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Donavan McKinney
2025 - Present
2027
0
Donavan McKinney (Democratic Party) is a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, representing District 11. He assumed office on January 1, 2025. His current term ends on January 1, 2027.
McKinney (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Michigan's 13th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]
Biography
Donavan McKinney was born in Detroit, Michigan. McKinney earned a bachelor's degree in public policy from the University of Michigan in 2014. His career experience includes working as the political director of SEIU Healthcare Michigan, as a legislative director in the Michigan State House, as the national political director of Climate Power, and in community engagement for the nonprofit Community Development Advocates of Detroit (CDAD).[1][2][3]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
McKinney was assigned to the following committees:
Elections
2026
See also: Michigan's 13th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for U.S. House Michigan District 13
Incumbent Shri Thanedar, Shelby Campbell, Nazmul Hassan, Donavan McKinney, and Andrew Lorenz are running in the general election for U.S. House Michigan District 13 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Shri Thanedar (D) | |
 | Shelby Campbell (D)  | |
| Nazmul Hassan (D) | ||
 | Donavan McKinney (D) | |
| Andrew Lorenz (R) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Adam Hollier (D)
Endorsements
McKinney received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
- U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (Independent)
- U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D)
2024
See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 11
Incumbent Donavan McKinney defeated Dale Walker in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 11 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Donavan McKinney (D) | 82.3 | 28,031 |
| Dale Walker (R) | 17.7 | 6,025 | ||
| Total votes: 34,056 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 11
Incumbent Donavan McKinney advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 11 on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Donavan McKinney | 100.0 | 7,145 |
| Total votes: 7,145 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 11
Dale Walker advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 11 on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Dale Walker | 100.0 | 827 | |
| Total votes: 827 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
Endorsements
2022
See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 14
Donavan McKinney defeated Wendy Watters and N. Jefferey Sparling in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 14 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Donavan McKinney (D) | 71.3 | 18,968 |
| Wendy Watters (R) | 27.0 | 7,174 | ||
 | N. Jefferey Sparling (G) | 1.7 | 444 | |
| Total votes: 26,586 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 14
Donavan McKinney defeated Kristina Lodovisi and Aaron Delikta in the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 14 on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Donavan McKinney | 59.3 | 4,452 |
 | Kristina Lodovisi | 28.4 | 2,129 | |
 | Aaron Delikta | 12.3 | 923 | |
| Total votes: 7,504 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 14
Wendy Watters advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 14 on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Wendy Watters | 100.0 | 2,591 | |
| Total votes: 2,591 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Eddie Kabacinski (R)
Green convention
Green convention for Michigan House of Representatives District 14
N. Jefferey Sparling advanced from the Green convention for Michigan House of Representatives District 14 on April 23, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | N. Jefferey Sparling (G) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
Endorsements
To view McKinney's endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.
2020
See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 3
Shri Thanedar defeated Anita Vinson and Stephen Boyle in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 3 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Shri Thanedar (D) | 93.3 | 28,575 |
| Anita Vinson (R) | 4.0 | 1,234 | ||
 | Stephen Boyle (G) | 2.7 | 813 | |
| Total votes: 30,622 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 3
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 3 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Shri Thanedar | 34.9 | 4,745 |
| Donavan McKinney | 20.4 | 2,774 | |
 | China Cochran | 16.7 | 2,276 | |
 | Al Williams | 16.3 | 2,222 | |
| John Cromer | 3.8 | 520 | ||
| Art Tyus | 3.4 | 468 | ||
| Keith McMurtry | 3.4 | 467 | ||
| Steven Lett | 0.9 | 120 | ||
| Total votes: 13,592 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 3
Anita Vinson advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 3 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Anita Vinson | 100.0 | 191 | |
| Total votes: 191 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Green convention
Green convention for Michigan House of Representatives District 3
Stephen Boyle advanced from the Green convention for Michigan House of Representatives District 3 on June 20, 2020.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Stephen Boyle (G) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
2016
Elections for the Michigan House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on August 2, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 19, 2016.
