Don't just vote on vibes. Know the issues, know where you stand, and know what to tell your reps that you want for your community.
Every election cycle, Michigan voters are bombarded with national headlines, partisan talking points, and noise designed to distract more than inform. But while Washington dominates the conversation, decisions made in Lansing and in Michigan's congressional delegation are shaping your roads, your schools, your healthcare, your paycheck, and your rights — right now.
This guide is not about telling you what to think. It is about making sure you know what is actually happening in Michigan before you vote. Each issue is explained in plain language — what it is, where Michigan stands, why it matters, and what to watch. No spin. No agenda. Just the facts.
Michigan voters will elect a Governor, a U.S. Senator, U.S. House representatives, and state legislators in 2026. The people elected this cycle will make decisions that affect Michigan families for years to come. You deserve to know what those decisions involve.
After reading this guide, we invite you to take the Michigan Women 2026 Issues Survey. Your responses will shape our reporting — the issues you prioritize are the ones we will go deepest on.
Last update: May 24 , 2026
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.
Before you go, take this quick survey to share your top 3 issues. We'll send you the results once we hit 100 responses. All responses are anonymous; we'll only share aggregated results, never individual answers. Your input also shapes MichWomen's 2026 coverage. The issues that matter most to you are the ones we go deepest on. Take the Survey
This section covers the systems and battles that determine how Michigan's democracy functions — including some of the most consequential legal questions in the state right now.
What it is: Legislation designed to expand access to voting, protect minority voters from discrimination, and ensure that all eligible Michigan residents can participate in elections without barriers.
Where Michigan stands: Senate Democrats have introduced the Michigan Voting Rights Act (SB 961-964), which would expand language access for non-English speaking voters and strengthen protections for minority voters. House Republicans are simultaneously advancing bills that require physical identification verification during voter registration and ban foreign-entity donations to state ballot campaigns. These competing packages reflect fundamentally different views about what makes elections fair and secure.
Why it matters: Voting is the foundation of democracy. Who can vote, how easily they can vote, and whether their vote is counted accurately determine everything else. Michigan has expanded voting access significantly in recent years — same-day registration, nine days of early voting, and no-excuse absentee voting — but the debate over additional protections or restrictions continues.
What to watch: The Michigan Voting Rights Act's progress in the legislature. Also watch for federal voting rights legislation and how Michigan's congressional candidates position themselves.
What it is: The systems, technology, and procedures that ensure Michigan elections are accurate, secure, and trustworthy — including voting machines, poll worker training, auditing, and cybersecurity.
Where Michigan stands: The FY27 budget proposes $43.2 million for the Election Equipment Reserve Fund to support local election administration and lifecycle maintenance of voting equipment. Michigan's elections have been consistently certified as accurate by bipartisan canvassing boards. The state has invested in post-election audits and cybersecurity measures.
Why it matters: Public confidence in election results is foundational to democratic governance. Michigan has a strong track record of election administration, and understanding what the state actually does to secure elections is essential context for this debate.
What to watch: The election equipment funding in the FY27 budget. Also, watch for any federal election administration legislation and how Michigan's congressional candidates address voter confidence and election security.
What it is: The drawing of electoral district boundaries in ways that give one political party a structural advantage — and the ongoing national and state battles over who controls that process.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan is actually a national model here. In 2018, voters passed Proposal 2, creating an independent redistricting commission to draw state legislative and congressional district maps — removing that power from the legislature. The commission drew new maps after the 2020 census that were significantly more competitive than previous maps. However, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that federal courts cannot police partisan gerrymandering in other states, opening the door for aggressive partisan map-drawing across the country. Several Republican-controlled states have since drawn maps that critics argue are designed to lock in legislative majorities regardless of how voters vote. Michigan voters electing congressional representatives in 2026 are voting in districts that reflect the new maps — understanding how those lines were drawn matters.
Why it matters: Gerrymandering determines whether your vote is competitive. A district drawn to guarantee one party's victory effectively silences the voters on the other side — and even within the majority party, it removes the incentive for representatives to be accountable to voters rather than to party leadership. Michigan fixed this problem at the state level. The federal level is a different story, and what happens in other states affects the national balance of power that Michigan's U.S. Senator will operate in.
What to watch: Whether Michigan's independent redistricting commission — and its maps — survive any future constitutional convention. A yes vote on the 2026 Con-Con question would put the commission itself on the table. Also watch for federal legislation establishing national redistricting standards, and where Michigan's congressional candidates stand on it.
What it is: A provision of the Michigan Constitution that requires voters every 16 years to decide whether to convene a convention to rewrite the state's entire constitution. The question will appear on the November 2026 ballot.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan voters have been asked this question three times since the current constitution was adopted in 1963 — in 1978, 1994, and 2010 — and rejected it every time. The 2026 vote comes in a more polarized political climate than any previous cycle. A yes vote would open every part of Michigan's constitutional framework for revision — including voter-approved amendments on reproductive rights, term limits, and independent redistricting. A no vote preserves the current constitution.
Why it matters: This is arguably the most consequential question on the 2026 ballot that most voters have never heard of. A constitutional convention would put every protection Michigan voters have built into the constitution over the past 60 years on the table — including Proposal 3's reproductive rights protections, the independent redistricting commission, and campaign finance reforms.
What to watch: The public debate over the Con-Con question as November approaches. Watch for organized campaigns on both sides and pay attention to who is funding them. Michigan Women will be covering this issue in depth.
What it is: Two major constitutional conflicts currently working their way through Michigan's courts that will determine how state government functions and whether the legislature can override the will of voters.
Where Michigan stands: First, the pocketed bills crisis: Senate Democrats passed nine bills in the previous session, but the new Republican House Speaker ordered clerks to hold the bills without delivering them to Governor Whitmer. The Michigan Supreme Court is expected to rule on whether a legislative chamber can legally sit on passed legislation indefinitely. Second, the cannabis tax lawsuit: The Michigan Cannabis Industry Association is suing the state over a new wholesale marijuana tax, arguing the legislature unconstitutionally bypassed a voter-approved ballot initiative — setting a dangerous precedent for legislative override of direct democracy.
Why it matters: These are not procedural technicalities. They go to the heart of how Michigan government works — whether the legislature can override voters, and whether one chamber can block legislation passed by the other. The Supreme Court rulings will set precedents that shape Michigan governance for decades.
What to watch: Michigan Supreme Court rulings on both cases. These decisions could arrive at any time and will have immediate practical consequences.
This section covers two distinct but frequently conflated debates: whether public officials are abusing their positions for personal or political gain, and whether government benefit programs are being administered with integrity. Both cost taxpayers money. Both deserve honest examination.
What it is: The obligation of elected officials and government institutions to operate honestly, disclose conflicts of interest, submit to oversight, and be held accountable for misconduct — at every level of government.
Where Michigan stands: At the state level, Michigan has implemented HEAT disclosure requirements for budget earmarks. At the federal level, transparency concerns span a wide range — the independence of federal oversight agencies, conflicts of interest among appointed officials, and whether Congress will use its investigative authority to demand accountability rather than provide cover. Michigan voters are electing representatives who will either demand accountability or enable its absence.
Why it matters: Government transparency is not a partisan issue — it is the foundation of functional democracy. When officials are not held accountable, corruption festers, public trust collapses, and the people most vulnerable to government abuse pay the highest price. This includes demanding full prosecution in cases like the Epstein child sex trafficking network — covered in detail under Child Safety and Sex Trafficking in Section 1.
What to watch: How Michigan's U.S. Senate and House candidates position themselves on federal ethics reform, inspector general independence, and congressional oversight authority. Watch whether they are specific or vague — specificity is accountability.
What it is: A transparency requirement forcing politicians to publicly disclose who is requesting state grant funds, who benefits from them, and what public service the recipient organization provides — before the money is dispersed.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's HEAT transparency plan was implemented following years of controversy over earmarks and pork-barrel spending in state budgets. Late, multi-billion-dollar state budgets with opaque spending provisions have been a recurring source of friction in Lansing. The HEAT requirement is designed to bring sunlight to how state dollars are allocated to specific organizations and communities.
Why it matters: Taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent. Earmarks are not inherently bad, but they should be transparent. When the process is opaque, it creates opportunities for favoritism and corruption. When it is transparent, voters can hold their representatives accountable.
What to watch: Whether HEAT disclosure requirements are maintained and enforced in the FY27 budget process. Also watch for any legislative efforts to weaken transparency requirements.
What it is: Two distinct but frequently conflated debates about fraud in public life — one focused on whether individuals are wrongly receiving government benefits they are not entitled to, and one focused on whether elected and appointed officials are abusing their public positions for personal or political gain.
Where Michigan stands: On benefits integrity: Michigan has invested in systems to reduce improper payments in Medicaid and SNAP — the FY27 budget includes $30 million specifically for SNAP error rate reduction. H.R. 1, the federal budget reconciliation bill passed by Congress in 2025, introduced new work requirements and eligibility verification measures for Medicaid and SNAP recipients, with supporters arguing these measures prevent fraud and opponents arguing they create administrative barriers that cause eligible people to lose coverage. On government corruption: Michigan has implemented HEAT transparency requirements for budget earmarks and has active ethics oversight at the state level. At the federal level, concerns about conflicts of interest, self-dealing, and abuse of government authority have intensified across administrations and across party lines.
Why it matters: These two conversations are often weaponized against each other — one side points to benefits fraud to justify cutting programs, the other points to government corruption to deflect from program accountability questions. Both are legitimate concerns. Improper payments in large government programs are real and cost taxpayers money. Corruption and self-dealing by public officials are also real and cost taxpayers money — often far more. Michigan voters deserve a clear-eyed view of both, not a selective one.
What to watch: The implementation of new Medicaid and SNAP eligibility verification requirements under H.R. 1 — specifically whether they reduce fraud or primarily cause eligible people to lose coverage. Also watch for federal ethics reform legislation and whether Michigan's congressional candidates support stronger conflict of interest rules and enforcement for elected and appointed officials at all levels.
Foreign policy may feel distant, but its consequences land in Michigan living rooms, factory floors, and military family kitchens. Michigan sends its sons and daughters to war. Michigan's defense industry rises and falls with federal contracts. Michigan's immigrant communities have deep ties to countries shaped by U.S. decisions. This section covers the foreign policy issues where Michigan's voice — through its elected representatives — matters most.
What it is: The decisions about when, where, and how the United States deploys its military forces — and the direct human consequences those decisions have on Michigan service members and their families.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan is home to more than 500,000 veterans — one of the largest veteran populations in the country. Michigan has paid a significant price in every major U.S. military engagement. More than 160 Michiganders died in the Iraq War alone. Thousands more returned with physical injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and PTSD that affect their families and communities for decades. Michigan's National Guard units have been repeatedly deployed overseas, pulling workers, parents, and community members away from Michigan for months or years at a time. The Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is actively working to increase veteran benefit claims, expand mental health services, and make Michigan a national leader in veteran support.
Why it matters: Every decision to deploy U.S. military forces is a decision that Michigan families live with — sometimes for generations. The service member who comes home with a traumatic brain injury, the spouse who held the household together during a year-long deployment, the child who grew up with an absent parent — these are Michigan stories. Foreign policy is not abstract when it involves your neighbor, your child, or yourself.
What to watch: How Michigan's U.S. Senate and House candidates address military deployment decisions, the Authorization for Use of Military Force, and whether Congress reasserts its constitutional role in declaring war. Also watch VA funding levels and whether Michigan's congressional delegation fights for the veteran services Michigan families depend on.
What it is: The federal defense contracts, military installations, and aerospace and defense manufacturing that support thousands of Michigan jobs — and the direct connection between U.S. foreign and defense policy and Michigan's economy.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan is home to more than 600 aerospace and defense companies, with over 62,800 workers employed in advanced manufacturing industries. Major defense employers include General Dynamics Land Systems, BAE Systems, Raytheon, AM General, and L3Harris Technologies. Selfridge Air National Guard Base — which recently secured a new F-15EX fighter mission — and Camp Grayling, one of the largest National Guard training facilities in the country, are significant economic anchors for their regions. Governor Whitmer established the Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation in 2024 and unveiled a five-year roadmap at the Munich Security Conference to attract high-paying aerospace, defense, maritime, and space sector jobs to Michigan.
Why it matters: Federal defense spending is not just a national security issue — it is a Michigan jobs issue. When Congress decides what weapons systems to fund, what contracts to award, and which military bases to keep open, those decisions directly affect Michigan paychecks and Michigan communities. Selfridge's future alone represents thousands of direct and indirect jobs in Macomb County. Michigan's manufacturing expertise positions the state to capture significant defense industry growth — but only if federal policy supports it.
What to watch: The fate of the Selfridge Air National Guard Base F-15EX mission and whether federal defense budgets support it. Also watch for federal defense appropriations and whether Michigan's congressional delegation secures contracts and investments that bring defense jobs home.
What it is: The way U.S. foreign policy decisions — about war, sanctions, diplomacy, and military intervention — directly affect Michigan residents who have family, cultural, and economic ties to the countries involved.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has one of the most diverse immigrant and diaspora communities in the country. Dearborn has the largest Arab-American population of any city in the United States — communities with deep ties to Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Palestine who experience U.S. Middle East policy personally, not just politically. Michigan's Polish-American communities follow U.S. policy toward Eastern Europe and NATO with intense interest. Michigan's large Mexican and Latin American communities are directly affected by U.S. policy toward Central America and Mexico. Michigan's Yemeni, Iraqi, and Somali communities have watched U.S. military and drone operations affect their home countries and family members. U.S. foreign policy is not abstract when your family is living it.
Why it matters: Michigan is one of the most internationally connected states in the country, and U.S. foreign policy reverberates through Michigan communities in ways that are deeply personal. How Michigan's elected officials vote on military aid, sanctions, peace negotiations, and arms sales affects real Michigan families — not just flags on a map. Understanding this connection is essential for voters who want their representatives to make foreign policy decisions with full awareness of who they serve.
What to watch: How Michigan's U.S. Senate and House candidates address U.S. policy in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Latin America — and whether they engage with the specific concerns of Michigan's diverse communities or treat foreign policy as a topic for Washington insiders only.
