Get ready

Key dates

Last checked against michigan.gov/vote · Oct. 19, 2026

Mon., Oct. 19Last day to register online or by mailMailed forms must be postmarked by Oct. 19. After that, register in person at your clerk's office. Add to calendar ↗
Oct. 24 – Nov. 1Statewide early in-person votingSome communities start sooner or add Nov. 2. Add to calendar ↗
Fri., Oct. 30, 5 p.m.Request an absentee ballot online or by mailIn person at your clerk's office until Nov. 2 at 4 p.m. Add to calendar ↗
Mon., Nov. 2, 4 p.m.Last day to request an absentee ballot in personAt your city or township clerk's office. Add to calendar ↗
Tue., Nov. 3Election Day: polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.Absentee ballots must reach your clerk by 8 p.m. Same-day registration at your clerk. Add to calendar ↗

Full details: Michigan Voting Deadlines Ahead of Nov. 3

Get ready

Three ways to vote

Last checked against michigan.gov/vote · Oct. 19, 2026

Compare	Early in person	Absentee	Election Day
When	Oct. 24 to Nov. 1 statewide. Some communities start sooner or add Nov. 2.	Request by Oct. 30 at 5 p.m. online or by mail, or by Nov. 2 at 4 p.m. in person at your clerk's office.	Tuesday, Nov. 3, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you're in line at 8 p.m., stay in line.
Where	Your community's early voting site	From home, returned by mail, drop box or your clerk's office	Your assigned polling place
Deadline	Nov. 1, or your community's last day	Your clerk must receive it by 8 p.m. Nov. 3. Postmarks don't count, so mail it at least two weeks early.	8 p.m. Nov. 3
Bring	Photo ID, or sign an affidavit and vote a regular ballot	Nothing at home. Sign the envelope; your signature is checked against your record.	Photo ID, or sign an affidavit and vote a regular ballot
More from Pride Source	Early voting guide	Absentee guide	Election Day details

Missed the Oct. 19 registration deadline? You can still register in person at your city or township clerk's office with proof of residency, right up to 8 p.m. on Election Day. How it works

Know your ballot

Build my ballot

Pick your three districts and get a one-page cheat sheet of the races on your ballot, with out LGBTQ+ candidates marked. Fill in the ovals to plan your own picks. Nothing you choose is stored or sent anywhere.

U.S. House Michigan Senate Michigan House

Find my districts ↗

Or look up your sample ballot with the state and copy your three district numbers here.

Know your ballot

Races and candidates

From the top of the ticket down, with our coverage of each race. Out LGBTQ+ candidates are tagged in their own race.

Governor

Open seat

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) faces U.S. Rep. John James (R).

Jocelyn Benson / Winnie Brinks (D)
John James / Jay DeBoyer (R)
Anthony Hudson / Beau Parmenter (L)
Donna Brandenburg / Robert Donald Cowper II (UST)
Douglas Campbell / Bobbie Clay (G)

Benson's plan to protect LGBTQ+ rights 4 times Benson championed LGBTQ+ rights

Secretary of State

Open seat

Benson is term-limited. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II (D) faces Anthony G. Forlini (R).

Garlin Gilchrist II (D)
Anthony G. Forlini (R)
Christine Sloan (L)
Scott E. Aughney (UST)
Eric Borregard (G)

Gilchrist's message to LGBTQ+ allies: 'Don't run away'How Gilchrist's late gay uncle made him an ally

Attorney General

Open seat

Attorney General Dana Nessel is term-limited. Eli Savit (D) faces Doug Lloyd (R).

Eli Savit (D)
Doug Lloyd (R)
Jason Dye (L)
John Perry Ludtke Jr. (UST)
Jeff Polonowski (G)
Doug Dern (NL)

U.S. Senate

Open seat

Sen. Gary Peters is retiring. Abdul El-Sayed (D) faces former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R).

Abdul El-Sayed (D)
Mike Rogers (R)
Lydia Christensen (L)
Tim Long (UST)
Douglas P. Marsh (G)
Walter P. Kristy (NL)

El-Sayed vows to be a 'lion' for LGBTQ+ rights HRC endorses El-Sayed El-Sayed's Fox News clash over trans health care Jewish Democrats' demands for El-Sayed

U.S. House, District 11

Open seat

Jeremy Moss would be the first out LGBTQ+ member of Congress from Michigan. Rep. Haley Stevens left the seat to run for U.S. Senate.

Jeremy Moss (D) Out LGBTQ+
Ethan Baker (R)
Farid Ishac (L)
Ryan Teasdale (G)
Anil Kumar (NPA)

Moss won't bring a pie chart to a knife fight Moss launches his congressional campaign

Michigan Supreme Court

Two seats

Six candidates for two eight-year seats, including Chief Justice Megan Cavanagh and Justice Noah Hood. Party-nominated, but listed without party on the ballot.

Megan Kathleen Cavanagh, incumbent
Noah P. Hood, incumbent
Thomas W. Howe
Casandra Morse-Bills
Michael Warren
Jody White

Your LGBTQ+ guide to the Supreme Court race

Education boards

State and university boards

Two seats each on the State Board of Education and the U-M, MSU and Wayne State boards.

The down-ballot education races that matter

Out LGBTQ+ candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot

Every out candidate for the Legislature who advanced from the Aug. 4 primary. Read every profile in Meet the Out LGBTQ+ Candidates on Michigan's November Ballot.

