- Voters selected two partisan members on the State Board of Education
- Voters decided partisan board members on the state’s three largest public universities
- Michigan faces absenteeism challenges in K-12 and enrollment challenges in higher education
Democrats swept the races for the Michigan State Board of Education and open seats on the state’s three largest university boards.
On the State Board of Education, Democratic incumbents Tiffany Tilley, D-West Bloomfield, and Judith Pritchett, D-Washington Township, bested Republican challengers Terence Collins and Bree Moeggenberg.
The election comes as Michigan’s K-12 districts continue to struggle with high absenteeism, low reading scores and high schoolers unready for college.
Voters also decided on members of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees, University of Michigan Board of Regents and the Wayne State University Board of Governors. Democrats won in all of those contests.
The election of university leaders has long faced criticism from many, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and former governors.
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While state leaders have created scholarship programs in recent years to lower the cost of tuition, many potential students are concerned about cost or the value of a degree.
A recent report shows enrollment across the state’s 15 public universities decreased 2% from the previous year, with one public university advocate blaming birthrates and federal policies that limit international students.
Here’s what to know
State Board of Education
Democrats will continue dominating the board in charge of educating Michigan’s 1.4 million public school students .
The eight-member board meets monthly to discuss public education and it hires the state superintendent, who oversees the Michigan Department of Education.
State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko started in December 2025.
The board does not control the state education budget or pass new laws, but serves as the “general planning and coordinating body” for public education in the state.
In recent months, the board has passed resolutions establishing a special education committee, requesting the Legislature “provide sufficient financial resources” for the board to conduct its duties and opposing the federal tax credit scholarship program.
The ballot also included candidates from third parties: Charles Essner (Libertarian), William Mohr II (US Taxpayers), Christine C. Schwartz (US Taxpayers), Wissam Charafeddine (Green), Mary Anne Hering (Working Class) and Kelli Monroe (Natural Law).
Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Democratic incumbents Kelly Tebay Zemke and Brianna Scott beat Republicans Julie Maday and Roger Victory for two seats on the eight-member board. Each term lasts for eight years.
Tuesday was Maday’s second attempt to join the MSU board. She is a former city councilperson for Novi and Victory is a term-limited state senator.
MSU continues to face turmoil.
Michigan State President Kevin Guskiewicz made waves earlier this year when he announced he was leaving for Clemson University, blaming tensions on the board as one factor for leaving. But he later reversed course and said he would stay.
Just last week, Trustee Mike Balow, the lone Republican on the board, filed a federal lawsuit against Scott and board Secretary Stefan Fletcher, alleging a new board ethics policy is unconstitutional.
Last month, Trustee Rema Vassar filed a lawsuit against Guskiewicz, Scott and other MSU officials alleging they have discriminated and retaliated against her.
Scott defended the ethics policy in a statement and a university spokesperson said MSU would respond to Vassar’s allegations “through the applicable legal process.”
The race included six candidates from third parties: Daniel R. Patterson (Libertarian), Will Tyler White (Libertarian), Janet Sanger (US Taxpayers), John Sanger (US Taxpayers), John Anthony La Pietra (Green) and Yaz Ozbek (Working Class).
University of Michigan Board of Regents
Democratic incumbent Paul Brown and Democrat Amir Makled topped Republicans Lena Epstein and Michael Schostak.
Makled is a civil rights attorney who ousted incumbent Jordan Acker at the state Democratic Party convention earlier this year. Brown is a managing partner at eLab Ventures, a venture capital firm. Epstein is co-owner and an executive of Vesco Oil Corp. and Schostak is the treasurer of Bloomfield Township.
The race also included Andrew Chadderdon (Libertarian) and Kyle Maas (US Taxpayers).
U-M’s new president, C. Cybele Raver, will start Dec. 1 as the university faces several challenges including its plan to build a data center in Ypsilanti Township that faces local pushback and its effort to find a new athletic director after multiple scandals.
Wayne State University Board of Governors
The board will continue to have five Democrats and three Republicans after Democrats Shereef Akeel and Richard Mack won against Republicans Andy Anuzis and Christa Murphy.
Democrats Bryan Barnhill III and Anil Kumar did not run for reelection.
Akeel is a civil and human rights attorney. Mack is a labor and civil rights attorney. Anuzis recently retired from being principal at Lincoln-King High School, a Detroit charter school. Murphy is a tech executive who works at a medical device company.
The ballot also included: Alex Avery (Libertarian), Jami Van Alstine (Libertarian), Jeff McDonald (US Taxpayers), Paul M. Ragan (Green), Suzanne Roehrig (Working Class) and Kathleen Oakford (Natural Law).
The new board members will work with President Richard Bierschbach.
He was named to the permanent presidency role in February after serving on an interim basis since September. Former President Kimberly Andrews Espy, the first WSU female president, left two years into her five-year contract, citing “personal reasons.”