What it is: The use of tariffs, trade agreements, and economic sanctions as instruments of foreign policy — and the direct effect on Michigan's auto industry, agricultural exports, and supply chains when Washington uses trade as a geopolitical tool.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's auto industry does not just sell cars — it is woven into a global supply chain that spans Canada, Mexico, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and China. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement governs the trade relationships that underpin Michigan manufacturing. When the U.S. imposes tariffs on steel, aluminum, or foreign-made vehicles, Michigan factories feel it within weeks. The 2025 tariff escalation created immediate uncertainty for Michigan auto executives and suppliers. At the same time, economic sanctions on countries like Russia and China — driven by geopolitical considerations — affect Michigan businesses that operate globally. Trade policy is foreign policy, and in Michigan, it shows up on the factory floor.
Why it matters: Michigan is uniquely exposed to the consequences of trade-as-foreign-policy. A tariff designed to punish a geopolitical adversary can simultaneously harm Michigan workers who make parts that go into the targeted product. A trade agreement designed to strengthen alliances can open new markets for Michigan manufacturers. The connection between foreign policy decisions and Michigan jobs is direct, fast, and significant.
What to watch: The ongoing U.S.-Canada trade relationship — Canada is Michigan's largest trading partner — and any tariff or trade actions that affect auto parts, steel, or aluminum. Also watch how Michigan's congressional candidates address the use of economic sanctions and trade agreements as foreign policy tools.
What it is: The full human, financial, and social cost of U.S. military conflicts — paid not just in federal budget dollars but in Michigan lives, Michigan families, and Michigan communities.
Where Michigan stands: More than 160 Michiganders died in the Iraq War. Thousands more came home changed — with traumatic brain injuries, PTSD, lost limbs, and moral injuries that don't show up on discharge papers. Michigan families absorbed those costs quietly, in homes and hospitals and VA waiting rooms across the state. The financial cost is significant too: Michigan taxpayers contribute billions annually to federal defense spending, a portion of which funds ongoing military operations around the world. Veterans who struggle to access mental health care, find employment, or maintain stable housing are paying a price that extends long after the deployment ends. The decisions made in Washington about when to go to war, how long to stay, and what support to provide when service members come home are Michigan decisions — because Michigan families pay the price.
Why it matters: War is the most consequential thing a government can do — and the people who bear the greatest cost are rarely the people who make the decision. Michigan voters are electing a U.S. Senator and House representatives who may vote on military force authorizations, defense appropriations, and veteran support funding. Understanding the full cost of war — not just the strategic rationale but the human bill — is essential to evaluating those candidates.
What to watch: How Michigan's congressional candidates address the Authorization for Use of Military Force — a post-9/11 law that has been used to justify military operations for over two decades without a new congressional vote. Also watch for veteran mental health funding, suicide prevention programs, and whether candidates support robust VA services for the Michigan veterans who are still paying the cost of past wars.
What it is: Federal policies governing who can enter the United States, how long they can stay, and what legal status is available to them — and the direct effects of those policies on Michigan communities, industries, and families.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has significant immigrant communities across agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, and technology. Federal immigration enforcement actions affect Michigan farms, meat processing facilities, and communities with large immigrant populations. Michigan's Office of Global Michigan coordinates language access and immigrant integration services. The current federal administration has significantly escalated immigration enforcement, creating anxiety in communities across Michigan.
Why it matters: Immigration policy affects Michigan's workforce, its communities, and its values. Michigan's agricultural sector depends significantly on immigrant labor. Michigan's healthcare system depends on foreign-trained physicians and nurses. Michigan voters deserve honest, fact-based information about what immigration policy actually does — not just inflammatory rhetoric from either direction.
What to watch: Federal immigration legislation and enforcement policy. Watch how Michigan's U.S. Senate and House candidates address immigration — whether they engage with the specifics or retreat to talking points.
What it is: The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — known as DACA — which has since 2012 protected young people who were brought to the United States as children from deportation and provided them with work authorization. DACA recipients are often called Dreamers.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan is home to approximately 5,000 to 6,000 active DACA recipients — people who grew up in Michigan, attended Michigan schools, and work in Michigan communities. Nationally, there are approximately 525,000 active DACA recipients as of 2025. DACA has been under sustained legal challenge since 2017, and new initial applications have been frozen for years — meaning young people who would have qualified cannot apply. The program's future is currently before the federal courts, with a ruling expected that could eliminate it entirely. In June 2025, a federal rule also removed DACA recipients' eligibility to purchase health insurance through the ACA Marketplace, eliminating a pathway to coverage that had only recently been established.
Why it matters: Dreamers are Michiganders in every meaningful sense — they went to school here, they work here, they pay taxes here, and many have no meaningful connection to the country they were brought from as children. The uncertainty of their legal status affects their ability to plan their lives, pursue education, buy homes, and contribute fully to Michigan's economy. Their employers, communities, and families live with that uncertainty too. Congress has the power to resolve this with legislation providing permanent status — and has repeatedly failed to do so.
What to watch: Federal court rulings on DACA's legality, which could come at any time and would immediately affect thousands of Michigan residents. Also watch for any federal legislation providing a permanent path to citizenship for Dreamers, and where Michigan's U.S. Senate and House candidates stand on it.
What it is: The federal H-2A visa program that allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the country to fill temporary agricultural jobs — and Michigan's significant and growing dependence on that program to keep its farm economy functioning.
Where Michigan stands: Between 2016 and 2024, the number of H-2A agricultural guest worker positions in Michigan more than tripled — one of the fastest growth rates in the country. Michigan's fruit, vegetable, and specialty crop industries depend heavily on seasonal immigrant labor that the domestic workforce does not provide in sufficient numbers. These workers pick blueberries in West Michigan, harvest asparagus in the Thumb, and work in greenhouse operations across the state. The H-2A program is legal, employer-sponsored, and federal — but it is expensive and administratively burdensome for Michigan farmers, and the workers it brings have limited rights and protections compared to domestic workers.
Why it matters: Michigan is one of the most agriculturally diverse states in the country, and its farm economy depends on immigrant labor in ways that are rarely acknowledged in immigration debates. When federal immigration policy makes it harder to bring H-2A workers, Michigan crops go unpicked and Michigan farmers lose revenue. When the program is accessible but worker protections are weak, those workers — who are largely invisible to most Michigan voters — face exploitation, substandard housing, and wage theft with limited recourse. Both sides of this issue deserve honest examination.
What to watch: Federal H-2A program regulations and any changes to visa caps, application timelines, or worker protections. Also watch for broader immigration enforcement actions that create fear in agricultural communities and reduce the available workforce even beyond the H-2A program.
What it is: The federal program through which people who have been formally designated as refugees — fleeing persecution, war, or violence — are legally admitted to the United States and resettled in communities across the country, including Michigan.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has been one of the top ten refugee resettlement destinations in the country for most of the past decade. In fiscal year 2024, Michigan welcomed approximately 3,500 refugees — from countries including Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, and others. Grand Rapids, Detroit, Lansing, and Kalamazoo are among Michigan's primary resettlement cities. In January 2025, the Trump administration suspended refugee admissions and froze federal funding to resettlement agencies — leaving hundreds of newly arrived refugees in Michigan without the housing, employment, and support services they had been promised. Organizations like Samaritas, Bethany Christian Services, and Catholic Charities scrambled to raise private funds to fill an estimated $8 million gap. Over the past decade, more than 30,000 refugees have resettled in Michigan.
Why it matters: Refugees are among the most thoroughly vetted immigrants who come to the United States — the screening process takes years. They arrive legally, contribute to Michigan communities, pay taxes, and over time become citizens. The communities they settle in — particularly in West Michigan and Metro Detroit — have built institutions, businesses, and cultural richness around refugee populations for generations. The suspension of resettlement and the freeze of support funding in 2025 left real Michigan families in crisis, and the long-term consequences for Michigan's resettlement infrastructure are significant.
What to watch: Federal refugee admissions caps and funding for resettlement agencies. Michigan's congressional candidates will vote on these appropriations. Also watch for state-level support programs and whether Michigan maintains its commitment to welcoming refugees even when federal support is withdrawn.
What it is: The ongoing tension between federal immigration enforcement priorities and local law enforcement agencies' decisions about how much to cooperate with ICE — and what that means for public safety, community trust, and the relationship between Michigan residents and their local police.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan does not have an official statewide sanctuary designation, and no Michigan city has formally declared itself a sanctuary city. However, several Michigan jurisdictions — including Kalamazoo County and parts of Washtenaw County — have historically limited cooperation with ICE detainer requests. As of 2025, seven Michigan law enforcement agencies have signed formal 287(g) agreements with ICE, allowing local officers to perform certain immigration enforcement functions — including Berrien, Calhoun, Crawford, Genesee, Jackson, and Roscommon Counties, and the City of Taylor. Dearborn, home to the largest Arab-American community in the country, has explicitly stated its police will not act as immigration agents. Michigan House Republicans have advanced legislation threatening to cut state discretionary funding to localities that limit ICE cooperation.
Why it matters: This is a genuine values conflict with real public safety implications on both sides. Proponents of local enforcement cooperation argue that federal immigration law should be enforced consistently and that local agencies should assist. Opponents argue that when immigrant community members fear their local police, they stop reporting crimes, cooperating with investigations, and seeking help — which makes everyone in that community less safe. Research cited by Washtenaw County Sheriff Alyshia Dyer suggests that nearly 50% of violent crimes went unreported in 2024 in part because victims feared law enforcement contact. Michigan communities are navigating this conflict in real time, with different answers in different counties.
What to watch: Whether Michigan's legislature passes funding restrictions targeting localities with limited ICE cooperation policies. Also watch how Michigan's U.S. Senate and House candidates address the balance between federal immigration enforcement and local community trust — and whether they engage with the public safety evidence on both sides.
What it is: The legal rights of immigrants in the United States — including the right to legal representation, protection from unlawful detention, access to due process before deportation, and protection from exploitation and abuse.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's immigrant communities — including undocumented residents, visa holders, asylum seekers, and DACA recipients — have faced significantly increased enforcement activity since 2025. Michigan has organizations like the Southwest Detroit Immigrant and Refugee Center providing free and low-cost legal services, but demand far exceeds capacity. Michigan's Office of Global Michigan coordinates language access and immigrant integration services statewide. High-profile cases — including a Michigan father with leukemia detained by ICE, and a Hmong community leader whose deportation prompted a gubernatorial pardon from Governor Whitmer — have put a human face on what enforcement policy means in practice for Michigan families.
Why it matters: Due process — the right to a fair hearing before the government takes action against you — is a foundational American legal principle that applies to everyone on U.S. soil, regardless of immigration status. When that principle is eroded for immigrants, it creates precedents and systems that affect everyone's rights. Practically, it also means that Michigan residents — including U.S. citizens caught up in enforcement actions by mistake — need robust legal protections and accessible representation. The question of who gets due process and under what conditions is not an abstract legal debate. It determines whether Michigan families stay together.
What to watch: Federal immigration court funding and access to legal representation for detained individuals. Also watch for any federal legislation modifying deportation procedures, detention standards, or the rights of immigrants in removal proceedings. Michigan's congressional candidates will vote on the laws that determine how these cases are handled.
This section covers how Michigan's criminal justice system works — from arrest through incarceration, reentry, and beyond. Michigan has made measurable progress in reducing incarceration and recidivism, but significant challenges remain around fairness, cost, and the long-term outcomes for the people and communities the system touches.
What it is: The size, cost, and conditions of Michigan's prison system — and the ongoing debate over how incarceration should be used, who it serves, and what it costs taxpayers.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's prison population stood at 32,778 at the end of 2024 — a 30-year low, down from a peak of 51,554 in 2007. The average annual cost of incarceration is nearly $50,000 per person, and the Michigan Department of Corrections operates on an annual budget of approximately $2 billion. Michigan's recidivism rate — the percentage of people who return to prison — is 22.7%, the second lowest in state history, reflecting the success of evidence-based rehabilitation programs. Despite this progress, Michigan's overall incarceration rate remains 535 per 100,000 people, higher than most democratic countries. Racial disparities persist — Black Michiganders are incarcerated at rates significantly higher than their share of the population. Non-violent and property offenses continue to account for a significant share of prison admissions.
Why it matters: Incarceration at scale has consequences far beyond the prison walls. It separates parents from children, removes workers from communities, and creates barriers to employment and housing that follow people for life. Michigan's declining prison population is a genuine success story — but the question of whether the system is just, and whether it is producing public safety or simply managing poverty and mental illness, remains open. Every dollar spent on incarceration is a dollar not spent on schools, healthcare, or community investment.
What to watch: State budget allocations for MDOC versus rehabilitation and community-based alternatives. Also watch for any changes to sentencing laws that could reverse the declining prison population trend, and for proposals to expand or contract the use of incarceration for non-violent offenses.
What it is: The programs, supports, and policies that help people leaving prison successfully reintegrate into Michigan communities — finding housing, employment, and stability without returning to the criminal justice system.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has made significant investments in reentry and rehabilitation. The state has partnered with 11 colleges and universities to offer classes and degrees inside correctional facilities, and Michigan has more prison-based programs approved for federal Pell grants than any other state in the country. A new school building at Thumb Correctional Facility is expected to be the largest correctional school in the country by enrollment when completed. The parole population has decreased 60% from its 2009 peak, reflecting both lower intake and more successful reentry outcomes. People returning from prison face significant barriers — many Michigan employers conduct background checks that screen out applicants with criminal records, housing options are limited, and access to public benefits can be restricted.
Why it matters: Reentry success or failure determines whether incarceration reduces crime or simply recycles it. When someone leaves prison without housing, employment, or support, the likelihood of returning is high — and the cost to taxpayers, communities, and families compounds. Michigan's investment in prison education and rehabilitation is producing measurable results. The question is whether those investments are sustained and whether the barriers to successful reentry — in employment, housing, and benefits — are reduced enough to let them work.
