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Michigan state executive official elections, 2020
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| Michigan state executive official elections |
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| Election details |
| Filing deadline: May 8, 2020 |
| Primary: August 29, 2020 (Democratic Party, Republican Party conventions); June 20, 2020 (Green Party convention) General: November 3, 2020 |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Michigan |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2020 Impact of term limits in 2020 State government trifectas and triplexes |
| Other state executive elections |
In Michigan, political parties nominate candidates for some offices at their conventions instead of holding a primary. Candidates for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, Supreme Court, and the boards of Michigan State University, Wayne State University, the University of Michigan and the state Board of Education are nominated by political parties.
Eight state executive offices were up for election in Michigan in 2020:
State Board of Education (2 seats)
University of Michigan Board of Regents (2 seats)
Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)
Wayne State University Board of Governors (2 seats)
Candidates and election results
State Board of Education
General election
General election for Michigan State Board of Education (2 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for Michigan State Board of Education on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Ellen Lipton (D)  | 24.6 | 2,472,087 |
| ✔ |  | Jason Strayhorn (D) | 23.5 | 2,368,523 |
| Michelle Frederick (R) | 23.0 | 2,316,051 | ||
 | Tami Carlone (R) | 22.8 | 2,291,915 | |
 | Mary Anne Hering (Working Class Party) | 1.5 | 147,345 | |
| Bill Hall (L) | 1.2 | 124,758 | ||
| Richard Hewer (L) | 0.9 | 91,661 | ||
| Hali McEachern (Working Class Party) | 0.8 | 82,700 | ||
| Karen Adams (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan) | 0.8 | 80,299 | ||
| Tom Mair (G) | 0.6 | 58,397 | ||
| Douglas Levesque (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan) | 0.3 | 34,033 | ||
| Total votes: 10,067,769 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Univ. of Michigan Board of Regents
General election
General election for University of Michigan Board of Regents (2 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for University of Michigan Board of Regents on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mark Bernstein (D) | 24.7 | 2,442,192 |
| ✔ |  | Sarah Hubbard (R) | 24.0 | 2,370,945 |
 | Shauna Diggs (D) | 23.9 | 2,366,730 | |
 | Carl Meyers (R) | 22.8 | 2,257,254 | |
 | Eric Larson (L) | 1.2 | 113,816 | |
| James Lewis Hudler (L) | 1.0 | 97,659 | ||
| Crystal Van Sickle (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan) | 0.8 | 82,594 | ||
| Michael Mawilai (G) | 0.7 | 74,136 | ||
 | Ronald Graeser (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan) | 0.5 | 49,194 | |
 | Keith Butkovich (Natural Law Party) | 0.4 | 37,193 | |
| Total votes: 9,891,713 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Michigan State Univ. Board of Trustees
General election
General election for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for Michigan State University Board of Trustees on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Pat O'Keefe (R) | 24.2 | 2,377,241 |
| ✔ |  | Rema Vassar (D) | 24.1 | 2,364,939 |
 | Brian Mosallam (D) | 23.7 | 2,329,011 | |
 | Tonya Schuitmaker (R) | 23.4 | 2,301,355 | |
 | Will Tyler White (L) | 1.3 | 123,719 | |
| Janet Sanger (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan) | 0.9 | 87,637 | ||
 | Robin Laurain (G) | 0.8 | 74,495 | |
| Brandon Hu (G) | 0.7 | 66,409 | ||
| John Sanger (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan) | 0.6 | 60,077 | ||
| Bridgette Abraham-Guzman (Natural Law Party) | 0.5 | 46,193 | ||
| Total votes: 9,831,076 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Wayne State Univ. Board of Governors
General election
General election for Wayne State University Board of Governors (2 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for Wayne State University Board of Governors on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Terri Lynn Land (R) | 24.4 | 2,368,966 |
| ✔ |  | Shirley Stancato (D) | 24.3 | 2,352,785 |
 | Eva Garza Dewaelsche (D) | 24.2 | 2,343,395 | |
 | Don Gates (R) | 23.7 | 2,291,880 | |
 | Jon Elgas (L) | 1.3 | 126,102 | |
 | Christine Schwartz (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan) | 1.1 | 106,274 | |
| Susan Odgers (G) | 1.0 | 99,953 | ||
| Lloyd Conway (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 386 | ||
| Total votes: 9,689,741 | |||
| = 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
- Diane Dunaskiss (R)
Campaign finance
The tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA.
