Your feedback ensures we stay focused on the facts that matter to you most—take our survey.

Michigan state legislative special elections, 2021

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge-smaller use.png
Special state legislative • Local ballot measures • Municipal • Recalls • How to run for office
Flag of Michigan.png


2022 →
← 2020
SLP badge.png
2021 State Legislative
Special Elections
Special Elections Information
Breakdown • Historical data • Elections by date
Special elections by state

Alabama • California • Connecticut • Georgia
Iowa • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine
Massachusetts • Michigan • Mississippi
Missouri • New Hampshire
New York • Oklahoma
Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • Tennessee
Texas • Virginia • Wisconsin

Other 2021 Election coverage
Filing deadlines • Statewide elections
State legislative elections
Gubernatorial elections • Ballot measures

In 2021, two special elections were called to fill vacant seats in the Michigan State Legislature.

Click here to read more about the special elections.

Senate special elections called:

How vacancies are filled in Michigan


If there is a vacancy in the Michigan State Legislature, the governor must call for a special election to fill the vacancy or direct that the vacancy be filled at the next general election.[1][2]

If the vacancy happens after the statewide primary election, the party organizations in the district select the party's nominee. The nominee must be voted on no later than 21 days after the vacancy occurred and at least 10 days before the general election.[3]

DocumentIcon.jpg See sources: Michigan Const. Art. 5, § 13


About the legislature

The Michigan State Legislature is a bicameral body composed of the Michigan House of Representatives, with 110 members, and the Michigan State Senate, with 38 members.

The boxes below show the partisan composition of both chambers directly before and after the most recent general elections prior to 2021. For the most up-to-date numbers on partisan composition in this legislature, see here (Senate) and here (House).

Michigan State Senate
Party As of November 6, 2018 After November 7, 2018
     Democratic Party 10 16
     Republican Party 27 22
     Vacancy 1 0
Total 38 38
Michigan House of Representatives
Party As of November 3, 2020 After November 4, 2020
     Democratic Party 51 52
     Republican Party 58 58
     Vacancy 1 0
Total 110 110

Special elections

Click [show] to the right of the district name for more information:

November 2, 2021

Special elections throughout the country

See also: State legislative special elections, 2021

In 2021, 66 state legislative special elections were held in 21 states. Between 2011 and 2020, an average of 75 special elections took place each year.

Breakdown of 2021 special elections

In 2021, special elections for state legislative positions were held for the following reasons:

  • 27 due to appointment, election, or the seeking of election to another position
  • 23 due to resignation
  • 4 due to a resignation related to criminal charges
  • 12 due to the death of the incumbent

Impact of special elections on partisan composition

The partisan breakdown for the special elections was as follows:

The table below details how many seats changed parties as the result of a special election in 2021. The number on the left reflects how many vacant seats were originally held by each party, while the number on the right shows how many vacant seats each party won in the special elections. In elections between 2011 and 2020, either the Democratic Party or Republican Party saw an average net gain of four seats across the country.

Note: This table reflects information for elections that were held and not the total number of vacant seats.

Partisan Change from Special Elections (2021)
Party As of Special Election After Special Election
     Democratic Party 33 33
     Republican Party 33 33
     Independent 0 0
Total 66 66

Flipped seats

In 2021, six seats flipped as a result of state legislative special elections.

Seats flipped from D to R

Seats flipped from R to D


See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Michigan Legislature, "Statute 168.178, Michigan Compiled Laws," accessed February 12, 2021
  2. ↑ Michigan Legislature, "Constitution of Michigan of 1963, Article 5, Section 13," accessed February 12, 2021
  3. ↑ Michigan Legislature, "Statute 168.634 (1)-(2), Michigan Compiled Laws," accessed May 22, 2014
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Michigan Governor, "Letter Gov. Whitmer to Sec. Benson re special election SD 8 (1.15.21)," January 15, 2021
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Michigan Governor, "Letter Gov. Whitmer to Sec. Benson re special election SD 28 (1.15.21)," January 15, 2021
v • e
State legislatures
Legislatures
Alabama (H, S) · Alaska (H, S) · Arizona (H, S) · Arkansas (H, S) · California (A, S) · Colorado (H, S) · Connecticut (H, S) · Delaware (H, S) · Florida (H, S) · Georgia (H, S) · Hawaii (H, S) · Idaho (H, S) · Illinois (H, S) · Indiana (H, S) · Iowa (H, S) · Kansas (H, S) · Kentucky (H, S) · Louisiana (H, S) · Maine (H, S) · Maryland (H, S) · Massachusetts (H, S) · Michigan (H, S) · Minnesota (H, S) · Mississippi (H, S) · Missouri (H, S) · Montana (H, S) · Nebraska · Nevada (A, S) · New Hampshire (H, S) · New Jersey (GA, S) · New Mexico (H, S) · New York (A, S) · North Carolina (H, S) · North Dakota (H, S) · Ohio (H, S) · Oklahoma (H, S) · Oregon (H, S) · Pennsylvania (H, S) · Rhode Island (H, S) · South Carolina (H, S) · South Dakota (H, S) · Tennessee (H, S) · Texas (H, S) · Utah (H, S) · Vermont (H, S) · Virginia (H, S) · Washington (H, S) · West Virginia (H, S) · Wisconsin (A, S) · Wyoming (H, S)
SLP badge.png
2025
2024
2023
Historical elections
2022 •  2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000
Features of
state legislatures
State senates
State houses
Leadership positions
Flag of Michigan
v • e
State of Michigan
Lansing (capital)
Elections

What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures

Government

Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy

Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Michigan_state_legislative_special_elections,_2021&oldid=8234144"