What to watch: State funding for prison education and reentry programs in the FY27 budget. Also watch for legislation expanding ban-the-box policies — which limit when employers can ask about criminal history — and for federal Pell grant eligibility rules that affect Michigan's prison education programs.
What it is: The practice of requiring defendants to pay money to be released from jail while awaiting trial — and the debate over whether this system is just, effective, or simply a mechanism that punishes poverty.
Where Michigan stands: In Wayne County, as many as 60% of the jail population consists of defendants who cannot afford to make bail and are awaiting trial — people who have not been convicted of anything. Michigan spends more than $180 million annually in local taxpayer funds housing people who are technically presumed innocent but cannot pay their way out. Studies consistently show that pretrial detention — not the crime itself — is one of the strongest predictors of a guilty verdict, because defendants who cannot go home often accept plea deals to end their incarceration regardless of their actual guilt. Michigan lawmakers have introduced cash bail reform bills in recent sessions, but substantive reform has not passed. Detroit's 36th District Court has piloted reform efforts that advocates point to as evidence that alternatives to cash bail can work without compromising public safety.
Why it matters: The current system creates a two-tier justice system: people who have money go home, people who don't stay in jail. That disparity affects employment, housing, family stability, and the ability to mount a legal defense — creating cascading disadvantages that fall hardest on low-income Michiganders and communities of color. Bail reform is not about releasing dangerous people — it is about ensuring that freedom before trial is not determined by bank account balance.
What to watch: Any movement on cash bail reform legislation in the current legislative session. Also watch for the Michigan Supreme Court's ongoing review of pretrial detention standards and whether constitutional amendments to Michigan's bail provisions advance.
What it is: The system that handles young people — generally under 18 — who are charged with crimes, and the ongoing debate over how Michigan should balance accountability, rehabilitation, and the developmental realities of adolescent behavior.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan passed a significant Juvenile Justice Reform Package in 2023, one of the most substantive updates to the youth justice system in years. The reforms focused on keeping young people out of the adult system, expanding diversion programs, improving conditions in juvenile facilities, and strengthening oversight. Michigan has been working to raise the age at which young people can be automatically tried as adults. Advocates continue to push for reforms to solitary confinement in juvenile facilities, conditions of confinement standards, and the elimination of practices that research shows cause lasting psychological harm to young people. Michigan's MDHHS is also working to expand community-based behavioral health and juvenile justice services to reduce reliance on institutional placements.
Why it matters: The juvenile justice system operates at a critical intersection: a young person's brain is still developing, their capacity for change is high, and the decisions made about how to respond to their behavior have profound long-term consequences — for them, their families, and their communities. Research consistently shows that incarceration of young people increases the likelihood of future criminal behavior. Rehabilitation and community-based responses produce better outcomes. How Michigan treats its young people in the justice system is a measure of what it believes about accountability, redemption, and human potential.
What to watch: Implementation of the 2023 Juvenile Justice Reform Package and whether funding follows the legislative intent. Also watch for proposals to expand or restrict the use of adult prosecution for juveniles, and for state budget investments in community-based alternatives to juvenile incarceration.
What it is: The policies, oversight mechanisms, and legal standards that govern police conduct — including use of force, body cameras, misconduct investigations, and the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has taken steps to modernize policing practices in recent years. The Michigan State Police strategic plan emphasizes community trust, transparency, and collaboration as core values — alongside enforcement. The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act expansion in 2023 strengthened protections relevant to interactions with law enforcement. However, Michigan does not have a statewide civilian oversight board, body camera requirements vary widely by department, and the legal standard for use of force differs across jurisdictions. High-profile incidents of police misconduct in Michigan communities — particularly in Detroit and other urban areas — have fueled ongoing calls for stronger accountability measures. At the federal level, qualified immunity — a legal doctrine that makes it difficult to sue police officers for civil rights violations — remains a contested issue that affects how accountability works in practice.
Why it matters: Public safety depends on public trust. When communities do not trust the police, cooperation with law enforcement decreases — which makes everyone less safe. Accountability is not the opposite of effective policing; research consistently shows that departments with strong community relationships and clear accountability mechanisms produce better public safety outcomes. Michigan voters deserve to know where their candidates stand on the specific mechanisms — oversight boards, use of force standards, body cameras, and qualified immunity — that determine whether accountability is real or rhetorical.
What to watch: Any state legislation on police accountability standards, civilian oversight, or use of force policy. Also watch for federal police accountability legislation and how Michigan's congressional candidates position themselves on qualified immunity reform.
This section covers issues that directly affect women, children, and families in Michigan. It is divided into three parts: Women, Children and Youth, and All Families.
What it is: The legal right to access abortion services, contraception, and reproductive healthcare, and the ongoing legislative and judicial battles over those rights at the state and federal levels.
Where Michigan stands: In November 2022, Michigan voters passed Proposal 3 with 57% of the vote, enshrining reproductive rights — including abortion, contraception, and fertility treatment — directly into the state constitution. Michigan is now considered one of the more protected states for reproductive rights in the country. However, access and infrastructure remain uneven, particularly in rural areas where providers are scarce.
Why it matters: Constitutional protection does not automatically mean accessible care. Michigan still has provider shortages, insurance coverage gaps, and logistical barriers that affect real access for real women. Meanwhile, federal legislation could impose new restrictions that conflict with or complicate state protections. What happens in Washington matters here, too.
What to watch: How Michigan's U.S. Senate and House candidates position themselves on federal abortion legislation, including any attempts to establish a national gestational limit or restrict medication abortion. Also watch for state-level efforts to expand or restrict provider capacity.
What it is: Deaths that occur during pregnancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy from causes related to or aggravated by the pregnancy.
Where Michigan stands: The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among wealthy nations, and Michigan reflects that crisis. Black women in Michigan die from pregnancy-related causes at rates two to three times higher than white women — a disparity driven by systemic inequities in healthcare access, quality of care, and social determinants of health. Michigan's Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies program was launched specifically to address these disparities.
Why it matters: A woman in Michigan should not face a higher risk of dying because of the zip code she lives in or the color of her skin. Maternal mortality is both a healthcare crisis and an equity crisis. It also has downstream effects on children, families, and communities.
What to watch: Funding for maternal health programs in the state and federal budgets. Also watch for Medicaid changes — 45% of births in Michigan are covered by Medicaid, meaning any cuts to the program directly threaten prenatal and delivery care for low-income women.
What it is: Access to birth control and fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization, which have become active legislative issues following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's Proposal 3 explicitly protects the right to contraception and fertility treatment in the state constitution. However, insurance coverage for IVF is inconsistent, costs remain prohibitively high for many families, and some providers have reduced services amid legal uncertainty.
Why it matters: IVF is how many Michigan families build their families. Contraception is basic healthcare. The fact that either is now a political battleground is new terrain for millions of people who never expected these decisions to be in the hands of legislators.
What to watch: Federal legislation on IVF and contraception access. Michigan candidates for U.S. Senate and House seats will be asked to take positions on a national IVF protection act. Watch where they stand.
What it is: The difference in average earnings between women and men doing comparable work.
Where Michigan stands: Women in Michigan earn approximately 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, based on median full-time earnings. The gap is significantly larger for Black women, who earn approximately 65 cents, and Latina women, who earn approximately 55 cents. Michigan does not currently have a state-level equal pay law stronger than federal protections.
Why it matters: Over a 40-year career, the wage gap costs Michigan women hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost earnings — money that affects retirement security, housing stability, and the ability to support a family. For women of color, the compounding effect is even more severe.
What to watch: State legislation addressing pay transparency and equal pay enforcement. Also, watch for updates to the federal Equal Pay Act and how Michigan candidates position themselves on pay equity legislation.
What it is: A policy that allows workers to take paid time off to care for a new child, a seriously ill family member, or their own serious health condition, without losing income or their job.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan does not have a statewide paid family leave program. Workers are covered by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which guarantees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave — but unpaid leave is not accessible to workers who cannot afford to go without income. The Michigan legislature has debated paid leave bills, but has not passed one.
Why it matters: The absence of paid leave hits women hardest. Women are more likely to be caregivers, more likely to leave the workforce after a child is born, and more likely to face economic penalties for doing so. Paid leave is not just a women's issue — it affects fathers, families, and employers who lose experienced workers when family crises strike.
What to watch: Any movement on a state-paid leave bill in the current legislative session. Also watch federal paid leave proposals and how Michigan's congressional candidates respond.
What it is: Physical, sexual, emotional, and financial abuse perpetrated by intimate partners or household members, and the state's capacity to prevent it, prosecute it, and support survivors.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has invested in domestic violence prevention programs and survivor services, but advocates consistently report that shelters are at or over capacity, legal aid is underfunded, and rural areas have severe service gaps. In 2023, Michigan expanded its Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity, which has implications for LGBTQ+ survivors seeking services.
Why it matters: Domestic violence is not a private matter — it is a public health crisis and an economic one. Survivors who cannot safely leave abusive situations face compounding consequences: job loss, housing instability, health impacts, and in the worst cases, death. Michigan's ability to fund and staff services determines whether survivors have real options.
What to watch: State budget allocations for domestic violence shelters and legal aid. Also watch for federal Violence Against Women Act funding, which flows directly into Michigan programs.
What it is: The share of elected officials who are women, at the state and federal levels.
Where Michigan stands: Women hold approximately 33% of seats in the Michigan Legislature — still below their share of the population, but a significant improvement from prior decades. Michigan has never elected a female U.S. Senator. The 2026 U.S. Senate race is an opportunity to change that.
Why it matters: Representation shapes what gets prioritized. Research consistently shows that legislatures with more women pass more legislation related to healthcare, education, family policy, and anti-corruption measures. This is not an ideological claim — it is a documented pattern across party lines.
What to watch: The 2026 election slate at every level — U.S. Senate, U.S. House, state legislature, and judicial races. Michigan Women will be tracking and reporting on women candidates across the ballot.
What it is: Laws and enforcement mechanisms that protect workers from harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in the workplace.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act was expanded in 2023 to include protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity, bringing Michigan in line with federal standards. However, enforcement remains a challenge — the Michigan Department of Civil Rights processes discrimination complaints, but backlogs are common and outcomes uneven.
Why it matters: Workplace harassment and discrimination cost Michigan women jobs, promotions, income, and mental health. Many cases go unreported because workers fear retaliation or do not believe the system will work for them. Enforcement capacity is as important as the law itself.
What to watch: Funding and staffing for the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. Also watch for any state or federal rollback of recently expanded protections.
What it is: The ongoing effort to achieve full transparency and prosecution in the Jeffrey Epstein child sex trafficking network, including the release of all associated files, full identification of participants, and accountability for everyone involved, regardless of wealth or political connection.
Where Michigan stands: This is not a Michigan-specific case, but it is a Michigan voter issue. Michiganders are electing a U.S. Senator and House representatives who will have a voice in whether Congress pushes for complete disclosure of the Epstein files, full prosecution of all named individuals, and legislation strengthening protections against child sex trafficking. This is a bipartisan issue — or should be. Any elected official unwilling to support full accountability in this case is making a statement about whose safety they prioritize.
Why it matters: The Epstein network represents one of the most documented and politically connected child sex trafficking operations in modern American history. The question is whether the people elected to represent Michigan will demand that those names be made public, that those individuals be prosecuted, and that the systems that enabled the abuse be reformed. Child safety is not a partisan issue.
What to watch: Which Michigan congressional candidates explicitly commit to full transparency and prosecution in the Epstein case. Also watch for federal legislation on child sex trafficking enforcement and whether Michigan's delegation supports it.
What it is: The state system responsible for protecting children from abuse and neglect, placing them in safe homes when necessary, and supporting families to prevent removal in the first place.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services is implementing a new Children's Services Administration teaming model designed to improve coordination and reduce maltreatment in care. The state is working to keep more families intact through early intervention, reducing the number of children entering foster care unnecessarily. Michigan has more prison-based college programs approved for Pell grants than any other state — a fact that connects juvenile justice and education outcomes directly.
Why it matters: Children in the foster care system are among Michigan's most vulnerable residents. They are at higher risk for homelessness, criminal justice involvement, and poor health outcomes as adults. How well the state funds and manages this system has lifelong consequences for real children.
What to watch: State budget allocations for MDHHS child welfare programs. Also watch for federal foster care funding, which is under pressure from H.R. 1-related cuts to social services.
What it is: The mental and emotional wellbeing of children and teenagers, and the systems in place to support them — in schools, in communities, and through healthcare.
Where Michigan stands: Rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation among Michigan youth have increased significantly since the pandemic. Michigan has dramatically increased investment in school-based mental health supports, but demand far exceeds capacity — particularly in rural and lower-income districts where staffing shortages are most acute. Many children who need services wait weeks or months to access them, or go without entirely.
Why it matters: Children cannot learn, grow, or thrive when their mental health needs go unmet. Schools are often the first and only place where struggling kids get help — which means what happens in the school funding debate directly determines whether those kids get support. For the specific funding picture, see School Mental Health and Safety in Section 2.
What to watch: Medicaid coverage for children's mental health services, which is at risk from federal funding cuts. Also watch for community-based mental health investments in the state budget for families who fall outside school-based programs.
What it is: The ongoing public health crisis caused by lead in drinking water and paint, which causes irreversible neurological damage in children.
Where Michigan stands: The Flint water crisis put Michigan at the center of the national conversation on lead exposure. The state has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in lead service line replacement and water infrastructure, but the work is not finished. EGLE continues to oversee lead remediation efforts across multiple communities statewide.
Why it matters: There is no safe level of lead exposure for children. The neurological damage it causes — affecting cognition, behavior, and long-term health — is permanent. Every dollar invested in lead remediation now saves multiples in healthcare, special education, and criminal justice costs later.
What to watch: Federal infrastructure funding for water systems, which Michigan has been leveraging aggressively. Any cuts to federal infrastructure or EPA enforcement capacity directly affect Michigan's ability to finish lead remediation work.
What it is: The cost and accessibility of licensed childcare for children from infancy through school age, and the state and federal programs that help families afford it.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has expanded access to low- or no-cost childcare for 150,000 more children through childcare scholarships and the Tri-Share program. The FY27 budget proposes $143 million for Pre-K for All — including funding to open 1,000 additional classrooms. Despite this progress, Michigan still faces a childcare desert problem, particularly in rural areas where licensed providers simply do not exist.
