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Dylan Wegela

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Dylan Wegela
Image of Dylan Wegela

Democratic Party

Michigan House of Representatives District 26
Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

2

Predecessor

Compensation

Base salary

$71,685/year

Per diem

No per diem is paid. Legislators receive an expense allowance of $10,800/year for session and interim.

Elections and appointments
Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

Franklin High School

Bachelor's

Eastern Michigan University

Personal
Birthplace
Detroit, Mich.
Profession
Teacher
Contact

Official website

Official Facebook

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal Facebook

Dylan Wegela (Democratic Party) is a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, representing District 26. He assumed office on January 1, 2023. His current term ends on January 1, 2027.

Wegela (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent District 26. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Wegela completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Dylan Wegela was born in Detroit, Michigan. He earned a high school diploma from Franklin High School and a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Eastern Michigan University.[1] Wegela's career experience includes working as a public school teacher.[2] He co-founded Arizona Educators United.[1][3]

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

Wegela was assigned to the following committees:


Elections

2024

See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 26

Incumbent Dylan Wegela defeated Jeff Gorman in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 26 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Dylan Wegela
Dylan Wegela (D) Candidate Connection
 
65.7
 
27,162
Image of Jeff Gorman
Jeff Gorman (R) Candidate Connection
 
34.3
 
14,171

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 41,333
Candidate Connection = 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.

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 26

Incumbent Dylan Wegela defeated DeArtriss Coleman-Richardson in the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 26 on August 6, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Dylan Wegela
Dylan Wegela Candidate Connection
 
73.8
 
6,130
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
DeArtriss Coleman-Richardson
 
26.2
 
2,180

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 8,310
Candidate Connection = 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 26

Jeff Gorman advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 26 on August 6, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jeff Gorman
Jeff Gorman Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
2,316

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 2,316
Candidate Connection = 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

Wegela received the following endorsements. To view a full list of Wegela's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here.

  • Michigan League of Conservation Voters

2022

See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 26

Dylan Wegela defeated James Townsend in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 26 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Dylan Wegela
Dylan Wegela (D)
 
67.8
 
20,470
Image of James Townsend
James Townsend (R)
 
32.2
 
9,721

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 30,191
Candidate Connection = 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 26

Dylan Wegela defeated Steven Chisholm, Allen Wilson, and Stephen M. Patterson in the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 26 on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Dylan Wegela
Dylan Wegela
 
42.1
 
3,614
Image of Steven Chisholm
Steven Chisholm
 
29.7
 
2,548
Image of Allen Wilson
Allen Wilson
 
18.9
 
1,626
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Stephen M. Patterson
 
9.3
 
800

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 8,588
Candidate Connection = 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 26

James Townsend advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 26 on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of James Townsend
James Townsend
 
100.0
 
3,291

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 3,291
Candidate Connection = 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


Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Dylan Wegela completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Wegela's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I grew up in a working-class family. Both of my grandparents worked in the automotive industry and were UAW members. I have been serving and fighting for working-class communities my entire adult life. I taught in public schools for 7.5 years. I’ve taught in Arizona, Michigan, and South Korea. When I lived in South Korea I would travel 4 hours by bus each way to tutor North Korean Refugees in English. I served two years as my teacher's union president, while teaching full-time, and won record contracts as our lead negotiator. In 2018 I helped organize one of the largest teacher strikes in US history bringing $400 Million into public schools. Since being elected I have introduced legislation to take DTE and other powerful corporations in Michigan. My wife Anna is a mental health professional and we are committed to connecting families in our district with the resources they need. Since being in office we have helped hundreds of constituents in need. I’m running for re-election in the State House to continue my work serving the community and fighting for the people of District 26.
  • Worker power. Wealth is not created without workers, we deserve to live in a society where we prioritize a true democracy that ensures that wealth benefits us all.
  • Corporate Accountability. Unfortunately, the last several decades have been the story of a fierce effort by the wealthiest people in the country dismantling systems that promote equality, and using their money to influence elections. We should not call ourselves a democracy when millions in dark money can be spent to muddy the truth and shape false narratives against working-class candidates and ballot questions. Every level of government and politics needs comprehensive mechanisms for transparency, and we must reform campaign finance.
  • Fighting for our future. After graduation, I taught in well-funded classrooms in South Korea, and under-funded schools in Arizona. When I returned to Michigan, it became clear we needed to double down our efforts to invest in Education and other social programs that promote equality, justice, and upward mobility. We need to make sure future generations have a shot at a meaningful life, and that we work to invest in our students and their teachers.
Tax policy. Three people have more wealth than the bottom half of our country. In the wealthiest country in the world, we should take care of each other, it isn’t radical to want my neighbors to have healthcare, housing, and food. We need to continue the work towards a tax system that supports the people of Michigan and not just a wealthy few.
Eugene Debs. He spoke to the crises of his time with clarity, and fought for a better world with labor unions and through running for office. I am grateful for his heroic dedication to the working class.
I strongly recommend for everyone to read Red State Revolt, especially if they want to understand the environment that shaped my approach to politics. Read the Arizona chapter if you want to learn about my work.
Every elected official should be transparent, hardworking, and accountable to the people they represent.
I am hard-working, transparent, and never afraid to speak my mind. I am grateful for the integrity I’ve had modeled for me in my role models, and for my constituents who have given me this opportunity to bring these values to Lansing.
A good State Representative needs a strong legislative plan, and a responsive constituent services operation. They also need to lead by following their conscience. I am proud of the work my staff and I have done this first term, where we have impacted legislation in Lansing, and helped out residents of Inkster, Garden City, Romulus, and Westland along the way.
I hope that my work is remembered for unapologetically fighting for the working class.
As a teenager, I worked at Taco Bell. Food service is brutal work, and anyone else who has done it should agree that it deserves much better pay.
The Power of Now has guided me towards living a more present life
Solidarity Forever
I live with fibromyalgia. I am grateful for the humility it brings, and I always remember to prioritize the less visible struggles those around me may be facing.
Coequal. Legislators, executive leadership, and all staff should have an appreciation of the different roles they have to play in a functioning, representative government.
We need to focus on climate change and protecting the great lakes. This means massive investments in infrastructure and curbing the political shortsightedness of companies like DTE, guaranteeing a quality education for every kid in Michigan, and fighting wealth inequality along the way. Climate change is not some abstract threat of a changing average temperature; it is power outages in our neighborhoods, kids struggling with asthma, and water bottles being jacked up in price after a disaster. Greed is destroying our planet and our lives, and we need to hold those polluting accountable and build a resilient world to deal with the mess we’ve been left with.
Not necessarily. I had not served in elected office before being a state legislator, but I helped lead a (winning) strike and served as my local union president. I think some sort of leadership experience is helpful. Ultimately, a good legislator should be present in their district, lead with courage, and be strong enough to do what is right regardless of the influence of special interest groups.
Absolutely. One key part of my job is to get at least 55 other people to agree with me - and that’s before anything makes it to the Senate or the Governor’s desk. Friendly, professional, and honest relationships with my colleagues is an important priority.
Locally: Former State Rep. Youssef Rabhi was an amazing voice for working people in the Michigan legislature, and I appreciate all the insight he’s given me. I also greatly appreciate US Rep. (and former State Rep.) Rashida Tlaib and her often singular voice for justice in Washington, D.C. US Senator Bernie Sanders, whose long-shot run for the presidency and decades of consistent messages against hatred and greed inspired how I look at the world.
I hope to serve in our State House so long as my district decides to send me back to be their voice in Lansing.
I am always devastated when we have a power outage in our district made worse by the profit-driven approach at DTE, and my constituents deal with everything from tossing out food and medicine to having to make plans to keep their life-saving equipment powered.
Trickle-Down Economics
The legacy of emergency managers will not be forgotten, and the legislature should be careful to not aid in administrative coups against the democratic will of communities through the state.
In 2013, Michigan’s far-right Republican trifecta chose to close Inkster Public Schools instead of providing support for the students and families in Inkster. When the district was closed, Inkster residents were stuck with the debt. That’s why I introduced House Bill 4424, which would forgive that debt and provide relief to the city of Inkster. Ultimately the debt forgiveness ended up as part of the School Aid Supplemental, House Bill 4292, which I proudly voted yes.
All 4 in District Mayors:

