Last Candidates File for Michigan Governor's Office Ahead of April 21 Deadline

LANSING — Michigan Republicans Aric Nesbitt and Perry Johnson were among the final candidates to submit nominating petition signatures for the 2026 gubernatorial race on Tuesday, April 21, as the candidate filing deadline approached.

The filing deadline for partisan candidates fell 15 Tuesdays before the August primary election — 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. Candidates without a party affiliation have until July to declare their candidacy.

Signature Submission

Johnson, a businessman and self-described "quality guru," pulled up to the Michigan Bureau of Elections office Tuesday afternoon in a campaign bus. He has spent some of his personal fortune flooding the state with advertisements since jumping into the race in January.

"We spend what's necessary in order to win the election and right now we have a lot of momentum so you can see it wherever we go," Johnson told reporters when asked if there was a limit to how much he would spend.

Nesbitt, the Michigan Senate Minority Leader, has been near the middle of the pack in polling. He also rolled out ad purchases and said he'll close that gap with the frontrunners through disciplined campaigning and a positive message.

"To make sure our families can make it here in the state, to increase the wages of working families, to decrease the costs for working families, while also making sure that job creators can invest and grow here in Michigan and making sure our kids can grow here in Michigan," Nesbitt said.

The Field of Candidates

Each of the contenders had previously dropped off their signatures to get on the ballot. Next, the non-partisan state Bureau of Elections staff will review the signatures to see if the candidates collected enough valid ones to make the ballot.

The Board of State Canvassers, made up of two Republicans and two Democrats, will get the final word on who appears on the ballot.

Declared candidates for governor include:

  • Democrats: Jocelyn Benson, Chris Swanson, Kim Thomas
  • Republicans: John James, Anthony Hudson, Karla Wagner, Aric Nesbitt, Ralph Rebandt, Joyce Gipson, Evan Space, Tom Leonard, Mike Cox, Perry Johnson
  • Independent: Mike Duggan, former Detroit mayor

Two candidates have already withdrawn. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II withdrew to run for Secretary of State, earning the Democrats' endorsement at the April 19 convention. Marni Sawicki announced she was ending her run on February 1.

Johnson's Past and Federal Involvement

Four years ago, Johnson and other Republicans didn't make the ballot after getting caught up in a signature fraud scandal. In 2022, the bureau's review found that Johnson had submitted 23,193 signatures, but 9,393 of them were invalid, leaving him 1,200 signatures short of the threshold.

Despite the safeguards in the process, Johnson said he believes a conflict of interest exists for Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who is a Democratic candidate for governor.

"I just think, because we end up having the Secretary of State in charge of her own election, that she ought to recuse herself and maybe we have the fed supervise and be in charge," Johnson said.

Democratic Response

Democrats have resisted attempts by the Trump Administration to get involved with Michigan's elections. They fear federal oversight would feed lies about widespread voter fraud.

In a written statement, Michigan Department of State spokesperson Angela Benander noted that Benson wouldn't be part of the signature verification process to begin with.

"Either these candidates for governor haven't bothered to take a few minutes to read and understand Michigan Election Law or they know they're spreading lies about the process," Benander said.

"It's also alarming that people seeking the highest office in the state continue to ask the federal government to do things they have no authority to do. As we have repeatedly had to remind some politicians this year, the US Constitution places the power to determine the time, place, and manner of elections with the states. The federal government has no legal authority to run our elections."

Other Key Candidates

Mike Cox, Republican: Cox served as Michigan's top legal official from 2003-10. He ran in the GOP gubernatorial primary in 2010, finishing third. His wife, Laura Cox, previously served as the Michigan GOP chair during the 2020 election. Cox says he is running to "eliminate the tax on work, restore the right to work, DOGE the state, teach the ABCs, not DEI, and support school choice."

John James, Republican: James represents the 10th Congressional District and serves as the state's only Black congressman. He has served eight years of active duty military service as a Ranger-qualified aviation officer leading two Apache helicopter platoons during Operation Iraqi Freedom 2007-09.

Chris Swanson, Democrat: Swanson was elected Genesee County sheriff in 2020 and won reelection in 2024. He has worked in law enforcement for almost three decades. Swanson attended Mott Community College in Flint, and holds a bachelor's degree and master's degree in public administration, both from the University of Michigan.

Jocelyn Benson, Democrat: Benson was first elected Secretary of State in 2018 and then again in 2022. As Michigan's chief elections officer during the 2020 election, she spoke out against President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn his loss that year. A graduate of Harvard Law School and expert on civil rights law, education law and election law.

The next election for governor of Michigan is Nov. 3, 2026. The primary election is Aug. 4, 2026. The next governor will take office Jan. 1, 2027, after Whitmer's term expires.

Filing Requirements

To be eligible for the office of governor, a person must be 30 or older and have been a registered elector for at least four years.

Candidates seeking the Democratic Party or Republican Party nomination must use the Countywide Partisan Nominating Petition form. A candidate must submit at least 15,000 valid signatures and may submit up to 30,000 signatures. The petition must be signed by at least 100 registered electors in each of at least half of the congressional districts in the state.

Candidates seeking nomination without political party affiliation must submit at least 12,000 valid signatures and may submit up to 60,000.