Why it matters: Childcare is not a luxury. For working parents — and particularly for single mothers — the cost of childcare can consume an entire paycheck. When childcare is unavailable or unaffordable, parents — disproportionately women — leave the workforce. This affects family income, state tax revenue, and the long-term economic trajectory of Michigan.
What to watch: The FY27 Pre-K for All funding in the state budget. Also watch federal childcare funding, which is at risk from H.R. 1 related cuts to social services.
What it is: The ability of single parents — the majority of whom are women — to maintain stable, affordable housing for themselves and their children.
Where Michigan stands: Single mothers head the majority of single-parent households in Michigan. They face the compounding pressure of the wage gap, the full cost of childcare, and housing markets that have seen significant price increases in recent years. Michigan has financed 67,220 new affordable housing units since 2019, but demand continues to outpace supply.
Why it matters: Housing instability for a single parent means housing instability for their children. It affects school attendance, health outcomes, and long-term wellbeing. It is not an abstract policy issue — it is the difference between a child having a stable place to sleep and not.
What to watch: State housing and community development funding in the FY27 budget. Also watch for any federal housing assistance cuts that flow through to Michigan programs.
Michigan is one of the ten most rapidly aging states in the country. Nearly one in five Michigan residents is now 65 or older — a share that will continue to grow as the baby boom generation ages fully into its senior years by 2030. This section covers the policies and systems that determine whether Michigan seniors can age with dignity, security, and support.
What it is: The range of services — from in-home support to assisted living to skilled nursing facilities — that help older adults and people with disabilities manage daily activities when they can no longer do so independently.
Where Michigan stands: Approximately 19.6% of Michigan residents are now 65 or older — above the national average — and state data shows that 69% of adults who reach age 65 will require long-term care services at some point. Michigan has approximately 420 nursing facilities serving tens of thousands of residents. The FY27 state budget includes $10 million for nursing home quality improvement and $351.8 million to maintain wage enhancements for direct care workers — a workforce that is chronically understaffed and underpaid. Despite this investment, Michigan nursing homes face staffing shortages, quality of care concerns, and rising costs that are straining both facilities and the families who rely on them. A 2024 University of Michigan poll found that 58% of Michigan adults over 50 mistakenly believe Medicare will pay for nursing home care — when in fact long-term care costs are primarily paid out of pocket or through Medicaid, only after a person has spent down most of their assets.
Why it matters: Long-term care is one of the largest unplanned financial risks Michigan families face. The average annual cost of a nursing home in Michigan runs into six figures. Most people have not planned for it, most people misunderstand what Medicare covers, and the system that serves those who cannot pay — Medicaid — is under significant federal funding pressure. The quality of care in nursing homes is a direct measure of how Michigan treats its most vulnerable residents.
What to watch: Federal Medicaid funding for long-term care — Medicaid pays for the majority of nursing home care for low-income seniors, and H.R. 1 cuts directly threaten that funding. Also watch for state nursing home staffing standards and quality oversight, and for federal minimum staffing rules for nursing facilities.
What it is: The exploitation of older adults through theft, fraud, manipulation, or misuse of their financial resources — including by family members, caregivers, financial professionals, and strangers — and Michigan's systems for preventing and prosecuting it.
Where Michigan stands: More than 73,000 older adults in Michigan are estimated to be victims of elder abuse annually. In Fiscal Year 2024, Michigan's Adult Protective Services program received 57,504 referrals concerning abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults — investigating more than 21,000 cases, of which 41% were substantiated. Financial exploitation is among the most common and underreported forms — nationally, elderly Americans lose nearly $36.5 billion annually to financial abuse, and more than 5% of seniors are victimized each year. Michigan Attorney General's office maintains an Elder Abuse Task Force specifically to coordinate prosecution and prevention efforts. Guardianship and conservatorship abuse — where individuals appointed to manage an elder's affairs exploit that authority — is a recognized and growing problem that Michigan advocates have called for systemic reform to address.
Why it matters: Financial abuse destroys the security that older adults spent a lifetime building. It often goes unreported because perpetrators are frequently family members or trusted caregivers, and victims may be cognitively impaired, isolated, or fearful of losing their support system if they report. Michigan's rapidly growing senior population means the pool of potential victims is expanding — and the systems designed to protect them need to keep pace.
What to watch: State budget funding for Adult Protective Services, which is chronically under-resourced relative to caseload. Also watch for guardianship reform legislation and whether Michigan strengthens oversight of those appointed to manage vulnerable adults' finances and healthcare decisions.
What it is: The ability of older adults to remain in their own homes and communities as they age — rather than moving to institutional care settings — supported by home modification, community services, transportation, and in-home assistance.
Where Michigan stands: The overwhelming majority of Michigan seniors want to age in their own homes and communities — and research consistently shows that home and community-based care produces better health outcomes and quality of life than institutional alternatives, often at lower cost. Michigan's Choice Waiver Program provides Medicaid-funded home and community-based services as an alternative to nursing home placement for eligible seniors and people with disabilities. The FY27 budget prioritizes simplifying eligibility for long-term care benefits and expanding options counseling for seniors. However, the home care workforce is significantly underpaid and understaffed, transportation barriers are acute particularly in rural areas, and housing stock across Michigan was not designed for aging-in-place — creating physical barriers that make staying home difficult without modification. Governor Whitmer's FY27 budget also proposes property tax relief for approximately 335,000 Michigan seniors — a direct measure to help them stay in their homes as rising assessments strain fixed incomes.
Why it matters: Aging in place is not just a preference — for most Michigan seniors, it is the difference between a life with dignity and autonomy and one defined by institutional constraints. It is also a fiscal issue: keeping seniors at home with support costs significantly less than institutional care. The barriers to aging in place — inaccessible housing, inadequate transportation, workforce shortages, and financial strain — are all solvable policy problems.
What to watch: Federal Medicaid funding for home and community-based services — any reduction directly affects Michigan seniors who rely on the Choice Waiver Program. Also watch for state investment in the direct care workforce and for housing accessibility legislation that would require or incentivize age-friendly home design.
What it is: The support — financial, practical, and emotional — available to the millions of Michigan residents who provide unpaid care to aging parents, spouses, or other family members with chronic illness or disability.
Where Michigan stands: More than 1.5 million Michigan adults — approximately one in five — provide unpaid care to a family member or friend, according to AARP Michigan and state health data. These caregivers provide services that would otherwise cost the state and federal government billions of dollars annually. The economic value of this unpaid labor is enormous — and largely invisible. Caregivers frequently reduce their work hours or leave the workforce entirely, sacrificing income, retirement savings, and career advancement. Women are disproportionately represented among family caregivers. Michigan does not have a statewide paid family and medical leave program, meaning caregivers who must take time off often do so without income protection. Michigan's Area Agencies on Aging and caregiver support programs provide some respite and assistance, but they are significantly underfunded relative to need. Only 4% of older Michiganders had discussed long-term care plans with a healthcare provider — meaning most families navigate the caregiving journey without preparation or guidance.
Why it matters: Michigan's caregiver workforce is the invisible backbone of the state's long-term care system. Without it, the formal care system — already strained — would collapse entirely. Yet caregivers receive little recognition, minimal financial support, and often sacrifice their own health, finances, and careers in the process. Supporting caregivers is not just compassionate — it is a sound economic and public health strategy.
What to watch: State legislation on paid family and medical leave — which would provide income protection for Michiganders who take time off to care for an aging parent or ill family member. Also watch for federal caregiver support programs, respite care funding, and any expansion of tax credits for family caregivers.
More than one in six Michigan residents lives with some form of disability. Disability is not a fringe issue — it is a mainstream reality that touches nearly every family in Michigan, either directly or through a loved one. This section covers the rights, services, and opportunities that determine whether Michiganders with disabilities can participate fully in community, economic, and civic life.
What it is: The physical, digital, and social infrastructure that allows people with disabilities to participate equally in public life — including accessible buildings, transportation, technology, communication, and civic spaces.
Where Michigan stands: The Americans with Disabilities Act, signed in 1990, established the legal framework for accessibility in the United States. Michigan's counterpart — the Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act — extends similar protections to employers with fewer than 15 employees not covered by federal law, giving Michigan broader coverage than federal law alone provides. Michigan's Department of Civil Rights enforces both laws. Michigan's state strategic plan for FY27-31 includes disability rights and compliance as a core function. However, accessibility compliance is uneven — particularly in older buildings, rural areas with limited transportation options, and digital environments where many Michigan government services and private businesses remain inaccessible to screen reader users, people with hearing impairments, and others with disabilities. The ADA's 35-year track record has produced measurable improvements — ramps, elevators, accessible restrooms, and captioning are now standard in many settings — but gaps persist, and enforcement is complaint-driven rather than proactive.
Why it matters: Accessibility is not a special accommodation — it is a civil right. When public spaces, government services, transportation systems, and digital platforms are inaccessible, people with disabilities are effectively excluded from civic participation, employment, education, and community life. The benefits of accessibility extend beyond people with disabilities — curb cuts help parents with strollers, captions help people in noisy environments, and ramps help anyone with a temporary injury or mobility limitation.
What to watch: Federal ADA enforcement funding and whether the Department of Justice maintains active accessibility compliance efforts. Also watch for Michigan state and local government digital accessibility — whether Michigan's public-facing websites and services meet accessibility standards — and for any federal rollback of ADA enforcement capacity.
What it is: The federal and state programs that provide income support, healthcare, housing assistance, and community services to Michiganders with disabilities — including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, and Michigan's own disability services programs.
Where Michigan stands: More than 300,000 Michiganders with disabilities are covered by Medicaid. Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income provide critical income support to hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents who cannot work due to disability. Michigan's MDHHS administers a range of disability services including Michigan Rehabilitation Services, which helps people with disabilities prepare for and maintain employment, and the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons. Michigan's state strategic plan includes expanding independent advocacy and improving accountability in disability services delivery. H.R. 1's Medicaid cuts pose a direct threat to coverage for Michigan's disability community — any reduction in Medicaid eligibility or funding hits people with disabilities disproportionately hard, as they are among the highest-cost, highest-need enrollees.
Why it matters: For many Michiganders with disabilities, SSDI, SSI, and Medicaid are not supplemental programs — they are the entire financial and healthcare safety net. Any reduction in these programs does not create self-sufficiency; it creates poverty, unmet medical need, and institutional placement. At the same time, the disability benefits system is notoriously difficult to navigate — application processes are long, denial rates are high, and many eligible Michiganders go without benefits they are legally entitled to because they lack the resources to advocate for themselves.
What to watch: Federal Medicaid funding — particularly for home and community-based waiver programs that allow people with disabilities to live in their communities rather than institutions. Also watch for any changes to SSDI or SSI eligibility criteria, work requirement proposals, and whether Michigan's congressional candidates support or oppose benefit reductions for people with disabilities.
What it is: The opportunities, barriers, legal protections, and support systems that determine whether Michiganders with disabilities can participate in the workforce on equal terms with their peers.
Where Michigan stands: In 2024, 22.7% of people with disabilities in the U.S. were employed — the highest rate since tracking began in 2008, reflecting real progress. But that progress exists alongside a persistent gap: workers with disabilities earn a median annual wage of approximately $31,000 compared to significantly higher wages for workers without disabilities. Michigan's Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act requires employers — including those too small to be covered by the federal ADA — to provide reasonable accommodations and prohibits disability-based employment discrimination. Michigan Rehabilitation Services and the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons provide vocational training, job placement support, and assistive technology to Michiganders with disabilities seeking employment. The LEO department's strategic plan specifically includes growing the network of vendors and service providers that hire people with disabilities. Remote work expansion since the pandemic has opened new employment opportunities for many people with disabilities — but also created new digital accessibility challenges.
Why it matters: Employment is not just about income — it is about participation, purpose, and dignity. The persistent employment gap for people with disabilities is not primarily a reflection of inability; it is a reflection of systemic barriers — inaccessible workplaces, inadequate transportation, inflexible scheduling, and employer bias. Michigan employers who fail to hire and retain workers with disabilities are leaving a significant talent pool untapped. Closing the disability employment gap benefits Michigan's economy and advances the fundamental principle that every person deserves the opportunity to contribute.
What to watch: State funding for Michigan Rehabilitation Services and the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons — programs that are often among the first cut in budget pressures. Also watch for federal workforce development funding that supports employment for people with disabilities, and for any changes to the subminimum wage — a provision that still legally allows some employers to pay workers with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage, a practice disability rights advocates have long fought to eliminate.
This section covers public safety, equality, and the policies that shape daily life in Michigan communities.
What it is: The safety of Michigan communities — including law enforcement funding, crime prevention, gun violence reduction, and emergency response capacity.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has invested $1.7 billion in public safety across seven bipartisan budgets. The FY27 budget proposes $50 million in public safety revenue sharing to local communities and $2.5 million for a gun violence prevention task force. Michigan passed universal background check requirements and a red flag law in 2023. Gun violence — including homicides, suicides, and mass shootings — remains a significant cause of death in Michigan.
Why it matters: Public safety is the foundation of community life. Without it, businesses do not invest, families do not stay, and children do not thrive. Michigan's approach combines law enforcement investment with community violence intervention programs — recognizing that enforcement alone does not reduce violence.
What to watch: Federal gun safety legislation and how Michigan's congressional candidates vote on universal background checks, red flag laws, and safe storage requirements at the national level.
What it is: Diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and programs in Michigan government, public institutions, schools, and workplaces — and the ongoing political debate over their role and legitimacy.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has embedded DEI principles across state government and expanded civil rights protections through the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. At the same time, the national backlash against DEI programs — driven in part by federal executive orders — is creating pressure on Michigan institutions to scale back or restructure these efforts.
Why it matters: How Michigan defines and enforces equality — in hiring, in education, in healthcare, in housing — shapes the lived experience of millions of residents. DEI programs have both passionate defenders and passionate critics. Understanding what they actually do — and what the evidence says about their effectiveness — is essential to forming an informed view.
