Michigan Government

This continuously updated post includes details of Michigan's elections, campaigns, politics and voting news.

The Legislature advances a coronavirus plan after weeks of hyperbole and outright misinformation about how it would impact everyday Michiganders. We separate truth from exaggeration.

The Democratic governor ran for office to ‘make state government more open, transparent and accountable.’ She’s now in a firestorm over deals that paid $241,000 to two former top aides to keep quiet.

In the weeks since the former president left office, Republicans have squabbled with themselves, floated forming a separate party and censuring those who favored to impeach.

Two other severance deals come to light, as Whitmer defends her decision to pay her former health director, Robert Gordon, nine months' salary in exchange for his silence. Ethics experts say the deal 'looks like something is funny is going on,' and Republicans plan hearings.

Michigan’s Senate approves a relief plan that links more than $1 billion in education and contract tracing funding to separate bills requiring the Democratic governor to give up some of her authority.

Robert Gordon received $155,506 as part of a separation deal that prevents him from discussing his departure. His resignation has never been explained, and Republicans call the agreement ‘shocking.’

After the failure of bills to expand open records laws to the governor and Legislature, a liberal advocacy group is launching an initiative for a ‘full repeal’ of exemptions in the law.

Dan and Cathy Allen, whose home was severely damaged by floodwaters following the Edenville Dam collapse in May, say federal regulators should have made sure the dam’s owner could pay to fix the dam before granting it a license.

The GOP-led Senate approved nearly $2 billion in supplemental spending Thursday, but withheld another $3 billion in federal COVID funds, and sought to ban using race and income as factors in vaccine distribution, despite the heavy toll the virus has taken on African Americans.

One day after Michigan released data showing white residents are far more likely to receive the vaccine, a Senate committee voted to dump a distribution formula that gave more doses to minority and impoverished communities.

The pandemic has exacerbated Michigan’s digital divide, as some students complete homework in parking lots and schools hand-deliver assignments. It’s an issue with educational, equity and economic implications as 1.2 million households lack broadband access.

The former House Speaker submits a letter saying he can’t ‘apologize for various conservative beliefs I espoused while in office,’ as groups withdraw funding over his opposition expanding LBGTQ rights.

As one of the most exclusive corners of Michigan is becoming more diverse, the Pointes are enduring racial and political feuds. Some say they’re driven in part by what some call an ‘awakening’ caused by former President Trump.

President Joe Biden pledged a return to “normalcy” by year’s end during a tour of Pfizer in Kalamazoo County on Friday, as the drug company pledges to beat a July deadline to supply 300 million doses.

Michigan’s COVID-19 rates have continued falling since the state allowed restaurant dining rooms to reopen Feb. 1, but capacity limits are continuing to cripple the instury, according to owners who are urging Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to relax restrictions again.

Amber McCann worked for three top Republican officials, but after a string of controversial statements from Mike Shirkey, she is joining Democrat Dana Nessel’s administration.

For the first time, a nonpartisan commission is redrawing Michigan political districts that have favored Republicans for years. But its deadline to finish the work is being jeopardized by delays in Census population data.

A proposal by Republican House Speaker Jason Wentworth would reign in Michigan’s lame-duck session, a biennial tradition of often hyper-partisan legislating. Past proposals failed, but Wentworth’s backing has breathed new life into the debate.

Time was, Michigan Senate leader would be an ideal candidate against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. But he’s alienated conservatives and liberals with inflammatory statements that have some calling for him to quit.