MLC Insider Intelligence: October 16, 2026
Michigan Legislative Consultants
Weekly Recap: The Senate held session on Wednesday, while the House did not meet this week.
Lessons in Working Across the Aisle: Ask anyone in town how they got their start in politics, and most will fondly recall memories of their time on legislative staff. The camaraderie of a workforce dominated largely by 20-somethings at the dawn of their careers is a shared experience that has bonded Lansing for decades. Straight out of college, MLC lobbyist Emily Simmons took a position as the Legislative Director for a member of the Michigan House of Representatives. Although that was her official role, her desire to do whatever it took to succeed led to her becoming a jack-of-all-trades and developing a thorough understanding of the legislative process.
Key Lesson: The most impactful lesson was one Emily wouldn’t truly realize until years later: the importance of bipartisanship. The legislator she worked for had a motto that wasn’t just in her email signature – it was something she lived by: “People over politics.” Over the next three years, she would come to live by that too, regularly working with colleagues on the other side of the aisle to get results for the people in her district. Hanging in her office was a framed selfie of her and a colleague from the other side of the aisle, who had been the first to give her the opportunity to sponsor a bill in a bipartisan legislative package.
Importance: Looking back, Emily realized just how impactful the legislator’s “People over politics” motto was and adopted it as her own. As she comes up on her third anniversary as part of the MLC team, she’s overwhelmingly grateful for the opportunity to develop a bipartisan approach, which has made her a more effective lobbyist.
Emergency Response Changes Signed: Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed bipartisan legislation aimed at supporting Michigan’s first responders and streamlining disaster response. The two bills passed the House and Senate with unanimous bipartisan support and take immediate effect.
Key Points: The proposal resolves certain statutory hurdles for the Michigan Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), a statewide mutual aid agreement that mobilizes fire, EMS, and specialized emergency response teams during major disasters and regional crises. It exempts qualified MABAS personnel operating authorized emergency vehicles from commercial driver’s license requirements, provided they meet certain training standards. Lastly, it officially designates MABAS vehicles operated during interlocal emergencies as authorized emergency vehicles, allowing them to use flashing red, white, amber, and green lights on the road and at emergency sites to ensure safe navigation.
Midterm Election in Michigan: With three weeks until the General Election, 6% of all active registered Michigan voters have returned their completed ballot. More than 2 million registered voters have requested an absentee (mail) ballot, which is an increase of 20% from the same point before the 2022 midterm elections.
Key Points: As of October 13, 2,083,240 voters have requested a mail-in ballot, an increase from 1,707,970 in 2022. Of those requested, 440,677 ballots have been returned, which is slightly higher than this point in 2022 when 432,960 ballots had been returned. Overall, 1,984,454 Michigan voters have been placed on the permanent absentee ballot list at their request.
Voting Options: All absentee ballots must be in their assigned ballot drop box or received by their clerk no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted. Early voting sites open statewide on Saturday, October 24, and will be open at least 8 hours every day through Sunday, November 1. Some communities offer additional early voting days. Eligible Michigan citizens can register to vote online through Monday, October 19, or in person at the local clerk’s office up to and on Election Day.
Public Transit Funding Awarded: Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced $65 million in awards through the Infrastructure Projects Authority Fund (IPAF) to support public transportation projects statewide. As part of last year’s nearly $2 billion Sustainable Road Funding Plan, the investments will create or expand transit systems, restore service in communities that have lost access to public transit, and improve regional connections. Additionally, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is creating a new position to help coordinate transit and rail operations, ensuring the state’s transportation system is ready to meet the needs of residents today and in the future.
Projects: Two of the projects are major investments in transit in the City of Detroit, including $10 million for the People Mover and $2 million for planning and implementing network upgrades to the Downtown Detroit Transit. Additional projects include $6 million for the Downtown Grand Rapids Event Night Mobility Project and $9.9 million to Genesee County for Transit Without Borders.
IPAF: It was established as part of Michigan’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget and provides dedicated, long-term capital for public transportation. Administered by MDOT, it’s designed to strengthen existing transit services and advance new or enhanced transit projects across Michigan. The projects announced this week are the first round of funding, not the entirety of the fund.
Cryptocurrency Regulations Move: The Senate Finance, Insurance, and Consumer Protection Committee reported legislation banning cryptocurrency kiosks in Michigan. As defined, a kiosk is a terminal facilitating the purchase, sale, or exchange of cryptocurrency. The ban includes installing or permitting a kiosk for an individual, company, or government entity, among others.
Violations: A violation could result in a civil fine of between $2,000 - $5,000 for a first violation or a fine of $5,000 - $10,000 for a subsequent violation(s).
Next Steps: The bill was referred to the Senate Committee of the Whole for consideration.