Byron Nolan-Inkster
Mark Jacobs-Garden City
Kevin Coleman-Westland
Robert McCraight-Romulus

Many city councilors

Inkster
Lewanna Abney Mitchell
Steven Chisholm
Lindsey Scott
Angela Hopkins

Garden City
Kim Dold
Stacy Karafotis
Zach Witt
Romulus
Tina Talley
Paris McCarthy
Porsche Laster

Westland
Mike McDermott
Mellissa Sampey
Melanie Hines

Our Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.

Grassroots orgs
Metro Detroit DSA
Our Revolution
Run for Something
We the People
Michigan People's Campaign
Working Families Party
Equality Michigan
Detroit Action
Fems for Dems
Mi Liberation
Moms Demand Action
Michigan LCV
Planned Parenthood.

Unions
MEA
UAW
Laborers
Michigan Nurses Association
AFSCME
SEIU
MPFFU
Firefighters

Carpenters
I am happy to serve as Vice Chair for the House Committee on Elections, and as a member of the House Committees on Education, Labor, Ethics and Oversight, and Military, Veterans, and Homeland Security. I would be happy to contribute to our committees on tax policy and economic development.
Everyone should have accessible and understandable information about how their tax dollars are spent, and crucial information about the people helping shape those decisions. I applaud the changes we have made in Michigan on this, but still think we have a long ways to go until we have a fully transparent and accountable state government.
Michigan’s ballot initiative process in recent cycles has proven to be a powerful tool for the people of Michigan. In response to the Supreme Court’s extreme decision to overturn reproductive rights with the Dobbs decision, the people of Michigan circulated petitions for what would become Proposal 3. That amendment to our state constitution protects reproductive freedom in the state of Michigan. The people have also ended gerrymandering, legalized recreational marijuana, and demanded more oversight for elected officials using ballot initiatives.

The legislature should take a pro-democracy stance and prohibit itself from the cynical “adopt and amend” process, in which previous legislatures have adopted ballot measures and watered them down through amendments. Additionally, I look forward to continued partnership with the Secretary of State and transparency advocates to ensure our petition circulation processes are transparency and accountability-focused.

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.

2022

Dylan Wegela did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

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.

Dylan Wegela campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024* Michigan House of Representatives District 26Won general$104,557 $0
2022Michigan House of Representatives District 26Won general$44,897 $0
Grand total$149,453 $0
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Michigan

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


2023










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External links

Candidate

Michigan House of Representatives District 26
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    Officeholder

    Michigan House of Representatives District 26
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    Personal

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    Footnotes

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Michigan House Democrats, "Meet Rep. Wegela," accessed May 2, 2023
    2. ↑ Dylan Wegela for State Representative, "Meet Dylan," accessed May 2, 2023
    3. ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 4, 2024

    Political offices
    Preceded by
    Jim Ellison (D)     		Michigan House of Representatives District 26
    2023-Present    		 Succeeded by
    -


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