What to watch: Federal executive actions targeting DEI programs in federally funded institutions — including Michigan universities and state agencies that receive federal funding. Also watch for state legislative debates over DEI requirements in public education.
What it is: Laws and regulations that protect Michigan residents from unfair, deceptive, or harmful business practices — including in entertainment, financial services, and the digital economy.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has passed a ticket bot ban — sometimes called the Taylor Swift law — targeting automated bots that buy up concert and event tickets at scale and resell them at inflated prices. Michigan is also engaged in financial consumer protection through the Department of Insurance and Financial Services, which oversees insurance, banking, and financial products.
Why it matters: Consumer protection is about fairness and market integrity. When bots buy every ticket in seconds and resell them for ten times face value, it is not a trivial annoyance — it is a systematic extraction of money from regular people by those with technological advantages. The same principle applies to predatory financial products and deceptive digital services.
What to watch: State legislation on digital consumer protection, including data privacy and platform accountability. Also watch for federal consumer protection agency funding — the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been targeted for defunding by the current federal administration.
What it is: Laws that give consumers and independent repair shops the right to access the parts, tools, and information needed to repair products — including vehicles and electronics — rather than being forced to use manufacturer-authorized service centers.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has passed legislation allowing vehicle repair shops to operate multiple locations under one license, part of a broader national right to repair movement. The conversation is expanding to electronics and agricultural equipment. Right to repair is a rare bipartisan issue — it appeals to rural farmers, small business owners, and consumers across the political spectrum.
Why it matters: Right to repair is fundamentally about who controls the things you own. Manufacturer restrictions on repair drive up costs, reduce competition, and create waste. For Michigan farmers, the inability to repair their own equipment during a harvest window can be economically devastating.
What to watch: State legislation expanding right to repair protections to additional product categories. Also watch for federal right-to-repair legislation.
What it is: Federal programs and funding that support Michigan's 500,000+ veterans — including VA healthcare, disability benefits, mental health services, housing assistance, and employment programs.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is working to increase the number of veteran benefit claims filed annually, expand access to veteran burials through state-operated cemeteries, and make Michigan the nation's leading state for veteran opportunity. The first state-operated veterans cemetery in Crawford County is targeted to be fully operational by 2030. Michigan also has significant National Guard and active military installations, including Selfridge Air National Guard Base and Camp Grayling.
Why it matters: Michigan veterans earned their benefits through service. The quality and accessibility of VA healthcare, the timeliness of disability claims, and the availability of mental health support are direct measures of whether the country keeps its promises to those who served. Michigan's congressional delegation plays a direct role in VA funding and oversight.
What to watch: Federal VA funding levels and any proposals to privatize VA services. Also watch for the fate of the Selfridge Air National Guard Base mission — the base is seeking a next-generation aircraft assignment that would secure its long-term future and the jobs it supports.
This section covers Michigan's economy, labor rights, and the conditions that determine whether working Michiganders can build a stable life.
What it is: The overall health of Michigan's economy — employment levels, wage growth, business investment, and the state's competitiveness as a place to work and do business.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has announced over 35,000 new auto jobs since 2019 and currently ranks 6th nationally as a top state for business. The state is diversifying beyond traditional auto manufacturing into defense, aerospace, maritime, and technology sectors. The FY27 budget includes $59.4 million for business attraction and community revitalization. Michigan faces headwinds from national economic softening, federal tariff uncertainty, and the auto industry's transition from internal combustion to electric vehicles.
Why it matters: Michigan's economic identity has been built on manufacturing for over a century. That foundation is changing rapidly. The transition to electric vehicles is creating new jobs — but it is also disrupting existing ones. How Michigan manages this transition will determine whether working-class families share in the new economy or are left behind by it.
What to watch: Federal trade and tariff policy, which directly affects Michigan's auto industry. Also watch state economic development investments and whether business attraction programs produce the promised jobs.
What it is: Michigan's long-term challenge of attracting and retaining young workers, recent graduates, and families in a state that has experienced population stagnation and an aging workforce.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan is competing aggressively to become a top-10 state for net talent migration. The FY27 budget includes investments in placemaking — transit, walkable communities, arts and culture, and urban revitalization — designed to make Michigan cities more attractive to younger workers. Despite these efforts, Michigan continues to lose college graduates to other states.
Why it matters: Without population growth and talent retention, Michigan's tax base cannot sustain future investments in infrastructure, schools, and public services. A state that cannot attract or retain young people is a state in demographic decline. This is a slow-moving crisis that does not generate urgent headlines — but its consequences are significant.
What to watch: Net migration data for Michigan. Also watch for policy debates over what actually drives talent attraction — marketing campaigns versus direct investment in housing, transit, and community amenities.
What it is: Programs that train Michigan workers for in-demand jobs through certificates, apprenticeships, and skills training — pathways that do not require a four-year degree.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's Going PRO Talent Fund and Labor and Economic Opportunity department support workforce development programs statewide. The state aims to lift 40,000 Michigan families out of poverty by the end of FY27 through employment and training programs. Michigan has more prison-based college programs approved for federal Pell grants than any other state in the country.
Why it matters: Not every good-paying job in Michigan requires a four-year degree. Skilled trades, healthcare support, advanced manufacturing, and technology all offer strong career paths for workers with the right credentials. Closing the gap between employer needs and worker skills is one of Michigan's most pressing economic challenges.
What to watch: Federal workforce development funding, which flows through LEO programs. Also watch for any changes to Pell grant eligibility that affect Michigan's prison-based education programs.
What it is: The minimum hourly wage employers are required to pay workers in Michigan.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's minimum wage is currently $10.56 per hour, with a tipped minimum wage of $4.01. In 2018, Michigan voters approved a ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage and eliminate the tipped minimum — but the legislature used a legal maneuver to adopt and immediately amend the initiative, preventing it from taking full effect. The Michigan Supreme Court later ruled the maneuver unconstitutional. A gradual increase schedule is in place, but Michigan's minimum wage remains below that of several neighboring states.
Why it matters: Minimum wage directly affects the take-home pay of hundreds of thousands of Michigan workers — disproportionately women, workers of color, and young people. The gap between Michigan's minimum wage and a living wage in most Michigan markets is significant. The legal history also raises important questions about whether lawmakers can simply override the direct will of voters.
What to watch: Ongoing legal proceedings around the tipped minimum wage and potential back pay questions. Also, watch for any new minimum wage legislation in the current session.
What it is: The right of workers to take paid time off when they are ill or when a family member is ill, without losing income or their job.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's Earned Sick Time Act has been the subject of prolonged legal and legislative battles. Voters approved a version in 2018, the legislature amended it, the Supreme Court ruled the amendment unconstitutional, and the legislature passed a new version. As of February 2025, most Michigan employers are required to provide paid sick time — but implementation details, exemptions, and enforcement remain to be worked out.
Why it matters: Paid sick leave is fundamental to public health and economic security. Workers without it must choose between their health and their paycheck. During the pandemic, this tradeoff became impossible to ignore. The fact that Michigan's paid sick leave law has been contested for nearly a decade reflects the intensity of business and labor interests on both sides.
What to watch: Implementation and enforcement of the current paid sick leave law. Also watch for any legislative attempts to narrow exemptions or reduce employer obligations.
What it is: Large facilities that house computer servers for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital services — and the economic development, energy, water, and land use implications of siting them in Michigan.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has been actively competing to attract large-scale data center investments from major technology companies. Data centers bring jobs and tax revenue — but they also consume enormous amounts of electricity and water, raising questions about grid capacity, energy costs, and environmental impact. Several large projects are in various stages of approval across the state.
Why it matters: Data centers represent billions of dollars in investment and hundreds of jobs — but they also represent a fundamental shift in what Michigan's economy looks like. The energy demands of AI-driven data centers are significant and growing, intersecting directly with Michigan's clean energy goals, utility rates, and grid reliability.
What to watch: State and local approvals for new data center projects. Also, watch how data center energy demand factors into Michigan Public Service Commission rate cases and clean energy planning.
What it is: Federal policies that impose taxes on imported goods — including auto parts, steel, aluminum, and consumer products — and the effect of those policies on Michigan's economy.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's auto industry is deeply integrated with global supply chains. Federal tariffs on imported auto parts and vehicles directly affect production costs for Michigan manufacturers and vehicle prices for Michigan consumers. The 2025 tariff escalation under the current federal administration has created significant uncertainty for Michigan auto executives and workers.
Why it matters: Michigan makes cars. Anything that affects the cost of making cars — or the demand for them — affects Michigan workers, suppliers, dealers, and communities. Tariffs that protect domestic steel and aluminum production may benefit some Michigan workers while raising costs for others. This is genuinely complicated, and voters deserve a clear-eyed explanation of the tradeoffs.
What to watch: Federal trade negotiations and tariff policy. Michigan's U.S. Senate and House candidates will face direct questions about their position on auto industry tariffs. Watch where they stand and how specific they are willing to be.
This section covers how Michigan educates its residents — from the first years of life through postsecondary credentials.
What it is: The funding, quality, and accessibility of public elementary and secondary education in Michigan, with a particular focus on early literacy — the ability to read proficiently by third grade.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has increased per-pupil funding by 31% since 2019, reaching $10,300 per student in FY27. All 1.4 million public school students now receive free breakfast and lunch. Despite this investment, Michigan's reading proficiency scores remain a serious concern — a significant percentage of Michigan third graders are not reading at grade level. The FY27 budget proposes $625 million specifically for student literacy, including $100 million for curriculum grants and $50 million for teacher training. The legislature is also debating whether to accelerate the timeline for implementing the evidence-based reading curriculum from 2027 to July 1 of this year — a proposal that has left school districts scrambling for resources.
Why it matters: Third-grade reading proficiency is one of the strongest predictors of high school graduation and lifetime economic outcomes. A child who cannot read by third grade faces compounding disadvantages through every subsequent year of school. Michigan's investment is significant — but investment alone does not guarantee results.
What to watch: The accelerated literacy timeline debate in the legislature. Also, watch whether the proposed $625 million in literacy funding survives the FY27 budget process, given the $1.8 billion deficit.
What it is: State-funded preschool programs for three and four-year-olds, designed to close opportunity gaps before children ever enter kindergarten.
Where Michigan stands: 121,882 Michigan children are currently supported through the Great Start Readiness Program. The FY27 budget proposes $143 million to expand Pre-K for All — including $100 million to increase per-child funding and expand available slots, $25 million in startup grants to open 1,000 new classrooms, and $18 million for transportation. Michigan's goal is universal access to high-quality preschool for every four-year-old.
Why it matters: Research on early childhood education is among the most consistent in the social sciences — high-quality pre-K produces measurable improvements in school readiness, graduation rates, and adult earnings, particularly for children from low-income families. Every dollar invested in early childhood education returns an estimated $7 to $13 in long-term societal benefits.
What to watch: Whether Pre-K for All funding survives the budget. Also watch federal Head Start funding, which supports thousands of Michigan children from low-income families.
What it is: State investment in universities, community colleges, and scholarship programs that make postsecondary education accessible and affordable for Michigan residents.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has established the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, which provides more than $27,000 toward a bachelor's degree for eligible students, including a tuition-free path to an associate degree at any Michigan community college. The Reconnect program offers tuition-free higher education or skills training for adults — the FY27 budget proposes lowering the eligibility age from 25 to 21. Michigan's goal is for 60% of residents to hold a postsecondary credential by 2030. Currently, 106,300 students are being supported by the Michigan Achievement Scholarship.
Why it matters: Michigan needs a more educated workforce to compete for the jobs of the future. Student debt is a significant drag on young adults' ability to buy homes, start families, and build wealth. State scholarship programs directly reduce that burden — but only if they are funded consistently.
What to watch: Scholarship program funding in the FY27 budget. With a $1.8 billion deficit, higher education funding is at risk. Also watch enrollment trends and whether Michigan's 60 by 30 goal remains achievable.
What it is: The funding, staffing, and infrastructure that support student mental health and physical safety inside Michigan's public schools.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has increased school mental health investment from $35.6 million in FY19 to nearly $440 million proposed in FY27 — more than twelve times the prior level. This includes counselors, social workers, and school safety resources. The Oxford school shooting in 2021 and subsequent legal proceedings accelerated state action on school safety planning and mental health support.
Why it matters: Schools cannot educate children who are not safe and who are not mentally well. The dual challenge of school safety — physical security and mental health — requires sustained investment and staffing. Michigan has made significant progress, but the work is not finished and the funding is not guaranteed.
What to watch: Whether the proposed school mental health funding survives the FY27 budget given current deficit pressures. Also watch for federal Safe Schools funding and how Michigan's congressional delegation votes on school safety legislation.
What it is: Federal dollars that flow to Michigan schools through Title I (for low-income schools), IDEA (for special education), Head Start, and student financial aid programs like Pell grants.
Where Michigan stands: Federal education funding is a significant component of Michigan school budgets, particularly for districts with high concentrations of low-income students and students with disabilities. Michigan has leveraged federal infrastructure funding aggressively for broadband, water, and school facilities. Any reduction in federal education funding creates immediate pressure on Michigan school districts that cannot easily backfill the loss.
Why it matters: Federal education funding is targeted specifically at students with the greatest needs — children in poverty, children with disabilities, and children learning English. Cuts to these programs do not affect all schools equally — they hit the most vulnerable students hardest.
What to watch: Federal education appropriations and any proposals to consolidate, block-grant, or reduce federal education programs. Watch how Michigan's congressional candidates respond to questions specifically about Title I and IDEA funding.
Michigan is the second most agriculturally diverse state in the country — producing more than 300 commodities and contributing nearly $126 billion annually to the state's economy. Agriculture and food businesses support more than 800,000 Michigan jobs. Yet the people and communities that grow Michigan's food are facing simultaneous pressures from trade policy, workforce shortages, PFAS contamination, and rural population decline. This section covers the issues that determine whether Michigan agriculture — and rural Michigan — thrives or contracts.