Elections Preparations Underway: County, city, and township election commissions statewide have started testing their voting machines to ensure they are working properly in advance of the General Election. The mandatory pre-election testing is open to the public and must be conducted at least five days before early voting starts.
Testing: Logic and accuracy tests check and confirm that voting equipment is in working order and functioning properly. Commissions run a set of test ballots through the machine to verify it’s programmed correctly and operating as expected. After the test, the test materials are securely stored and kept separate from early voting and election day materials.
Requirement: Michigan law requires the use of paper ballots for every election and for the ballots to be machine-counted. Each county clerk selects, purchases, and maintains their own certified election equipment from a qualified vendor.
Spotlight On Representative Phil Green: Representative Green (R-Millington) is serving his fourth term in the Michigan House of Representatives. Prior to his election to the House, he was a Youth Pastor, Senior Pastor, and Assistant to the Pastor, and provided Chaplain services to Sheriff Deputies, Sheriff Administration officials, and jails. Representative Green earned his bachelor’s degree in youth ministries and his master’s degree in biblical expositions from Pensacola Christian College.
District: The district includes Lapeer and Deerfield, Elba, Hadley, Lapeer, Marathon, Mayfield, Metamora, and Oregon Townships in Lapeer County; Forest, Genesee, Richfield, and Thetford Townships in Genesee County; and Watertown Township in Tuscola County.
Committees:
Appropriations
Public Health Subcommittee, Chair
Medicaid and Behavioral Health Subcommittee, Vice Chair
Agriculture and Rural Development and Natural Resources
Joint Capital Outlay
Next Week: Neither the House nor Senate have scheduled session for the week. Monday, October 19, is the last day to register online to vote in this year’s General Election.
Leading up to the November 5 general election, we are highlighting races generally considered swing seats.
General Election Overview: 32nd Senate District: After serving two terms in the Michigan Senate and three in the Michigan House of Representatives, Republican Senator Jon Bumstead is term-limited and cannot run for reelection. Senator Bumstead won this seat 53%-47% in 2022, and it remains competitive heading into this November. Republicans believe they are well positioned to retain the district, while Democrats believe it is trending left. This will be a key race to watch on election night.
District Overview: The district includes Benzie, Mason, Muskegon, and Oceana counties, and portions of Manistee County.
Democratic Candidate:
Rebecca Amidon – Adjunct communications professor at Mid Michigan College.
Republican Candidate:
Kim Cole – Sheriff
General Election Overview: 37th Senate District: Incumbent Republican Senator John Damoose is serving his first term in the Senate and running for reelection this November. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served one term in the Michigan House of Representatives. This northern Michigan district has a 56.8% Republican base, positioning him well for the race this fall.
District Overview: The district includes Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau counties, and portions of Mackinac and Chippewa counties.
Democratic Candidate:
Kate Gallup – Materials science engineer, former patent examiner, works in her family’s art business.
Republican Candidate:
Senator John Damoose – State Senator, former State Representative, worked in broadcasting, author, owned a production company where he co-authored and produced national television specials.
General Election Overview: 38th Senate District: After 14 years serving in the Legislature, incumbent Republican Senator Ed McBroom is term-limited from running for reelection. The Republican Party has the advantage in this district with a 54.3% base. Representative Prestin is running in this seat after serving two terms in the House of Representatives. He faces a local elected official, Kelli Van Ginhoven, and former Democratic Representative Sara Cambensy, who is running as an independent.
District Overview: The district includes most of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, including Alger, Baraga, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon, and Schoolcraft counties and portions of Chippewa and Mackinac counties.
Democratic Candidate:
Kelli van Ginhoven – Delta County Commissioner, small business owner.
Republican Candidate:
Representative David Prestin – State Representative, former Menominee County Commissioner, paramedic, first responder, and volunteer firefighter.
No Party Affiliation:
Sara Cambensy – Former State Representative and Marquette City Commissioner.
General Election Overview: 4th Congressional District: Incumbent Republican Congressman Bill Huizenga is serving his eighth term in the U.S. House of Representatives and running for reelection this November. This district has a 54.2% Republican base, and Congressman Huizenga won his last two elections with 55% of the vote. This district has been trending more competitive, and the Democratic Party believes they have a real opportunity to flip the seat in November. However, beating a strong Republican incumbent remains a tall task.
District Overview: The district is located in West Michigan and includes Allegan and Van Buren counties and portions of Berrien, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and Ottawa counties.
Democratic Candidate:
Senator Sean McCann – State Senator, former State Representative and Kalamazoo City Commissioner.
Republican Candidate:
Congressman Bill Huizenga – Congressman, former State Representative, small business owner.
Green Candidate:
Shafina Che Barnett