Incumbent Wendell Byrd defeated John Brodersen in the Michigan House of Representatives District 3 general election.[4]
| Michigan House of Representatives, District 3 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Wendell Byrd Incumbent |
96.79% | 28,766 | |
| Republican | John Brodersen | 3.21% | 955 | |
| Total Votes | 29,721 | |||
| Source: Michigan Secretary of State | ||||
The following candidates ran in the Michigan House of Representatives District 3 Democratic primary.[5][6]
| Michigan House of Representatives, District 3 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Wendell Byrd Incumbent |
45.38% | 3,129 | |
| Democratic | April Bonner-Archer | 10.94% | 754 | |
| Democratic | Burgess Foster | 5.18% | 357 | |
| Democratic | Donavan McKinney | 15.37% | 1,060 | |
| Democratic | Damian Mitchell | 2.49% | 172 | |
| Democratic | Lee Qualls | 2.03% | 140 | |
| Democratic | Al Williams | 18.61% | 1,283 | |
| Total Votes | 6,895 | |||
John Brodersen ran unopposed in the Michigan House of Representatives District 3 Republican primary.[5][6]
| Michigan House of Representatives, District 3 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | John Brodersen (unopposed) | |
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Donavan McKinney has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Donavan McKinney asking him to fill out the survey. If you are Donavan McKinney, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?
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You can ask Donavan McKinney to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing info@donavanforcongress.com.
2024
Donavan McKinney did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Donavan McKinney completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by McKinney's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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On Labor Day Weekend 2019, Donavan married the love of his life Shaunté, who is an attorney. In January of this year, the McKinney’s welcomed the newest addition to their family, a beautiful baby boy, Donavan II.
Donavan served as a Legislative Director in the Michigan State House of Representatives. Soon after, he became the Political and Coalition Director for the largest healthcare union in the state, SEIU Healthcare Michigan. Currently, Donavan serves as the National Political Director for Climate Power, a national climate justice organization working with officials on the federal, state, and local levels to take immediate bold climate action.
In January of 2020, Donavan was appointed by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to serve on the state’s first Environment Justice Council. Since serving on the Council, Donavan has advocated for a water accessibility and affordability plan. Donavan was instrumental in Gov. Whitmer’s $2-Million Water Restart Grant Program and her statewide Water Reconnection Executive Order during the COVID-19 pandemic.- We "deserve dignity for us, dignity for our planet.” To me that means, fighting for union rights and workers earning a living wage on the job, including all of our frontline and essential workers.
- It means, protecting our environment and ensuring families have access to clean air, clean and affordable water, and access to quality parks and recreation.
- It means fighting for affordable healthcare for all and quality mental health resources.
Fighting to improve our criminal justice system that protects us from being robbed or carjacked, not policing us for petty crimes. Most people are in jail for traffic offenses. We are fighting to reform sentencing guidelines because in the next 5 years, 80% of inmates in Michigan won’t be eligible for parole. We are fighting to end cash bail on the grounds that we should not jail people simply because they are poor. We are fighting to reallocate funding to hire more social workers, mental health professionals and increase rehab services. We are fighting to end qualified immunity which protects government officials, including law enforcement officers, from being held personally liable for their actions on the job.
TRIBLListen here: https://youtu.be/sbFq7YQM1Js
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2020
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released June 12, 2020 |
Donavan McKinney completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by McKinney's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Featured local question Featured local question Featured local questionEvery year our Michigan state government receives an F grade for accountability and transparency. Michigan is the only state in the nation in which state law exempts the Governor and Lieutenant Governor from the requirements of Michigan's Freedom of Information Act. Also, because of past Attorney General opinions the Michigan State Legislature (both House and Senate) are exempt as well.
Michigan FOIA is not perfect and improvements are needed. High fees are still an issue for citizens seeking public records. Another major loophole is in delivering records sought from public bodies. By statute, public officials are required to respond to a FOIA request within a maximum of 15 business days. Within that time period, they must respond by granting or denying the request all or in part. However, there is no deadline for when those records must actually be provided.
Our state also lacks a law requiring its elected public officials to disclose their personal finances and potential conflicts of interest. That's important to know when they're voting on legislation where they may receive a benefit.
Featured local question Featured local question Featured local questionMichigan is now in the bottom five states nationwide for equitable school funding, and should take immediate steps to invest much more in students who have historically been underserved and left behind. Our state's K-12 education funding system is neither adequate nor equitable, with the hardest burden falling on students with special needs, from low-income families, new English speakers and students in isolated rural schools. I believe not only is an investment in our children the right thing to do, but it is also the smart thing to do.
