Learn more about the 2018 candidates for Michigan governor
- Gretchen Whitmer is winner in Michigan governor race
- What Gretchen Whitmer promises to do as Michigan’s next governor
- Final pitch to voters: Bill Gelineau: Michigan has a choice. Why not a Libertarian?
- Final pitch to voters: Bill Schuette: I will move Michigan forward with jobs and bigger paychecks
- Final pitch to voters: Gretchen Whitmer: Michigan needs a get-it-done governor
- Schuette hitches economic plan to tax cuts and hopes of continued smooth sailing
- Gretchen Whitmer promises fixed roads. Can she find the money to deliver?
- Where Michigan governor candidates stand on jobs and the economy
- Here’s who endorsed the 2018 Michigan governor candidates
- Not feeling Whitmer or Schuette? Consider these Michigan governor candidates.
- $75 million thrown into Michigan governor’s race. Here’s who’s spending
- A cultural warrior as Attorney General, Bill Schuette softens his resume
- Gretchen Whitmer says she accomplished more than her record shows.
- Interview: Gretchen Whitmer: I’ll pay to fix Michigan by ‘closing loopholes’
- As governor, Whitmer would create a ‘Detroit-specific strategy’ for K-12 education
- What Michigan schools will look like under Governor Whitmer or Schuette
- Comparing the environmental records of Bill Schuette and Gretchen Whitmer
- Bill Schuette and Gretchen Whitmer take different tacks to climate change
- Interview: Bill Schuette: I’ll figure out how to fix Michigan roads after I win
- Schuette and Whitmer’s tax, spending plans for Michigan don’t add up
- Gretchen Whitmer’s plan for Michigan: $3B of promises and wishful thinking
- Bill Schuette wants to fix roads while cutting taxes. Good luck with that.
- Bill Schuette no longer touts Trump ties, but president’s shadow follows
- Turning Gretchen Whitmer into Granholm, a Republican gamble in governor race
- Schuette goes to bat for ExxonMobil; brief calls climate change ‘unsettled science’
- Republican Bill Schuette Michigan must fix education, lower taxes and car insurance
- Democract Gretchen Whitmer: Grow Michigan by offering debt-free community college
- Where Michigan governor primary winners Schuette and Whitmer stand on issues
Please Support Our Nonprofit Michigan Journalism
Thank you for reading our 2018 Bridge Voter Toolbox. We hope to help you prepare for the election on November 6. If you value this style of in-depth, public service Michigan journalism, we ask that you consider supporting our work with a donation. We are a Michigan-based nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that relies on reader support. Donations from 2017 contributed to the expansion of our reporting staff for this election year. While it only takes a couple of minutes to donate, your support goes a long way in helping us shape our future.
Learn more about the 2018 candidates for Michigan Attorney General
- Here’s who has endorsed the 2018 Michigan Attorney General candidates
- Republicans outraise Democrats in bids for Michigan statewide offices
- Three Michigan Attorney General candidates with wildly different visions
- Dana Nessel: To fight for environment, most vulnerable as Attorney General
- Tom Leonard: Vows to be ‘rule-of-law’ Michigan Attorney General
- Chris Graveline: Why Michigan needs an Independent Attorney General
- Truth Squad | Dana Nessel spreads inaccuracies about PFAS in Michigan waters
- Truth Squad | Republicans attack Dana Nessel for firm’s defense on sex crimes
Learn more about the 2018 candidates for Michigan Secretary of State
- Here’s who endorsed the 2018 Michigan Secretary of State candidates
- Republicans outraise Democrats in bids for Michigan statewide offices
- Benson, Treder Lang outline visions for Michigan secretary of state
- Jocelyn Benson: Fix waits, transparency of Michigan secretary of state
- Mary Treder Lang: Improve service, voter rolls of Michigan secretary of state
- Where they stand: Michigan Secretary of State candidates on Prop 2 and election reform
Learn more about the 2018 Michigan State Board of Education candidates
Learn more about the 2018 Michigan Supreme Court candidates
2018 Michigan ballot proposals explained
Proposal 1: Regulate recreational marijuana like alcohol
- Michigan approves recreational marijuana. What you need to know.