What it is: The federal and state policies that govern how farming is supported, regulated, and funded — including the federal Farm Bill, crop insurance, commodity programs, specialty crop support, and the trade policies that determine where Michigan agricultural products can be sold.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan leads the nation in production of asparagus, tart cherries, black beans, small red beans, and squash. It ranks second in apples, cucumbers, and dry beans; fourth in blueberries and sugar beets; and sixth in milk and potatoes. In 2024 — before the current federal administration's tariff escalation — Michigan set a new state export record, selling nearly $3 billion in food and agricultural products globally. That progress has reversed sharply. In the first half of 2025, Michigan's soybean meal exports fell 46%, wheat exports declined 89%, fresh cherry exports dropped 62%, and fresh apple exports fell 58% compared to the same period the prior year, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Michigan producers are projected to lose $167 million in exports, and farmers across the state are reporting they may not cover expenses. Net farm income was $3.517 billion in 2023 — but current conditions are creating significant pressure heading into the next crop cycle.
Why it matters: Michigan's agricultural diversity is a genuine competitive advantage — but it makes Michigan farmers particularly exposed to trade disruptions, because so many Michigan specialty crops depend on export markets. When federal trade policy treats agriculture as a bargaining chip in geopolitical disputes, Michigan farmers absorb the consequences directly. Food security is also a long-term concern: as farming becomes less economically viable, farmland is converted to other uses and Michigan's capacity to produce food declines permanently.
What to watch: Federal trade negotiations and whether retaliatory tariffs against Michigan agricultural exports are resolved. Also watch the federal Farm Bill — a major piece of legislation that sets agricultural policy for five years and directly affects Michigan farmers through crop insurance, commodity programs, and specialty crop funding. Michigan's congressional candidates will vote on it.
What it is: The strategies, investments, and policies designed to create economic opportunity, retain population, and support quality of life in Michigan's rural communities — the 53 counties classified as rural under federal standards.
Where Michigan stands: Much of rural Michigan — particularly the Upper Peninsula, Northeast Michigan, the Thumb, and southern border counties — has been losing population for decades. The Upper Peninsula as a whole declined 3.1% between 2010 and 2020, with only Houghton County seeing growth. Younger residents are leaving in search of employment, while the population that remains is aging rapidly. Rural Michigan faces a compounding set of challenges: inadequate housing stock, workforce shortages, limited broadband access, strained local government capacity, and reduced access to healthcare and services. Michigan's Office of Rural Prosperity — established under the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity — released a Roadmap to Rural Prosperity in 2024 outlining strategies to address these challenges. The FY27 budget includes investments in rural community development, placemaking, and small business support. Governor Whitmer has emphasized rural broadband, housing, and healthcare access as priorities — but the scale of rural Michigan's challenges is significant and long-term.
Why it matters: Rural Michigan is not a policy afterthought — it is the land that grows Michigan's food, provides its natural resources, hosts its tourism economy, and is home to hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents who deserve economic opportunity and quality services. When rural communities decline, they don't just lose population — they lose schools, hospitals, businesses, and civic institutions that are often impossible to rebuild once gone. Michigan cannot be a strong state if a third of its geography is in managed decline.
What to watch: Federal rural development funding through USDA Rural Development programs — grants and loans that support rural housing, business development, water systems, and community facilities. Also watch for state budget investments in the Office of Rural Prosperity and whether rural-specific funding survives the FY27 budget negotiations.
What it is: The workers who plant, tend, and harvest Michigan's crops — and the intersecting policy debates over immigration enforcement, H-2A guest worker programs, wages, and worker protections that determine whether Michigan farms can find the labor they need.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's agricultural labor crisis is acute and worsening. The H-2A agricultural guest worker program — which allows farms to legally hire foreign workers for seasonal positions — has more than tripled in Michigan between 2016 and 2024, reflecting the depth of the domestic labor shortage. The federally mandated wage for H-2A workers in Michigan is approximately $20 per hour — significantly above Michigan's minimum wage — making the program expensive for smaller farms. Michigan's U.S. Representative John Moolenaar introduced bipartisan legislation in 2025 to temporarily freeze H-2A wage rates. Simultaneously, immigration enforcement actions have created fear in agricultural communities, reducing the availability of workers — including undocumented workers, who are estimated to make up roughly half of the total U.S. agricultural workforce. Michigan farmers described to MSU researchers in 2025 the double bind of facing labor shortages, rising wage mandates, and market uncertainty from tariffs simultaneously — a convergence that is pushing some operations toward insolvency.
Why it matters: Without farm labor, Michigan crops do not get harvested. The blueberries, cherries, apples, and asparagus that define Michigan agriculture require hands to pick them — and the domestic workforce, at current wage and working conditions, does not provide them in sufficient numbers. The debate over farm labor is inseparable from the immigration debate — and the consequences of getting it wrong land directly on Michigan consumers in the form of higher food prices, and on Michigan farmers in the form of unharvested crops and financial loss.
What to watch: Federal H-2A program legislation — including the Farmworker Modernization Act of 2025, which would cap wage increases and restructure the guest worker program. Also watch immigration enforcement actions in Michigan agricultural communities and how Michigan's congressional candidates address the specific workforce needs of Michigan farming.
What it is: The roads, bridges, water systems, and internet infrastructure that rural Michigan communities depend on — and the growing gap between rural and urban Michigan in infrastructure quality and connectivity.
Where Michigan stands: Rural Michigan faces infrastructure challenges across every category. Roads and bridges in rural counties are chronically underfunded relative to need. Water and wastewater systems in small rural communities are aging and expensive to maintain per capita. Broadband access remains the most visible gap — Michigan's goal is 93% household broadband availability statewide, but rural and tribal communities remain significantly underserved. The state has aggressively pursued federal infrastructure funding to close the broadband gap, leveraging billions from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Rural Michigan's broadband deficit is not just a convenience issue — it affects farm operations that increasingly rely on precision agriculture technology, students who need internet for school, workers who need it for remote employment, and residents who need it for telehealth appointments. Michigan's Office of Rural Prosperity identified broadband, housing, and workforce as the three most pressing infrastructure challenges facing rural communities.
Why it matters: Infrastructure is the foundation of economic activity. A rural community without reliable broadband, safe roads, and functioning water systems cannot attract employers, retain residents, or support the agricultural economy that surrounds it. The infrastructure gap between rural and urban Michigan is not just inconvenient — it is a driver of the population decline and economic stagnation that is hollowing out rural communities. Federal infrastructure investment has created a genuine opportunity to close that gap, but only if it is sustained and targeted effectively.
What to watch: Federal infrastructure funding levels — any reduction in USDA rural development programs, broadband grants, or water infrastructure funding directly affects rural Michigan. Also watch for the fate of federal broadband deployment funding and whether Michigan's congressional candidates fight to protect rural infrastructure investment in future budget negotiations.
What it is: The policies governing how Michigan farmers access and use water for irrigation, the protections in place to prevent overuse of the Great Lakes basin's freshwater resources, and the growing threat of PFAS contamination to Michigan's agricultural land and water supply.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan sits on approximately 20% of the world's fresh surface water — but access to clean, usable water for agriculture is not guaranteed. Michigan's Large Volume Water Use Policy governs how farms and other large users can draw from surface water and groundwater sources, requiring permits and environmental review for high-volume withdrawals. PFAS contamination — from the application of industrial biosolids as agricultural fertilizer — has emerged as a serious threat to Michigan farmland. EGLE implemented an interim strategy in 2021 and updated it in 2024 to restrict the land application of biosolids above certain PFAS thresholds, but critics argue the protections do not go far enough. Federal legislation — the Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act — would invest $500 million to help affected farmers with testing, remediation, and income replacement, but has not yet passed. Meanwhile, MSU Extension research shows that precision irrigation technology could save up to 29 billion gallons of fresh water annually across Michigan's irrigated corn and soybean acreage — demonstrating the potential for conservation innovation to stretch Michigan's water resources further.
Why it matters: Michigan's agricultural future depends on clean, accessible water. PFAS contamination of farmland is not a reversible problem — once soil and groundwater are contaminated, remediation is extraordinarily expensive and often incomplete. Farmers who unknowingly spread contaminated biosolids on their fields are facing devastating financial and legal consequences through no fault of their own. At the same time, growing competition for water resources — from agricultural irrigation, municipal use, industrial demand, and data centers — means that Michigan's water advantage cannot be taken for granted. The Great Lakes Compact protects against diversion, but internal demand management is an evolving challenge.
What to watch: Federal PFAS legislation for farmers and whether Congress passes financial assistance for Michigan farms affected by biosolids contamination. Also watch EGLE's evolving biosolids regulations and whether Michigan strengthens its protections against PFAS land application. Watch the federal EPA's PFAS standards — any rollback under the current administration directly affects Michigan farmers and communities near contaminated sites.
This section covers where Michiganders live — housing, property, infrastructure, and the environmental and energy issues that affect daily life at home.
What it is: The gap between Michigan's projected revenues and expenditures for Fiscal Year 2027 — a shortfall driven by multiple pressures converging simultaneously.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan entered FY27 budget development facing a $1.8 billion gap driven by declining revenues, a softening national economy, rising healthcare costs, direct fiscal impacts from H.R. 1 and other federal cost shifts, persistent inflation, and critical investment needs the state cannot responsibly defer. The Governor's FY27 Executive Budget Recommendation proposes addressing the gap with $780 million in new revenues (43%), $630 million in reductions and efficiencies (35%), and $400 million from reserves (22%).
Why it matters: Every dollar in the state budget is a decision about priorities. When there is a $1.8 billion gap, something has to give. Every program discussed in this guide — education, healthcare, roads, mental health services and environmental protection — competes for limited resources. Understanding the budget deficit is an essential context for understanding every other issue in this guide.
What to watch: The FY27 budget negotiations between the Governor, the Democratic-controlled Senate, and the Republican-controlled House. The budget must be passed by October 1. Watch which programs are cut, which revenues are raised, and where the compromises land.
What it is: The federal legislation passed by Congress in July 2025 that cut federal funding and shifted significant costs to states — creating an immediate $1 billion hole in Michigan's budget and projecting nearly $4 billion in additional costs through FY32.
Where Michigan stands: H.R. 1 represents the single largest external shock to Michigan's state budget in recent memory. Its effects include Medicaid eligibility changes and SNAP administrative cost-share increases in FY27, SNAP benefits cost-sharing in FY28, and Medicaid financing changes in FY28 and FY29. Beyond the direct budget impact, H.R. 1 could cause 200,000 Michiganders to lose Medicaid coverage and is projected to cost Michigan hospitals $6.5 billion through FY32.
Why it matters: This is the direct connection between what happens in Washington and what happens in Michigan. H.R. 1 has already blown a billion-dollar hole in Michigan's budget, will cause real people to lose health coverage, and Michigan's next U.S. Senator will have voted for or against it. This is precisely why federal elections matter to Michigan.
What to watch: How Michigan's congressional candidates position themselves on H.R. 1 and any proposed modifications to it. Also, watch how Michigan manages the growing cost burden in successive budget cycles.
What it is: The state's decisions about how to raise revenue — including income taxes, sales taxes, corporate taxes, and new revenue sources — and how those decisions affect Michigan residents and businesses.
Where Michigan stands: The FY27 budget proposes several new revenue sources: modernizing tobacco taxes ($232 million), creating parity for nicotine and vaping products ($73.6 million), aligning online gaming revenue ($192.8 million), and a digital advertising tax ($282 million). At the same time, the state is continuing significant tax relief — the Working Families Tax Credit delivering an average of $3,900 to 665,000 working families, retirement tax credits saving $1,000 for 500,000 senior households, and overtime and tip income exemptions benefiting hundreds of thousands of workers.
Why it matters: Tax policy is fundamentally about who pays for what. Michigan's proposed new revenues are targeted at tobacco, vaping, online gaming, and digital advertising — industries that have either grown significantly while paying relatively little in state taxes or impose public health costs. Understanding who benefits and who pays is essential to evaluating any tax proposal.
What to watch: The fate of the proposed new revenue measures in budget negotiations. Republicans in the House are expected to resist tax increases, meaning the revenue side of the budget equation is highly uncertain.
What it is: Michigan's long-term financial health — including state debt levels, reserve funds, credit ratings, and the sustainability of budget commitments over time.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has paid down $28 billion in debt since 2019, achieved a credit rating upgrade, and built reserve balances that have more than doubled since the Governor took office. Seven consecutive balanced, bipartisan budgets have been passed. Despite this record, the FY27 budget recommendation includes a $400 million withdrawal from the Budget Stabilization Fund — reducing reserves built specifically for difficult times like this.
Why it matters: Michigan's strong fiscal position is the direct result of disciplined financial management over the past several years. Drawing down reserves to address a structural deficit is a legitimate short-term strategy — but it is not a solution. The underlying pressures from rising healthcare costs and federal funding cuts do not go away. Long-term fiscal health requires structural solutions, not just reserve withdrawals.
What to watch: Whether the FY27 budget achieves structural balance — meaning ongoing revenues cover ongoing expenditures — or whether it defers the structural problem to future years.
What it is: The taxes Michigan homeowners pay based on the assessed value of their property, and current proposals to provide relief specifically for older residents on fixed incomes.
Where Michigan stands: Governor Whitmer's FY27 budget proposes targeted property tax relief for approximately 335,000 Michigan seniors, offering an average savings of $345 per year to help offset rising assessments and keep older residents in their homes. Property taxes represent one of the largest ongoing expenses for homeowners on fixed incomes, and rising home values have translated into rising tax bills even for residents who have lived in their homes for decades.
Why it matters: For seniors living on Social Security and modest retirement savings, a property tax increase is not an abstraction — it is a real threat to housing stability. The ability to age in place has significant quality-of-life and economic implications.
What to watch: Whether senior property tax relief makes it through the FY27 budget negotiations. Also watch for broader property tax reform discussions in the legislature.
What it is: Whether Michigan residents can find and afford housing — to buy or rent — in the communities where they work and raise families.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has financed 67,220 new affordable housing units since 2019 and the FY27 budget includes $50 million ongoing for housing and community development. The state aims to finance 28,000 additional housing units by the end of FY27. Despite this investment, housing costs have increased significantly across Michigan, driven by low inventory, rising construction costs, and increased demand. The median home price in many Michigan markets has increased 30–50% since 2020.