• We are fighting for quality education for our youth regardless of school district. We are fighting so that our schools receive equitable funding based on need which will allow communities and children in distressed areas to receive wraparound services.
• We are fighting for quality and affordable healthcare for all. Earned paid sick leave, affordable child care, decreasing infant and maternal mortality, ending maternal incarceration, and expanding SNAP benefits and Medicare/Medicaid. We are fighting to lower the cost of prescription drugs and provide resources for our seniors to stay in their homes and age in place. Training and adequate compensation for our healthcare workers.
• We are fighting to improve our criminal justice system to reform sentencing guidelines, end cash bail, and reallocate funding to hire more social workers, mental health professionals and increase addiction rehab services.
• We are fighting for a living wage and union rights. People should not have to work multiple full-time jobs just to make ends meet. Also, people should have the right to bargain collectively and have a say at their workplace.
• We are fighting for basic human rights including quality affordable housing, clean air, clean affordable water, and accessible parks and recreation. We must implement a Water Affordability Plan to ensure we keep everyone's water on.
We must implement a Water Affordability Plan to ensure we keep everyone's water on. Currently, residents are paying upwards of 10% of their income towards water and sewer bills. Also, we must protect our Great Lakes.
We must ensure earned paid sick leave, affordable child care, decreasing infant and maternal mortality, ending maternal incarceration, and expanding SNAP benefits and Medicare/Medicaid. Fight to lower the cost of prescription drugs and provide resources for our seniors to stay in their homes and age in place. Fight for training and adequate compensation for our healthcare workers.
We must ensure our schools receive equitable funding based on need which will allow communities and distressed areas to receive wraparound services.
Taxpayers spent nearly half a billion dollars on county jails and related costs in 2017. Most people are in jail for traffic offenses. Fight to reform sentencing guidelines because in the next 5 years, 80% of inmates in Michigan won't be eligible for parole. Fight to end cash bail on the grounds that we should not jail people simply because they are poor. Fight to reallocate funding to hire more social workers, mental health professionals and increase rehab services. Fight to end qualified immunity which protects government officials, including law enforcement officers, from being held personally liable for their actions on the job.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2016
McKinney's campaign website highlighted the following issues:[7]
Education
- Excerpt: "Returning decision-making power to the communities that know our children better than Lansing bureaucrats and corporate CEOs. Preventing a for-profit takeover of our public school systems. In order for our state to provide a first-class public education we need to ensure that our children receive a rigorous, real-world education that both meets the demands of the 21st century economy and the needs of the whole student."
Development
- Excerpt: "The economic recovery of the last five years has left far too many working Michiganders behind. Few have felt the depth of that failure like the hardworking people of Detroit. As we work to build an economy that works for everyone, we should remember the principle that made Detroit the “Arsenal of Democracy” during the Second World War and built the middle class in its aftermath: our nation prospers when our working families and the communities they call home are economically secure."
Accountability
- Excerpt: "Government has a responsibility to protect the interests of not just the most powerful and well-connected in society, but also the most vulnerable among us. But for too long, the voices of the most powerful have dominated our democratic process. We need legislators who will work to ensure that the voices and priorities of everyday Detroiters are given a fair shake."
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Michigan scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
|---|
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In 2024, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 10 to December 23.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 11 to November 14.
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See also
2026 Elections
External links
|
Candidate U.S. House Michigan District 13 |
Officeholder Michigan House of Representatives District 11 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 28, 2020
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 31, 2022
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Donavan McKinney," accessed April 30, 2023
- ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "2016 official general election results," accessed May 2, 2017
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Michigan Secretary of State, "2016 Michigan Candidate Listing," accessed April 22, 2016
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Michigan Secretary of State, "2016 Michigan Election Results," accessed August 2, 2016
- ↑ Donavan McKinney, "Home," accessed June 17, 2016
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Veronica Paiz (D) |
Michigan House of Representatives District 11 2025-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Cara Clemente (D) |
Michigan House of Representatives District 14 2023-2025 |
Succeeded by Mike McFall (D) |
