detroit City Clerk’s office has received your application and if your ballot has been mailed to you by filling out this online form.

Once you receive your absentee ballot, you need to:

1. Fill out your ballot
2. Place your ballot in the provided envelope
3. Sign the outside of the envelope with your official signature that matches your voter registration

Finally, return your absentee ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Your ballot must be received by the Detroit City Clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Detroit Votes recommends getting your ballot in the mail at least 2 weeks before Election Day. For the Aug. 4, 2026 Primary election, that means mailing it in by July 21. For the Nov. 3, 2026 General election, thatmeans mailing it by Oct. 20.

Alternatively, you could drop your ballot off at the Detroit City Clerk’s office, at an Early Voting Site, or in a secure drop box. You can also have an immediate family member or someone who lives with you drop your ballot off at the Detroit City Clerk’s office.

Call the Detroit City Clerk at 313-224-3270 before 5 p.m. on the last Friday before Election Day to request that your ballot be picked up.

You can track the status of your absentee ballot here.

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Voting on Election Day

If you are registered to vote, you must vote at your assigned polling place. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are in line by 8 p.m. at your polling place, you will be able to vote.

You can find your polling place online at the Michigan Voter Information Center or by calling the Detroit City Clerk at (313) 224-3270.

Your polling place will likely be near the address you registered to vote with. But it may have changed from last year, so verify before you show up to the polling place. 

If you are not registered to vote, you can also register to vote on Election Day and vote at the same time, but you will have to go to the right location. 

This option is only available at the Detroit City Clerk’s office (2 Woodward Ave. #200, Detroit, MI 48226) or the Department of Elections (2978 W. Grand Blvd. Detroit, MI 48226). Make sure you bring one type (paper or electronic copy) of “proof of residency” with you. These include: 

• Your Michigan driver’s license or state ID cards.
• A utility bill, bank statement, pay check, government check or any other government document with your name and Detroit address on it. 

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A note about photo ID

You do not need a photo ID to register to vote. If you register to vote in person, you will be asked to show your photo ID. If you don’t have your ID, you can sign a form provided by a poll worker and then complete your voter registration. Bring “proof of residency” with you if you are registering to vote within 14 days of Election Day.

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Combatting misinformation

If you encounter what you believe to be misinformation, you can report it to the state by emailing misinformation@michigan.gov. Read more about how to be an informed voter and detect misinformation.

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More from Bridge Michigan

Voter guide

• FAQ Squad – Absentee Ballots
• FAQ Squad – Perry Johnson
• FAQ Squad – State of the State
• Watch: Legislative gridlock
• Watch: Youth mental health outsourcing
• Watch: Health care election impacts
• Watch: Medical debt, health care costs

Polls

• Governor race (open)
• US Senate race (open)
• 4th US House District, (West Michigan, incumbent Bill Huizenga)
• 7th US House District, (mid-Michigan, incumbent Tom Barrett)
• 10th US House District, (mostly Macomb, vacated by John James)