The November 2026 midterm elections will be one of the most consequential on the state's ballot in years. Michiganders will elect a new governor after eight years of Democrat Gretchen Whitmer, a new U.S. senator after 12 years of Democrat Gary Peters, and every seat in both chambers of the state legislature. Control of the Michigan Senate and the Michigan House is also up in the air.

Here is a guide to the major races and ballot measures voters will see this fall.

Governor

The governor's race is between Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Republican John James. Minor party candidates include Donna Brandenburg of the U.S. Taxpayers Party, Douglas Campbell of the Green Party, and Anthony Hudson of the Libertarian Party.

Benson has served two terms as Michigan secretary of state, the state's chief election official. James, meanwhile, has spent two terms as the representative for Michigan's 10th Congressional District, based in Macomb County. He previously ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2018 and 2020.

Secretary of state

The next secretary of state will likely be either Republican Anthony Forlini, the current Macomb County clerk, or Democrat Garlin Gilchrist, who has served two terms as lieutenant governor. The secretary of state manages statewide elections and the state's voter roll. Minor party candidates include Scott E. Aughney of the U.S. Taxpayers Party, Eric Borregard of the Green Party, and Christine Sloan of the Libertarian Party.

Attorney general

Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, can run again due to term limits, so the office is open. Republican Doug Lloyd, the Eaton County prosecutor, will face Democrat Eli Savitz, the Washtenaw County prosecutor. Minor party candidates include Doug Dern of the Natural Law Party, Jason Dye of the Libertarian Party, John Perry Ludtke Jr. of the U.S. Taxpayers Party, and Jeff Polonowski of the Green Party.

U.S. Senate

Michigan will elect a new U.S. senator to a six-year term after Peters declined to run for reelection. Republican Mike Rogers, a former U.S. representative, will face Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, the former director of Wayne County's Department of Health and Human Services. Minor party candidates include Lydia Christensen of the Libertarian Party, Walter P. Kristy of the Natural Law Party, Tim Long of the U.S. Taxpayers Party, and Douglas P. Marsh of the Green Party. National analysts expect this race to be among a handful that will help determine which party controls the Senate.

Michigan Legislature

Every seat in both the Michigan Senate and the Michigan House is up for election this year. Democrats currently control the state Senate and Republicans control the state House, but both chambers are considered at risk of flipping.

State Board of Education

Two of the eight members of the Michigan State Board of Education are up for election. The board currently holds a 6-2 Democratic majority, but that could change to a 4-4 tie if Republicans win both seats. The major party candidates are Democratic incumbents Judith Pritchett and Tiffany Tilley and Republican challengers Bree Moeggenberg and Terence Collins. Voters may vote for any two candidates.

University boards

Michigan elects the members of three university governing boards statewide. For the University of Michigan, voters select two regents. For Michigan State University, voters select two trustees. For Wayne State University, voters select two governors. The University of Michigan and Michigan State University boards both hold a 6-2 Democratic majority, while Wayne State has a 5-3 Democratic majority.

Michigan Supreme Court and other judges

Two Michigan Supreme Court justices, Megan Cavanagh and Noah Hood, are up for reelection this year. These races are officially nonpartisan, but the candidates are nominated at party conventions. Cavanagh and Hood were nominated at the Democratic convention, and their opponents, Casandra Morse-Bills and Michael D. Warren Jr., were nominated at the Republican convention. Morse-Bills is a presiding judge in Oscoda County Circuit Court, and Warren is a judge in Michigan's 6th Circuit Court. A number of intermediate appellate court judges will also appear on the ballot depending on where voters live.

Proposal 1: Constitutional convention

Michiganders will vote on whether the state should hold a constitutional convention, colloquially known as a "con-con," to revise the state's fundamental governing document. This question is required to be on the ballot every 16 years.

The ballot language will read: "A proposal to convene a constitutional convention for the purpose of drafting a general revision of the state constitution. Shall a convention of elected delegates be convened in 2027 to draft a general revision of the state constitution for presentation to the state's voters for their approval or rejection?"

A yes vote is in favor of starting the process of rewriting the state's constitution by representatives chosen by voters across the state. Even if voters approve a convention, that is not a guarantee the constitution would change. The final document would go before voters again when completed, and only if approved would it replace the current constitution. No official campaigns have filed paperwork in support of a convention, though a number of prominent Republican legislators have suggested support. A no vote is in favor of leaving the constitution as written. The group Protect MI Constitution From Special Interests has raised more than $860,000 to oppose the convention, according to state campaign finance reports.

Proposal 2: Michiganders for Money Out of Politics

The second ballot measure, known as Michiganders for Money Out of Politics (MMOP), is a proposed law that would stop utility companies and large government contractors from donating to political campaigns for officials who could impact their contracts.

The ballot language reads: "A proposed initiated law to prohibit campaign contributions from certain regulated utilities and government contractors and apply campaign finance laws and regulations to additional types of political communications."

The proposal would prohibit regulated electric and gas utilities, contractors with over $250,000 annually in government contracts, and people and organizations with substantial connections to those utilities or contractors from making direct or indirect campaign contributions to officials who impact them. It would also expand laws regulating spending on political communications, including donor disclosure requirements, to apply to communications clearly identifying candidates or ballot questions.

A yes vote is in favor of making the proposal law, with no governor signature required. It would be more difficult to overturn than a typical law, requiring three-quarters of each chamber to vote to amend or overturn it. The committee pushing MMOP has raised more than $7.3 million, with its largest donors including the Massachusetts-based All Hands on Deck Network, which donated more than $3 million, and the Washington, D.C.-based Sixteen Thirty Fund, which donated $700,000. MMOP is opposed by a group called Protect MI Free Speech, which has raised more than $570,000, largely from business groups. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Comcast Financial Agency Corp., and CMS Energy, best known by its subsidiary Consumers Energy, all gave at least $65,000 to oppose MMOP.

Local elections

Depending on where you live, you may see local races for city council, local courts, or county executives on your ballot. You may also see a number of local ballot measures, such as whether local elections should be moved to even-numbered years, as East Lansing is considering, or bonds for school facilities, like in Royal Oak.

Voters can look up the specific races and issues on their own ballot in the Michigan Voter Information Center.

This guide draws on reporting by Hayley Harding of Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering voting access and election administration.