- Michigan ballot issues: What to know about Prop 1 (recreational pot)
- Truth Squad | Michigan anti-pot group wrongly claims Prop 1 puts weed in kids’ hands
- Truth Squad | Michigan pro-pot group misleads on tax money generated by legalization
- Who's funding the fight over recreational marijuana in Michigan?
- Local governments across Michigan vexed over how to handle legal weed
- Pot in the workplace: Prop 1 has Michigan employers flummoxed
- What’s legal, and what isn’t, under Michigan recreational marijuana plan (slideshow)
- Support legal pot in Michigan? Know the latest health risks (and benefits)
Proposal 2: Citizens redistricting commission
- Michigan ballot issues: What to know about Prop 2 (redistricting)
- 5 concerns about Michigan’s redistricting proposal and what to make of them
- Michigan Proposal 2 redistricting group defends dark money as fighting fire with fire
- Michigan redistricting group brings in whopping $13.9 million
- Who is funding the fight over a redistricting proposal in Michigan
- Here’s how Michigan’s redistricting commission would work
- Michigan redistricting ballot language rejects partisan phrasings
- Truth Squad | Scare tactics on Michigan redistricting measure get foul rating
- Truth Squad | A video attacks Michigan redistricting proposal
- California’s redistricting commission has some free advice for Michigan
- California holds clues to how a redistricting commission could change Michigan
- Emails: Michigan Republicans brag that redistricting ‘protects incumbents’
Proposal 3: Expansion of voting rights
- Michigan ballot issues: What to know about Prop 3 (voting rights)
- Prop 3 shows voters’ distrust. But is Michigan Constitution the best remedy?
- Who’s funding Michigan’s voting rights ballot proposal?
Truth Squad: Watchdogging the facts in 2018 Michigan campaigns
The Michigan Truth Squad fact-checks political claims made by candidates and third-party interest groups. We've limited this list to candidates still in the gubernatorial race, even if claims were made by party rivals in the primary election.
- Bill Schuette goes foul, claims Whitmer will ‘kill’ Flint case
- Fact-checking Michigan’s second, and final, governor’s debate
- Ads unfairly attack Whitmer on healthcare, missed votes
- Misleading attacks on Bill Schuette for Flint water crisis
- Fact-checking the first Michigan governor’s debate
- Gretchen Whitmer unfairly labels Bill Schuette a fan of pension tax
- Does Bill Schuette care if sick people can get insurance?
- Michigan Republicans, Schuette mislead on Nassar
- Bill Schuette is falsely blamed for ignoring PFAS victims
- Bill Schuette goes low, accusing Whitmer of terror sympathy
- Michigan Democratic Party attacks Bill Schuette on health care
- Abdul El-Sayed says rival Gretchen Whitmer opens door to ‘dark money’
- Bill Schuette says Michigan is ‘last’ in third-grade reading
- Gretchen Whitmer says she’s fought two governors on school aid
- Brian Calley says Bill Schuette once supported abortion
- Gretchen Whitmer depicts Michigan teachers in poverty
- Schuette says tax hikes put family dreams at risk
- Koch brothers group attacks Gretchen Whitmer’s tax votes
- Bill Schuette’s track record as attorney general
- Questioning Gretchen Whitmer’s gun control record in Michigan
- Fight Fake News & Fake Politics: Quickly learn how to spot fake news on social media and report questionable or suspicious political advertising.
Analysis of the 2018 Michigan governor primary races
Coverage from the August 2018 Michigan's gubernatorial primary election.
- Gretchen Whitmer and Bill Schuette, ideological opposites, face off for governor
- Gretchen Whitmer wins Democratic primary | Bill Schuette wins Republican primary
- Eight takeaways from Michigan’s gubernatorial primary
- Maps show easy paths to victory for Whitmer, Schuette in Michigan governor race
- Who’s funding Michigan governor primary winners, Schuette and Whitmer
2018 Michigan Facts & Issues Guide
Two dozen quick-yet-comprehensive reports on Michigan’s biggest issues.
- Download PDF of the full printed report.
