See how Michigan Women is building momentum with a clear vision, new website, and opportunities for...
Learn how Michigan selects nominees for key statewide offices through party conventions, early endorsements, and how you can get involved in the process.
Most Michigan voters are used to walking into a polling place in August or November, filling out a ballot, and assuming that’s when candidates are chosen.
But for several of Michigan’s most powerful statewide offices, the real decision-making happens months earlier — inside party conventions.
And unless you’re active inside a political party, you probably never see it.
Learn how Michigan’s convention system works, what early endorsement conventions are (and are not), how delegates are selected, and where citizens can plug into the process.
Table of Contents
This guide is designed for easy online navigation with clickable sections. If you’d rather download or print a copy, you can get the full PDF version.
Which Offices Are Nominated by Convention?
Michigan does not use a public primary election to choose party nominees for several statewide offices. Instead, nominees are selected at party conventions.
Those offices include:
- Attorney General
- Secretary of State
- Judicial
- Michigan Supreme Court (two seats in 2026)
- Court of Appeals (seven seats in 2026)
- State Board of Education (two seats in 2026)
- University Boards
- University of Michigan Board of Regents
- Michigan State University Board of Trustees
- Wayne State University Board of Governors
Under Michigan Election Law (MCL 168.591–168.596), political parties hold state conventions in even-numbered years to nominate candidates for these offices.
That means voters do not directly choose the party nominee in the August primary. Instead, delegates selected through a layered process vote at a convention to determine who appears on the November ballot.
What the Law Requires: The Official Fall State Convention
Michigan law requires what is commonly called the “fall state convention.”
Under MCL 168.591, state conventions for nominating candidates in even-numbered years must be held at least 60 days before the November general election.
County conventions are held after the August primary to elect delegates to the state convention (MCL 168.592). The structure looks like this:
- August Primary
- Voters elect precinct delegates.
- Fall County Conventions
- Those elected precinct delegates meet at the county convention.
- The county convention then elects a limited number of delegates to attend the state convention, based on apportionment rules set by state law (MCL 168.595).
- Not all precinct delegates automatically become state convention delegates.
- Fall State Convention
- Only the delegates elected at the county conventions (plus certain at-large delegates provided by law) attend and vote.
- Those delegates vote to nominate the party’s official candidates for statewide offices.
Being elected a precinct delegate gives you a vote at the county convention — but it does not automatically make you a delegate to the state convention.
Only after the fall state convention are candidates officially nominated and certified for placement on the November general election ballot.
This is the legally required nomination process under Michigan Election Law.
Early Endorsement Conventions
In recent election cycles, both major parties have adopted a separate, earlier step: endorsement conventions.
These are not required by state law. They are governed by party rules.
In 2026:
- The Michigan Republican Party will hold an endorsement convention on March 28, 2026.
- The Michigan Democratic Party will hold its endorsement convention on April 19, 2026, in Detroit.
Endorsement vs. Nomination: What’s the Difference?
An Endorsement
- Does not automatically place a candidate on the ballot.
- Is governed by party rules.
- Occurs earlier in the calendar.
- Signals internal party support.
- Can provide fundraising momentum
- Can shape media narratives
- Can influence internal party alignment
An endorsed candidate still must secure the official nomination at the legally required state convention.
A Nomination
- Is required under Michigan law.
- Occurs at the fall state party convention after the August primary.
- Determines who appears on the November ballot.
- Is governed by statute (MCL 168.591–168.595)
After the fall party conventions, each party's official nominees are placed on the general election ballot for voters to choose from.
Endorsements influence the race. Nominations determine the ballot.
Republican Early Convention (2026)
How Republicans Build Their Endorsement Delegate Chain
The Michigan Republican Party’s 2026 rules outline a detailed process for selecting delegates to the March 28 endorsement convention.
Key dates include:
- January 27, 2026 – County convention calls issued
- February 26, 2026 – County conventions held
- March 28, 2026 – State endorsement convention
Here’s how it works structurally:
Step 1: County Conventions — Choosing Who Gets to Vote
Eligible participants include:
- Elected precinct delegates
- Republican nominees for legislative and county offices
- Incumbent Republican legislators
- Certain state party officials
At these county conventions, participants do not vote directly for Attorney General or Secretary of State.
Instead, they elect delegates and alternates to the March 28 State Endorsement Convention.
February = counties choose the voters.
Step 2: State Endorsement Convention — Casting the Votes
Delegates from across Michigan gather in one location.
They:
- Are credentialed (verified and approved)
- Hear candidate speeches
- Vote according to party rules
- Determine which candidate receives the party endorsement
This is a statewide delegate vote.
March = those delegates choose the endorsed candidates.
Democrat Early Convention
A Membership-Based Model Instead of a Delegate Chain
The Michigan Democratic Party’s April 19, 2026, State Endorsement Convention follows a different structure than the Republican process.