Michigan State Board of Education
Michigan State University Board of Trustees
University of Michigan Board of Regents
Wayne State University Board of Governors
Context of the 2020 elections
Party control in Michigan
Michigan Party Control: 1992-2025
Two years of Democratic trifectas • Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D |
| House | D | S | S | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R |
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Michigan utilizes an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[1][2]
Poll times
In Michigan, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Most of the state is observes Eastern Time, while several counties observe Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[3]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Michigan, a voter must be a United States citizen and a resident of their city or township for at least 30 days. Voters must be at least 18 years old by Election Day, and not be currently serving a sentence in jail or prison.[4]
Voters may register to vote online, by mail, or in person at clerk's offices in their county, city, or township, or at a state department branch office 15 days or earlier before an election .[4]
Within 14 days of an election and on Election Day, voters can register in person at their local clerk's office by presenting proof of residency documentation.[4] According to the Michigan Secretary of State's website:[4]
| “ | Proof of residency is official documentation (paper or digital) that lists a voter’s current name and address. When registering to vote within 14 days of an election, voters must present one form of proof of residency in person at a local clerk’s office. Proof of residency examples include:
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” |
Automatic registration
Michigan automatically registers eligible individuals to vote when they apply for or update a driver’s license or personal identification card.[1]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Michigan has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.[1]
Same-day registration
Michigan allows same-day voter registration.[1]
Residency requirements
Michigan law requires 30 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.[4]
Verification of citizenship
Michigan does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[6] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
This page, administered by the Michigan Department of State, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Michigan requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[7] Voters without identification can cast a regular ballot by signing an affidavit.[7]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2024. Click here for the Michigan Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
- Michigan driver’s license
- Michigan personal identification card
- Current driver’s license or personal ID card issued by another state
- Current operator's or chauffeur's license
- Current federal, state, or local government-issued photo ID
- Current U.S. passport
- Current military identification card with photo
- Current student identification with photo from an educational institution
- Current tribal identification card with photo.
Voters can obtain a state identification card at a secretary of state branch office for $10. Voters over the age of 65, voters who are blind, and voters whose driving privileges have been terminated due to a physical or mental disability can obtain an identification card for free. Additionally, voters who can present a reason for having the fee waived may also obtain an ID for free. Visit the Michigan secretary of state’s page or call (888) SOS-MICH (767-6424) for more information.[7]
Early voting
Michigan permits early voting. Michigan refers to early voting as early in-person voting. Early voting dates vary across the state, but must include a minimum of nine consecutive days, ending on the Sunday before an election. For more information, click here.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
Any Michigan voter can cast an absentee ballot. To vote absentee, a request must be received online or by mail no later than 5 p.m. on the Friday before the election. In person requests can be made until 4 p.m. on the day before Election Day. Completed absentee ballots must then be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day.[8]
Past elections
2018
The following elections took place in 2018:
- Michigan Attorney General election, 2018
- Michigan Secretary of State election, 2018
- Michigan gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018
- Michigan state executive official elections, 2018
- Michigan gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 7 Republican primary)
- Michigan gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 7 Democratic primary)
- Michigan State Board of Education election, 2018
- Michigan State Board of Regents election, 2018
See also
| Michigan | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 NCSL, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 7, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "ncsl" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Michigan.gov, "Questions and Answers: Michigan’s Presidential Primary," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions: Elections and Voting," accessed April 16, 2023
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Michigan Secretary of State, "Registering to Vote," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Michigan.gov, "Notice to Voters: Voter Identification Requirement in Effect," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "Vote at home (Absentee)," April 17, 2023