Why it matters: Housing is the foundation of financial stability. When housing costs consume too large a share of income, families have less for food, healthcare, transportation, and savings. The housing shortage also constrains Michigan's ability to attract and retain talent — young workers who cannot afford to live in a community will not stay there.
What to watch: The Housing Readiness Plan, currently moving through the legislature — a major package of zoning reform bills that would override local restrictions on density and allow duplexes and accessory dwelling units in single-family zones statewide.
What it is: A fierce political battle over who gets to decide where housing is built — local townships and municipalities, or the state government in Lansing.
Where Michigan stands: A major bipartisan package of housing reform bills proposes to ban local municipalities from enforcing minimum lot sizes over 1,500 square feet and require cities to allow duplexes and accessory dwelling units in single-family zones statewide. The Michigan Municipal League and local governments are aggressively lobbying against the bills, arguing it strips communities of their home-rule rights. Separately, new state laws have given the Michigan Public Service Commission authority to override local zoning for large-scale renewable energy projects — sparking backlash from rural communities.
Why it matters: Local control is a deeply held value in Michigan communities. But local zoning rules that limit density are also a primary driver of the housing shortage. These two things are in direct tension, and how Michigan resolves this conflict will shape housing supply and community character for years to come.
What to watch: The Housing Readiness Plan vote in the legislature. Also watch for court challenges to the energy siting law from rural communities opposing large solar and wind projects.
What it is: Michigan's unique auto insurance system, which includes the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association — a fund that historically provided unlimited lifetime medical benefits to catastrophically injured accident survivors — and the ongoing fallout from 2019 reforms that reduced those benefits.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's 2019 auto insurance reforms succeeded in reducing premiums for many drivers — but they also slashed the medical fee schedules that providers use to care for catastrophically injured survivors. Thousands of severely injured accident victims have lost access to home care, nursing services, and rehabilitation as a result. Lawmakers remain under intense pressure from crash survivors and medical advocates to restore adequate payment caps, while drivers resist changes that would raise premiums again.
Why it matters: This is a uniquely Michigan problem with no clean solution. Catastrophically injured accident survivors are losing the care they were promised and need to survive. But Michigan drivers have been paying the highest auto insurance rates in the country. The tension between these two realities is real and unresolved.
What to watch: Any legislative movement on MCCA payment rate restoration. This is an issue where bipartisan sympathy exists, but finding a funding solution that does not raise premiums is genuinely difficult.
What it is: High-speed internet infrastructure and whether all Michigan residents — regardless of where they live — have access to reliable, affordable internet service.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's goal is to boost high-speed internet availability to 93% of households and adoption to 76%. Rural and tribal communities remain significantly underserved. The state has been aggressively pursuing federal infrastructure funding to close the gap.
Why it matters: In 2026, internet access is not a luxury — it is infrastructure as essential as roads. Without it, students cannot do homework, workers cannot telecommute, small businesses cannot compete, and residents cannot access government services or healthcare portals. Broadband gaps in rural Michigan are as much an equity issue as a technology issue.
What to watch: Federal infrastructure funding for broadband deployment. Michigan has been a top recipient of federal broadband grants — any reduction in that funding directly slows the state's ability to close the access gap.
What it is: What Michigan residents and businesses pay for electricity, natural gas, and propane, and the state and federal policies that influence those costs.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's Public Service Commission oversees utility rates and is implementing performance-based ratemaking designed to align utility company incentives with customer outcomes. The Upper Peninsula relies heavily on propane for winter heating, making energy costs a matter of survival for many U.P. residents. Michigan's transition to clean energy is also affecting rate structures across the state.
Why it matters: Energy costs hit lower-income households hardest, consuming a disproportionate share of their budget. For rural and U.P. residents, propane heating costs in a cold winter can be catastrophic. Michigan's energy transition will reshape costs, jobs, and infrastructure over the coming decade.
What to watch: Utility rate cases before the Michigan Public Service Commission. Also watch the Line 5 pipeline debate, which directly affects propane supply and pricing in the Upper Peninsula.
Michigan roads are a punchline and a policy crisis. "Fix the damn roads" became a governor's campaign slogan because Michigan residents have been driving on some of the worst roads in the country for decades — and because every attempt to find a lasting solution has run into the same wall: how to pay for it without raising taxes or gutting other programs. This section covers where Michigan roads actually stand, what the funding fight is really about, and what's at stake for Michigan families and businesses.
What it is: The chronic deterioration of Michigan's road and bridge infrastructure — driven by decades of underfunding, harsh winters, and a road funding system that has not kept pace with inflation or the true cost of maintenance.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan ranks 40th in the nation for road system condition — a ranking unchanged from 2024. Nearly a third of Michigan's federally-eligible roads are currently in poor condition. Without sufficient sustained funding, state projections show that 46% of roads and 15% of bridges will be in poor condition by 2036. Hillsdale County had 75% of its roads rated poor in 2024 — the highest of any Michigan county. Washtenaw and Ingham Counties were not far behind at 57% and 56% respectively. The Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association estimates Michigan currently faces a $3.9 billion infrastructure investment deficit — and that number grows every year that the gap is not closed. By 2036, fixing roads that have been allowed to deteriorate further will cost dramatically more than fixing them now.
Why it matters: Bad roads are not just an inconvenience — they are an economic drain on every Michigan family and business. AAA estimates Michigan drivers pay hundreds of dollars annually in extra vehicle maintenance costs due to poor road conditions. Roads in poor condition cost more to fix than roads maintained in good condition. Businesses factor infrastructure quality into location decisions. And deteriorating bridges are a genuine public safety concern — deferred maintenance on a bridge is not an abstract problem until it is a catastrophic one.
What to watch: The annual Michigan Road and Bridges report for updated condition data. Also watch whether the road funding deal signed in October 2025 produces measurable improvement in road conditions — and whether projections for 2036 improve or continue to worsen under current funding levels.
What it is: The long-running, unresolved political battle over how Michigan pays for road repairs — a debate that has produced failed ballot proposals, bonding programs, competing legislative plans, and a bipartisan deal signed in October 2025 that still faces legal and political uncertainty.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's road funding problem has three layers. First, the state's primary road funding law — Public Act 51 of 1951 — is outdated and distributes money in ways that no longer reflect where roads are and how they are used. Second, fuel tax revenues — the traditional source of road funding — have not kept pace with inflation or construction cost increases, which outpace general inflation. Third, the Rebuilding Michigan bonding program, which funded billions in road repairs over the past several years, exhausted its funds in 2025 — creating the "funding cliff" that forced action. In October 2025, Governor Whitmer signed a bipartisan road funding package worth nearly $2 billion annually — funded through a gas tax and sales tax restructuring that directs all pump taxes to roads, and a new 24% wholesale marijuana tax generating an estimated $420 million per year. Two key revenue sources face legal and political challenges that could unravel portions of the deal. Both the Governor and House Republicans had proposed plans exceeding $3 billion — the signed deal was a compromise that falls short of what transportation experts say is needed long-term.
Why it matters: Road funding is fundamentally a question of priorities and tradeoffs. Every dollar dedicated to roads is a dollar that does not go to schools, healthcare, or other services. Michigan voters have rejected tax increases for roads before — Proposal 1 in 2015 failed decisively — because trust that the money would actually reach roads was low. The 2025 deal represents a genuine breakthrough, but its durability depends on whether revenue projections hold and whether legal challenges succeed. Michigan has been here before.
What to watch: Legal challenges to the 2025 road funding package and whether the marijuana tax and gas tax restructuring survive. Also watch the FY27 and FY28 budget negotiations — House Republicans have signaled interest in deeper cuts that could affect the overall funding picture. Whether Michigan finally updates Public Act 51 of 1951 is also worth watching.
What it is: The roads maintained by Michigan's county road commissions, cities, and townships — which make up the majority of the roads Michigan residents actually drive on every day — and the persistent gap between what local road agencies need and what they receive.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has roughly 120,000 miles of roads — the fifth most of any state. The vast majority are local roads maintained by county road commissions, not the state. The County Road Association of Michigan estimates local road commissions face an underfunding problem of $2.4 billion annually. State road funding formulas distribute money between state trunklines and local roads in ways that have historically shortchanged local agencies. The 2025 road funding deal includes dedicated funding for local roads — Governor Whitmer specifically called for ensuring local governments receive resources in the package. But local road commissions and municipal street departments have been chronically underfunded for so long that the backlog of needed work is enormous. Rural county road commissions, operating with tiny budgets and vast road networks, are in particularly precarious positions.
Why it matters: The roads most Michigan residents drive most often — the county road to the grocery store, the city street in front of their house, the township road to the farm — are local roads. State highway investments are visible and measurable, but the condition of local roads directly reflects local quality of life and property values. When local road commissions run out of money, potholes go unfilled, gravel roads go ungraded, and shoulders go unmaintained — quietly, without headlines, until the problem becomes severe.
What to watch: How the 2025 road funding deal distributes money between state and local roads, and whether local road commissions report meaningful improvement in their funding situations. Also watch for any state reform of Public Act 51 that would change distribution formulas.
What it is: The buses, trains, and transit systems that allow Michigan residents who cannot or do not drive to get to work, healthcare, school, and essential services — and the significant gap between Michigan's investment in transit and its investment in roads.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan is one of the most car-dependent states in the country, and its public transit system reflects that reality. Outside of Metro Detroit's SMART and DDOT systems and Grand Rapids' The Rapid, transit options in most of Michigan range from limited to nonexistent. Rural transit — serving seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income residents who cannot drive — is chronically underfunded. The 2025 road funding package includes some transit provisions, and Governor Whitmer has highlighted public transit investment as part of her placemaking and talent attraction strategy. Federal infrastructure funding has supported some transit improvements, but Michigan's transit network remains far behind comparable Midwestern states. The lack of reliable transit in many communities creates a hidden barrier to employment — workers who cannot afford a car, cannot maintain one, or cannot drive cannot reliably access jobs that lack transit connections.
Why it matters: Transportation access is an equity issue. When a community has no public transit, residents without cars — disproportionately low-income, elderly, and disabled Michiganders — are cut off from jobs, healthcare, and community life. Michigan's talent attraction goals and its workforce development ambitions are both undercut by a transportation system that assumes every worker has a reliable vehicle. Building Michigan's economy of the future requires thinking about how people move — not just how cars move.
What to watch: Federal transit funding levels and how Michigan's congressional candidates vote on transit appropriations. Also watch for state investment in rural transit and whether Michigan's placemaking strategy produces tangible transit improvements in communities competing to attract young workers.
Artificial intelligence is not a future issue — it is reshaping Michigan's economy, workforce, and daily life right now. Michigan's manufacturing identity, its healthcare system, its schools, and its elections are all being touched by AI in ways that most policy has not caught up with. This section covers what AI actually means for Michigan — the opportunities, the disruptions, and the questions that Michigan voters need their elected representatives to be thinking about seriously.
What it is: The displacement and transformation of Michigan jobs by artificial intelligence and automation — and the state and federal strategies to retrain workers and ensure Michigan families share in the economic gains AI creates.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity released the AI and the Workforce Plan in May 2025 — one of the first such state-level blueprints in the country. The plan projects that up to 2.8 million Michigan jobs will be reshaped by AI within the next five to ten years. If Michigan leads in AI strategy, infrastructure, and workforce training, the state could gain up to $70 billion in economic impact and create 130,000 good-paying jobs. The risk of inaction is equally significant — McKinsey estimates generative AI could automate activities accounting for up to 30% of hours worked across the U.S. economy by 2030. Research predicts that between 2025 and 2030, two million manufacturing workers nationally could be displaced by AI automation. Michigan — still deeply reliant on manufacturing — faces that threat directly. Job postings that mention AI skills already pay 28% higher salaries than those that do not, creating a new wage gap between workers who adapt and those who do not.
Why it matters: Michigan has been through this before. Automation reshaped auto manufacturing in the 1960s, displacing hundreds of thousands of workers. AI represents the next wave — and this time it will hit white-collar workers as hard as blue-collar ones. Accountants, engineers, analysts, customer service representatives, and administrative staff are all facing AI disruption. Michigan workers who get ahead of this transition will find opportunity. Those who are left behind will face the same devastation that accompanied previous waves of automation — with less of a union safety net to cushion the fall.
What to watch: Implementation of Michigan's AI and the Workforce Plan and whether funding follows the strategy. Also watch for federal workforce development funding that supports AI retraining — and whether Michigan's congressional candidates have a specific, credible position on workforce transitions in an AI economy.
What it is: The integration of artificial intelligence into Michigan's manufacturing sector — particularly automotive — and the dual reality that AI is both creating new high-skilled jobs and eliminating existing ones at scale.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's auto industry is at the center of the AI transition. Ford's Ion Park in Dearborn integrates AI directly into electric vehicle production, with reskilling programs designed to prepare technicians for high-tech manufacturing roles. General Motors, Stellantis, and Michigan's vast network of suppliers are all investing in AI-enabled production processes. Michigan's AI and the Workforce Plan projects that 75% of manufacturing jobs in the state will require some form of upskilling due to AI and automation — though the plan emphasizes that only a small percentage will be fully automated. The distinction matters: AI will not eliminate most manufacturing jobs outright, but it will fundamentally change what those jobs involve. Workers who cannot adapt to AI-enabled equipment and processes will find their skills increasingly obsolete. Michigan's community colleges, Michigan Works! agencies, and the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center are all working to provide that retraining — but the scale of the challenge is enormous.
Why it matters: Manufacturing is Michigan's economic identity. It is where Michigan families have built middle-class lives for generations. If AI-driven manufacturing transitions are managed well — with investment in retraining, fair wages for upskilled workers, and equitable access to new opportunities — Michigan can lead the next industrial era. If they are managed poorly — with displacement treated as inevitable collateral damage — Michigan working families will bear the cost while the economic gains flow upward. How Michigan's elected officials respond to this transition will define the state's economic character for a generation.