Voting eligibility at the State Endorsement Convention is based primarily on party membership and credentialing, not on being elected as a delegate in a prior public election.
To vote at the April 19, 2026, endorsement convention, an individual must:
- Be a member of the Michigan Democratic Party for at least 30 days before the convention (by March 20, 2026).
- Complete the party’s credentialing process to verify eligibility.
Under party rules, the 30-day membership requirement does not apply to precinct delegates, Democratic elected officials, or Democratic nominees to partisan office. Those individuals may become members prior to credentialing at the convention.
Step 1. County Conventions – Structuring the Voting Framework
County and district conventions are held on or before March 28, 2026 — but they do not select the endorsed statewide candidates.
Instead, those conventions:
- Elect members and alternates to the State Convention Committees (Rules, Resolutions, and Credentials).
- Consider and forward resolutions to the state party.
- Help structure and prepare for the State Endorsement Convention.
In other words, the March conventions organize the internal framework of the endorsement convention.
March = committees and convention structure are put in place.
Step 2: State Endorsement Convention—Casting the Votes
On April 19, 2026, credentialed Michigan Democratic Party members gather in Detroit for the State Endorsement Convention.
Participants:
- Complete the credentialing process (membership verified)
- Hear candidate speeches
- Participate under party rules
- Cast ballots to determine which candidate receives the party endorsement
Unlike the Republican process, this is not a limited body of delegates elected at county conventions.
Instead, voting is conducted by credentialed party members who meet the membership deadline requirements.
April = credentialed members choose the endorsed candidates.
The Key Structural Difference Between the Parties
Unlike the Republican early endorsement process, which relies on a chain of elected delegates chosen at county conventions, Democratic participation in the endorsement convention is tied directly to party membership and credentialing requirements.
For Democrats in 2026, it is credentialed party members — not only a limited body of previously elected delegates — who cast votes at the State Endorsement Convention.
Why Running for Precinct Delegate Still Matters
A common question is: If endorsements happen in March or April, why run for precinct delegate in the August primary?
The answer is structural.
- The endorsement is not the legal nomination. The official nominee is chosen later at the fall state convention, as required by law.
- Precinct delegates attend fall county conventions. Those county conventions elect delegates to the official state nominating convention.
- Precinct delegates shape party governance. They influence internal leadership and resolutions.
Precinct delegate is the entry point into party decision-making.
If someone wants influence inside a political party, this is where it begins.
Why the Process Feels Unfamiliar to Most Voters
These conventions:
- Are not run by the state.
- Are not widely covered by media.
- Follow party documents rather than ballot instructions.
- Occur months before most voters pay attention.
The system is not new. It is a longstanding feature of Michigan’s election structure.
But because most voters do not directly participate in conventions, the process can feel opaque.
How You Can Get Involved Before Election Day
There are two primary paths.
1. Run for Precinct Delegate
- File to appear on the August primary ballot.
- If elected, attend county conventions.
- Vote on delegates to the state convention.
- Help shape your party’s nominees.
2. Join and Engage in Your Party
- Meet membership deadlines (especially relevant for Democratic endorsement participation ).
- Attend county or district conventions.
- Volunteer in party committees.
- Learn internal rules and procedures.
Anyone may attend state conventions as a guest. Only credentialed participants may vote.
Why This Matters for Michigan Voters
The offices selected at these conventions:
- Oversee elections (Secretary of State)
- Enforce state law (Attorney General)
- Interpret the Michigan Constitution (Supreme Court)
- Govern public universities
- Shape statewide education policy
These are powerful roles.
Understanding how nominees are selected clarifies where influence resides — and when citizens can engage.
The most consequential political decisions for these offices often happen long before Election Day. And those decisions are made by people who showed up at conventions.
Michigan’s system does not hide nominations from voters. But it does require participation inside party structures.
For those who want influence, the door is open — at the precinct level. For those who don’t engage, the decisions will still be made.
The difference is who is in the room when it happens.
Sources
Michigan Election Law (Act 116 of 1954, Chapter XXV)
- MCL 168.591 – State conventions for nomination of candidates
- MCL 168.592 – County conventions for election of state convention delegates
- MCL 168.595 – Apportionment and election of delegates to state conventions
- MCL 168.596 – Definition of fall and spring conventions
Available through the Michigan Legislature: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-116-1954-XXV.pdf
Michigan Republican Party – 2026 Endorsement Convention Information
- 2026 Endorsement Convention – March 28, 2026
- County convention procedures and delegate selection rules
Available at:https://mi.gop/endorsement-convention;
Michigan Democratic Party – 2026 Call to Endorsement Convention
- State Endorsement Convention – April 19, 2026
- County and District Convention requirements
- Membership and credentialing rules
Available through the Michigan Democratic Party: https://michigandems.com/convention/