Jason Hoskins (D)
Michigan Senate, District 7 · Oakland County

On Nov. 3 ballot

Already the first Black, openly LGBTQ+ member of the Michigan Legislature. Won his Senate primary with 57%.

Also running: Anthony Paesano (R) Read our coverage

Joanna Whaley (D)
Michigan House, District 2 · Downriver

On Nov. 3 ballot

Would be the first openly transgender member of the Michigan House.

Also running: Ron Kokinda (R) Read our profile The complaint over her name on the ballot

Chris Gilmer-Hill (D)
Michigan House, District 8

On Nov. 3 ballot

Unseated Rep. Helena Scott in a four-way primary, 48.8% to 43%.

Also running: Bruce P. Langran (R), Stephen Boyle (G) Read our coverage

Mike McFall (D)
Michigan House, District 14

On Nov. 3 ballot · Incumbent

Incumbent since 2022 and former Hazel Park mayor pro tem. Won his primary with 71%.

Also running: Larry Szyska (R), Jeff Sparling (G) Read our coverage

Laurie Pohutsky (D)
Michigan House, District 17 · Livonia area

On Nov. 3 ballot · Incumbent

Became Michigan's first openly queer woman lawmaker in 2018.

Also running: Ken Crider (R) Read our coverage

Noah Arbit (D)
Michigan House, District 20 · West Bloomfield area

On Nov. 3 ballot · Incumbent

The youngest LGBTQ+ person ever elected to the Michigan Legislature.

Also running: S. David Sullivan (R) Read our coverage

Jason Morgan (D)
Michigan House, District 23 · Ann Arbor, South Lyon

On Nov. 3 ballot · Incumbent

Former chair of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners.

Also running: Miriam Corvino (R), Christina Marudas (G) Read our coverage

Emily Dievendorf (D)
Michigan House, District 77 · North Lansing, DeWitt, Grand Ledge

On Nov. 3 ballot · Incumbent

The first openly nonbinary member of the Michigan House.

Also running: Sally Jo Nelton (R), Jennifer Long (L) Read our coverage

Joseph McClusky (D)
Michigan House, District 86 · Holland area

On Nov. 3 ballot

Would be the first out gay man to represent the district.

Also running: Nancy DeBoer (R) Read our coverage

More context: El-Sayed wins Senate primary as LGBTQ+ candidates make historic gains · LGBTQ+ Victory Fund backs five Michigan candidates · Democrats are trying to disqualify trans candidates. Here's how. (Uncloseted Media)

Statewide proposals

Proposal 1

Constitutional convention

Asks whether to call a 2027 convention of elected delegates to rewrite Michigan's 1963 constitution.

YESStarts that process. Any new draft would still need voter approval.NOKeeps the current constitution. The question returns in 2042.

Proposal 2

Utility and contractor donations

Would bar regulated electric and gas utilities and large government contractors from donating to officials who oversee them or award their contracts, and expand disclosure rules for political ads.

YESEnacts these rules.NOLeaves current campaign finance law unchanged.

Why LGBTQ+ voters are watching both: Michigan's Proposals 1 and 2 explained

Pride Source · Between The Lines

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Subscribe to the Between The Lines print magazine and our weekly newsletters.

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Protect your vote

Know your rights

Last checked against michigan.gov/vote · Oct. 19, 2026

Trans and nonbinary voters

What to know about ID at the polls

Michigan doesn't require photo ID to vote. Without one, you can sign an affidavit and vote a regular ballot.

Voting while trans or nonbinary in Michigan

Voters with disabilities

Accessible voting is your right

Every polling place must have an accessible voting system, and you can get help from a person you choose.

Michigan voter rights at the polls

If you're challenged

Know what to do

If your eligibility is questioned or you're told you can't vote, ask for help before you leave. Election Protection's hotline is below.

Michigan voter rights at the polls

Election Protection hotline866-OUR-VOTE866-687-8683 · Nonpartisan voter help

The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ young people)1-866-488-738624/7 crisis support

Trans Lifeline877-565-8860Peer support by trans people, Mon.–Fri., 1–9 p.m. Eastern

From outside groups

Who LGBTQ+ groups are endorsing

Pride Source isn't endorsing candidates in 2026. These are the picks of three LGBTQ+ political groups, in their own words and on their own lists. They never appear in the race cards or ballot tool above.

Equality Michigan Action Network

Michigan's statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy group. Its 2026 picks include Supreme Court Justices Megan Cavanagh and Noah Hood and eight of the out LGBTQ+ legislative candidates above.

See EMAN's full list ↗

LGBTQ+ Victory Fund

The national group that backs out LGBTQ+ candidates. Its 2026 Michigan picks include Jeremy Moss, Jason Hoskins, Joanna Whaley, Chris Gilmer-Hill, Jason Morgan and Joseph McClusky.

Our story on Victory Fund's Michigan picks Victory Fund's Michigan list ↗

Unity Fund

Backs LGBTQ+ candidates for local, county and state office, with a focus on Southeast Michigan. Its 2026 picks include Jeremy Moss, Jason Hoskins, Joanna Whaley, Chris Gilmer-Hill and Mike McFall.

Unity Fund's 2026 candidates ↗

All three lists and the out LGBTQ+ candidates, side by side

Everything else