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Michigan state legislative Republican primaries, 2018

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2018 Michigan
State Legislature elections
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GeneralNovember 6, 2018
PrimaryAugust 7, 2018
2018 elections
Choose a chamber below:


The Republican primary elections for seats in the Michigan State Senate and Michigan House of Representatives were on August 7, 2018. For information about the Democratic primary elections in Michigan, click here.

The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was April 24, 2018. In the state Senate, all 38 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 110 seats were up for election.


HIGHLIGHTS
  • As of November 2017, Michigan was one of 26 Republican trifectas. A state government trifecta is a term used to describe a single-party government where one political party holds the governor's office and a majority in both chambers of the state legislature. To find out more about state government trifectas, click here.

    • Incumbents who did not advance to the general election

    Retiring incumbents

    Nineteen Republican state Senate incumbents did not file for re-election.

    Twenty-five Republican state House incumbents did not file for re-election.

    Incumbents defeated

    One Republican state House incumbent was defeated in his primary.

    Competitiveness

    See also: 2018 primary election competitiveness in state and federal government and Michigan state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018

    There were 70 open seats up in 2018, up from 51 in 2014, the last election where the state House and the state Senate were up. Additionally, 54 more candidates filed to run in 2018 and there were 20 more contested Democratic primaries.

    Year Total seats Open seats Total candidates Democratic primaries contested Republican primaries contested Total contested Incumbents contested in primaries Total incumbents contested in primaries
    2018 148 70 575 68 59 42.9% 23 29.5%
    2016 110 42 382 45 50 43.2% 23 33.8%
    2014 148 51 521 48 56 39.5% 24 24.7%

    Partisan control

    Michigan House of Representatives

    Party As of August 2018
         Democratic Party 46
         Republican Party 63
         Vacancies 1
    Total 110

    Michigan State Senate

    Party As of August 2018
         Democratic Party 10
         Republican Party 27
         Vacancies 1
    Total 38

    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:
    • Michigan driver’s license, state ID, or U.S. Passport
    • A utility bill
    • Insurance documents (health, car, home, etc.)
    • A bank or credit card statement
    • Financial aid or school enrollment documents
    • A lease agreement
    • A paycheck or other government check
    • Other government document[5]
    		 ”

    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

    See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

    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. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. 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]

    The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the Michigan Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

    • Michigan driver’s license (may be expired)
    • Michigan personal identification card
    • Driver’s license or personal ID card issued by another state
    • Federal, state, or local government-issued photo ID
    • U.S. passport
    • Military photo ID
    • Photo ID from an educational institution
    • 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.[8]

    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.[9]


    See also

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ 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
    2. ↑ Michigan.gov, "Questions and Answers: Michigan’s Presidential Primary," accessed October 7, 2024
    3. ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions: Elections and Voting," accessed April 16, 2023
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Michigan Secretary of State, "Registering to Vote," accessed October 7, 2024
    5. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    6. ↑ 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. ↑ Michigan.gov, "Notice to Voters: Voter Identification Requirement in Effect," accessed October 7, 2025
    8. ↑ Kingsford Michigan, "A Guide to Voter ID/Affidavit at the Polls," accessed October 7, 2025
    9. ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "Vote at home (Absentee)," April 17, 2023
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