- 100 Key Michigan Facts in one chart.
- Fact Slideshows: Education & Talent | Economy & Prosperity | Quality of Life | Government & Reform
Education & Talent
- K-12 Student Performance: Michigan's K-12 performance dropping at alarming rate
- School Reform: Many Michigan K-12 reform ideas are jumbled, broad, or wildly expensive
- Early Childhood: Michigan preschool funding has improved, but child care still unaffordable
- Higher Ed: College funding cuts in Michigan have led to fewer students, greater debt
Economy & Prosperity
- Economy: Michigan business climate improves, but educated workforce is shrinking
- Jobs & Labor: Demand for Michigan workers is very high, but many have given up looking
- Incomes: Michigan income growth hindered by lack of college graduates
- Business: Business incentives cost Michigan millions, and it’s uncertain they work
Quality of Life
- Public Health: Michigan's adverse health trends track along racal, poverty lines
- Health Care: Health care in rural Michigan communities suffering, despite Obamacare
- Safety Net: $1B of Michigan’s welfare money goes to college students who aren’t poor
- Water Issues: Michigan's Great Lakes are good, but water concerns include lead and Line 5
- Lands & Energy: Michigan battling 22 invasive forest species, high electric bills
- Michigan Tourism: Does state make $8.33 for every $1 spent on Pure Michigan campaign?
- Infrastructure: Michigan needs $4B more per year for infrastructure, but how to pay for it?
- Cities: In Michigan, more than 150 communities are financially distressed
- Rural Michigan: Limited Internet in rural Michigan depresses student, business opportunity
- Public Safety: Michigan pays 18% less per citizen than nat'l average for public safety
Government & Reform
- Michigan Taxes: Michigan gives more tax breaks than it collects for schools, government
- State Spending: Big government? Michigan's state, local workforce 2nd smallest in nation
- Gov't Reform: Despite low trust of gov't, Michigan legislators have done little to change
2018 Michigan Solutions Summit reports
In March, the Center for Michigan and Bridge Magazine convened more than 50 policy experts to discuss Michigan’s biggest issues. What they said about statewide priorities and Michigan’s future:
- Full Summit Videos: Detroit | Grand Rapids
What we learned (includes expert video clips)
- How to solve Michigan’s big problems? Be willing to talk about solutions
- Michigan’s riding high. But a downturn is coming and the safety net is frayed.
- Getting past politics to give Michigan the schools it deserves
- Michigan’s infrastructure is in shambles. Answers aren’t easy
- Michigan’s economy is improving. But suburbs may face next fiscal crisis.
- Pure Michigan faces troubles from climate change to drinking water
- Why don’t Michiganders trust government? Let’s count the ways.
- Michigan voters may weigh legalizing pot, repealing prevailing wage
- West Michigan leaders join chorus for state education reform
Play the “You Be the Governor” game
How would you run Michigan? How should Michigan’s elected officials act? The You Be the Governor Game simulates the difficult decisions the governor and legislators must make. Give it a try:
Documentary: Understand Michigan’s political divide
Bridge Magazine closely followed a dozen Michigan families to illustrate political divisions and shared values across the state.
- Watch the full "Michigan Divided" documentary on Facebook. (Recorded.)
- Watch clips of the Michigan Divided documentary movie.
- Schedule a Michigan Divided screening and discussion in your community.
- Read Bridge reports about Michigan’s political divide and hyper-partisanship.
Join the 2018 Michigan Truth Tour
The Center for Michigan and Bridge Magazine are traveling across Michigan on a 100-stop tour through election day in November to: Hold community discussions about Michigan issues, hold ‘Michigan Divided’ documentary screenings, distribute nonpartisan voter issue guides and make citizenship fun again with interactive public affairs games, contests, and Coney the Truth Dog.
- See where Truth Tour is headed next.
- Schedule a stop in your community.
Stay Informed throughout the 2018 campaign
Bridge Magazine is a three-time-defending Michigan Press Association “Newspaper of the Year.” Readers and leaders depend on Bridge for Michigan’s most in-depth public service journalism. Bridge is your place to stay informed on big-picture statewide issues and the 2018 election.