What to watch: Investment in Michigan's manufacturing retraining programs and whether they reach workers at the scale needed. Also watch for federal policy on AI and manufacturing — including whether trade and tariff policy support or undermine Michigan's ability to compete in AI-enabled advanced manufacturing globally.
What it is: The emerging legal and regulatory framework governing how AI can be used — by governments, employers, law enforcement, and private companies — and the significant gaps in consumer protection, civil rights enforcement, and democratic accountability that currently exist.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan does not yet have comprehensive AI regulation at the state level. Federal AI policy is still taking shape — the current federal administration rescinded the Biden-era AI executive order and has taken a largely hands-off approach to AI regulation, preferring industry self-governance. This leaves significant gaps. AI is already being used in hiring decisions — where it can encode and amplify bias — in criminal justice risk assessments, in healthcare diagnostics, in financial lending, and in political advertising and content generation. Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act protections apply in theory to AI-enabled discrimination — but enforcement of AI-related discrimination claims is an emerging and largely untested area of law. AI-generated content is also affecting Michigan's information environment — deepfakes, synthetic media, and AI-generated political advertising are already being used in election contexts, raising questions about transparency and accountability that Michigan's election law has not fully addressed.
Why it matters: AI without accountability is not neutral — it encodes the biases of its training data and the intentions of its designers. When AI makes or influences decisions about who gets a job, who gets a loan, who gets bail, or who gets healthcare, those decisions have real consequences for real Michiganders. The absence of regulation does not mean the absence of harm — it means the absence of recourse. Michigan voters deserve to know where their candidates stand on AI accountability, data privacy, and the civil rights implications of algorithmic decision-making.
What to watch: Federal AI legislation and whether Congress establishes any meaningful consumer protection, transparency, or civil rights framework for AI applications. Also watch for Michigan state legislation on AI in employment, housing, and lending decisions, and for any state action on AI-generated political content and election integrity.
What it is: The rapidly expanding use of artificial intelligence in Michigan's schools, government services, and healthcare system — and the questions of equity, accuracy, privacy, and accountability those applications raise.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan's AI and the Workforce Plan explicitly includes embedding AI skills into the education system — from K-12 through higher education and workforce training. Michigan schools are actively grappling with AI's presence in classrooms: students are using AI tools for writing, research, and problem-solving, and educators are trying to determine what skills still need to be taught when AI can perform many traditional academic tasks. Michigan's healthcare system is beginning to integrate AI in diagnostics, administrative processing, and patient communication. Michigan state government is exploring AI applications in benefits administration, permitting, and service delivery — with potential to speed up processes that have historically been slow and burdensome for Michigan residents. Each of these applications brings genuine benefits — and genuine risks around accuracy, equity, and the privacy of Michigan residents' data.
Why it matters: AI in public services has the potential to either dramatically improve access and efficiency — or to systematically disadvantage the Michiganders who already have the least power in their interactions with government and institutions. A student whose AI-assisted work is flagged by a flawed detection tool faces academic consequences. A benefits applicant whose claim is denied by an algorithm has fewer options to appeal than one denied by a human. A patient whose AI-assisted diagnosis is wrong may not know to question it. Getting AI deployment in public services right requires transparency, accountability, and a genuine commitment to equity — not just efficiency.
What to watch: Michigan's AI deployment in state government services and whether transparency and accountability standards are built in from the start. Also watch for federal guidance on AI in education and healthcare — and whether Michigan's congressional candidates demonstrate any specific understanding of AI's policy implications beyond buzzwords.
This section covers access to healthcare, insurance coverage, and the systems that keep Michigan residents healthy.
What it is: Michigan's Medicaid program, which provides health coverage to low-income residents, and the Healthy Michigan Plan, which extended coverage to working-age adults under the Affordable Care Act expansion.
Where Michigan stands: Medicaid covers one in four Michiganders — more than 2.5 million people, including 1 million children, 300,000 people with disabilities, 168,000 seniors, and 675,000 adults on the Healthy Michigan Plan. 45% of births in Michigan are covered by Medicaid. Michigan runs a lean program, but rising costs per enrollee — driven by an aging, higher-acuity population — are putting significant pressure on the state budget even before federal cuts are factored in.
Why it matters: For millions of Michigan residents, Medicaid is not a safety net of last resort — it is their primary health coverage. Any reduction in eligibility or funding does not make those people healthier. It makes them uninsured. The downstream costs — in emergency room visits, untreated chronic conditions, and reduced workforce participation — fall on all Michiganders.
What to watch: Federal Medicaid legislation and how Michigan's new U.S. Senator and House representatives vote on coverage and funding. For the specific impact of recent federal cuts, see H.R. 1 and Federal Funding Cuts in Section 9.
What it is: The federal programs that provide retirement income and healthcare coverage to older Americans and people with disabilities — funded by payroll taxes paid throughout a working lifetime.
Where Michigan stands: Approximately 2.4 million Michiganders receive Social Security benefits. Medicare covers Michigan seniors and people with disabilities. Any changes to eligibility ages, benefit levels, cost-of-living adjustments, or funding mechanisms directly affect millions of Michigan families. Current federal budget discussions include proposals that could affect the long-term solvency and structure of both programs.
Why it matters: Social Security and Medicare are benefits that Michigan workers paid into throughout their careers. For many Michigan seniors, Social Security is their primary source of income, and Medicare is their only health insurance. Changes to these programs have immediate, concrete consequences for people who have no ability to adjust.
What to watch: Federal budget negotiations and any proposals to restructure, means-test, or reduce Social Security and Medicare benefits. Michigan's new U.S. Senator will vote on these issues. Watch what candidates say — and what they do not say.
What it is: Whether Michigan residents can actually get healthcare — not just whether they are technically insured, but whether there are providers available, whether they can afford cost-sharing, and whether care is accessible in their community.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan faces significant healthcare access challenges in rural areas, where physician shortages are acute. The state has invested in community health workers to improve access to coordinated, culturally responsive care. The FY27 budget includes $351.8 million to maintain wage enhancements for more than 160,000 direct care workers. Health insurance marketplace enrollment in Michigan is at risk because H.R. 1 did not extend marketplace subsidies, projected to increase the cost of coverage and decrease enrollment by at least 6%.
Why it matters: Insurance coverage and healthcare access are not the same thing. A family can be insured and still unable to find a doctor, afford a copay, or access a specialist. Michigan's healthcare system is under pressure from workforce shortages, rising costs, and simultaneous federal funding cuts.
What to watch: The fate of marketplace subsidies at the federal level. Also, watch state investment in rural healthcare and whether the direct care worker wage enhancement survives the budget process.
What it is: Mental health treatment, substance use disorder services, and the systems designed to deliver them — including inpatient psychiatric care, outpatient counseling, peer support, and crisis intervention.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan is expanding substance use disorder and behavioral health services statewide. The FY27 budget includes $72.2 million for a new state psychiatric hospital to address a critical shortage of inpatient psychiatric beds. Michigan is also implementing a new streamlined, person-centered approach to mental health coverage and working to reduce emergency department overcrowding caused by patients who cannot access appropriate psychiatric care.
Why it matters: Michigan has been hit hard by the opioid crisis, and mental health needs — accelerated by the pandemic — remain significantly unmet. When people in behavioral health crises cannot access care, they end up in emergency rooms, in jails, or on the streets. Investment in behavioral health is an investment in public safety, workforce participation, and family stability.
What to watch: Federal Medicaid changes, which fund a significant portion of Michigan's behavioral health system. Any reduction in Medicaid reimbursement directly constrains the state's ability to expand or maintain these services.
What it is: The price Michigan residents pay for prescription medications, and the state and federal efforts to reduce those costs.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has been an active participant in state-level drug-pricing initiatives, including bulk-purchasing agreements and price-transparency measures. At the federal level, the Inflation Reduction Act included provisions allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices — a change that directly affects hundreds of thousands of Michigan seniors.
Why it matters: High prescription drug costs force Michigan residents — particularly seniors on fixed incomes — to choose between medications and other basic needs. Insulin, cancer drugs, and mental health medications are among the most commonly rationed. This is a life-or-death issue for many families.
What to watch: Federal drug pricing legislation. Michigan's U.S. Senate and House candidates will be asked to take positions on Medicare drug price negotiation and drug pricing transparency. Watch where they stand.
What it is: The availability of physicians, hospitals, specialists, and other healthcare services in Michigan's rural communities, which face disproportionate provider shortages.
Where Michigan stands: Rural Michigan faces a physician shortage that is getting worse, not better. The state strategic plan identifies increasing the number of physicians in rural communities as a priority goal. The Upper Peninsula faces particularly acute shortages, with residents sometimes traveling hours for specialist care. Rural hospitals operate on thin margins and several have closed or reduced services in recent years.
Why it matters: Geography should not determine health outcomes. But in Michigan, it does. A child born in a rural county has meaningfully worse access to pediatric specialists, mental health providers, and maternal care than a child born in Metro Detroit. This gap has economic consequences — healthcare access is a factor businesses consider when deciding where to locate.
What to watch: Federal rural health funding and Medicaid reimbursement rates for rural providers. Also watch state efforts to incentivize physicians to practice in underserved areas through loan forgiveness and other programs.
This section covers Michigan's natural resources, environmental protections, and the clean energy transition.
What it is: Michigan's ongoing effort to address contamination of drinking water sources by PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of synthetic chemicals linked to cancer, immune system damage, and developmental problems — as well as lead, agricultural runoff, and industrial pollution.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has established some of the strictest PFAS standards in the country and has invested over $4.6 billion in water infrastructure. The FY27 budget includes $399 million ongoing for clean drinking water, local water systems, and lead service line replacement. PFAS contamination has been documented at hundreds of sites across Michigan, many near military installations and industrial facilities.
Why it matters: Clean water is not negotiable. Michigan sits on 20% of the world's fresh surface water — but proximity to the Great Lakes does not automatically mean safe tap water. PFAS contamination in Michigan communities has caused real health harm to real people, and the cleanup will take decades and significant investment.
What to watch: Federal EPA PFAS standards — any rollback of federal limits directly affects Michigan communities near contaminated sites. Also, watch federal infrastructure funding for water systems.
What it is: Michigan's response to climate change through clean energy policy, greenhouse gas reduction targets, and adaptation to climate impacts, including extreme weather and high water levels on the Great Lakes.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan has passed legislation setting a 2040 goal of 100% clean energy. The state reopened the Palisades Nuclear Plant, protecting 900 union jobs and providing clean power for 1.4 million households. The Michigan Healthy Climate Plan sets out a pathway to economy-wide carbon neutrality. The clean energy transition is also creating new tensions around energy siting, grid reliability, and costs.
Why it matters: Michigan is already experiencing climate impacts — more intense storms, higher Great Lakes water levels, shifting agricultural seasons, and increased flooding. These are current realities affecting Michigan homes, farms, and infrastructure. The question is not whether to respond to climate change but how to do it equitably, affordably, and achievably.
What to watch: Federal clean energy policy and whether federal incentives for renewable energy and electric vehicles survive the current political environment. Also, watch state energy siting decisions and how Michigan balances clean energy goals with local community concerns.
What it is: The protection of the Great Lakes ecosystem from invasive species — particularly invasive carp — and the preservation of Michigan's extraordinary freshwater resources for future generations.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan is fighting aggressively to prevent invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes. If established, invasive carp would devastate native fish populations and fundamentally alter the Great Lakes ecosystem. The state is also working to reduce phosphorus runoff that causes harmful algal blooms and to protect wetlands.
Why it matters: The Great Lakes are worth an estimated $16 billion annually to Michigan's economy through tourism, fishing, shipping, and recreation. They are also the drinking water source for millions of Michiganders. The invasive carp threat represents an irreversible risk — once established, they cannot be eliminated.
What to watch: Federal funding for Great Lakes protection programs, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Also watch for any federal rollback of Clean Water Act protections that affect Great Lakes tributaries.
What it is: A 70-year-old dual pipeline operated by Enbridge Energy that carries crude oil and liquid propane across the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac — where Lakes Michigan and Huron meet — and the ongoing legal and political battle over its fate.
Where Michigan stands: The Michigan Supreme Court recently heard pivotal arguments over the state-issued construction permit for a proposed $1 billion protective tunnel beneath the lake bed. Four Michigan tribal nations and environmental groups are urging the court to overturn the permit, arguing the environmental review was inadequate. EGLE has issued a draft permit allowing Enbridge to discharge up to 6 million gallons of treated wastewater per day into Lake Michigan during tunnel construction — a decision that has sparked protests from environmental groups.
Why it matters: The stakes could not be higher on both sides. Opponents argue that an oil spill in the Straits would cause catastrophic, irreversible damage to the Great Lakes. Supporters argue the tunnel virtually eliminates spill risk while protecting the U.P. and northern Michigan from fuel shortages and price spikes. Both sets of concerns are legitimate.
What to watch: The Michigan Supreme Court ruling on the construction permit. Also watch the U.S. Senate race — candidates will face direct questions about whether they support shutting down Line 5.
What it is: The laws, compacts, and enforcement mechanisms that protect Michigan's freshwater resources — including the Great Lakes, which contain 20% of the world's fresh surface water — from overuse, contamination, and diversion.
Where Michigan stands: Michigan is a signatory to the Great Lakes Compact, which prohibits diverting Great Lakes water out of the basin to serve other regions. Debates continue over the enforcement of the compact and over policies governing large-scale commercial water extraction. EGLE continues to address contamination from PFAS chemicals, industrial sites, and agricultural runoff.
Why it matters: The Great Lakes are Michigan's most valuable natural asset. They support tourism, commercial fishing, agriculture, drinking water for millions, and the quality of life that makes Michigan an attractive place to live. Protecting them is both an environmental and economic imperative.
What to watch: The Line 5 Supreme Court ruling. Also watch for federal EPA enforcement capacity — Michigan relies heavily on federal environmental standards and funding to protect its water resources.
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Michigan Women is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civic education organization. We do not endorse candidates or political parties. All information in this guide is drawn from publicly available government documents, official state sources, and credible news reporting. Sources available at michwomen.com.