Political party strength in Michigan

The tables below indicate the political party affiliation of elected officials in the U.S. State of Michigan from statehood through the results of the November 2022 elections.

Officials listed include: Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Secretaries of State, Attorneys General/
State Treasurers. The tables also indicate the historical party composition in the State Senate, State House of Representatives, the names and party affiliations of Michigan's U.S. Senators, and the party composition of Michigan's delegations to the U.S. House of Representatives. For years in which a presidential election was held, the tables show which party's nominees received the State's electoral votes.

1837–1899

Year Executive offices State Legislature United States Congress Electoral votes
Governor Lieutenant
Governor		 Secretary
of State		 Attorney
General		 Treasurer State Senate State House U.S. Senator
(Class I)		 U.S. Senator
(Class II)		 U.S. House
1837 Stevens T. Mason (D) Edward Mundy (D) Kintzing Prichette (D) Peter Morey (D) appointed office 8D, 5W, 3? 24W, 23D, 2? Lucius Lyon (D) John Norvell (D) 1D Van Buren/
Johnson (D) Green tick
1838 Randolph Manning (D) 14D, 2W 30D, 20W
1839 11D, 6W 31D, 21W vacant 1D
1840 William Woodbridge (W) James Wright Gordon (W) Thomas Rowland (W) 10W, 7D 37W, 15D Augustus Porter (W) Harrison/
Tyler (W) Green tick
1841 James Wright Gordon (W) Thomas J. Drake (W) Zephaniah Platt (W) 12W, 5D 31W, 20D, 1 tie William Woodbridge (W) 1W
1842 John S. Barry (D) Origen D. Richardson (D) Robert P. Eldredge (D) 12D, 5W, 1 vac. 47D, 6W
1843 Elon Farnsworth (D) 18D 46D, 7W 3D
1844 47D, 6W Polk/
Dallas (D) Green tick
1845 Henry N. Walker (D) 46D, 7W Lewis Cass (D) 3D
1846 Alpheus Felch (D) William L. Greenly (D) Gideon O. Whittemore 20D, 1W 50D, 16W
1847 William L. Greenly (D) Charles P. Bush (D) Edward Mundy (D) 20D, 2W 51D, 15W Alpheus Felch (D) 3D
1848 Epaphroditus Ransom (D) William M. Fenton (D) George Washington Peck (D) George V. N. Lothrop (D) 21D, 1W Thomas Fitzgerald (D) Cass/
Butler (D) Red X
1849 18D, 4W 46D, 16W, 3FS, 1 tie Lewis Cass (D) 2D, 1W
1850 John S. Barry (D) George R. Redfield (D) Bernard C. Whittemore (D) 46D, 20W
1851 Charles H. Taylor (D) William Hale (D) 16D, 5W, 1FSD 40D, 26W 2W, 1D
1852 Robert McClelland Calvin Britain (D) Pierce/
King (D) Green tick
1853 Andrew Parsons (D) William Graves (D) 25D, 7W 52D, 19W, 1? Charles E. Stuart (D) 4D
Andrew Parsons (D) George Griswold (D)
1854
1855 Kinsley S. Bingham (R) George Coe (R) John McKinney (R) Jacob M. Howard (R) Silas M. Holmes (R) 25R, 7D 48R, 24D 3R, 1D
1856 Frémont/
Dayton (R) Red X
1857 29R, 3D 63R, 17D Zachariah Chandler (R) 4R
1858
1859 Moses Wisner (R) Edmund Burke Fairfield (R) Nelson G. Isbell (R) John McKinney (R) 24R, 8D 56R, 25D Kinsley S. Bingham (R) 3R, 1D
1860 Lincoln/
Hamlin (R) Green tick
1861 Austin Blair (R) James M. Birney (R) James B. Porter (R) Charles Upson (R) John Owen (R) 30R, 2D 72R, 11D 4R
Joseph R. Williams (R)
1862 Henry T. Backus (R) Jacob M. Howard (R)
1863 Charles S. May (R) Albert Williams (R) 18R, 14D 60R, 39D, 1? 5R, 1D
1864 Lincoln/
Johnson (NU) Green tick
1865 Henry H. Crapo (R) Ebenezer O. Grosvenor (R) 21R, 11D 73R, 27D 6R
1866
1867 Dwight May (R) Oliver L. Spaulding (R) William L. Stoughton (R) Ebenezer O. Grosvenor (R) 30R, 1D, 1? 79R, 21D 6R
1868 Grant/
Colfax (R) Green tick
1869 Henry P. Baldwin (R) Morgan Bates (R) Dwight May (R) 27R, 5D 75R, 25D 6R
1870
1871 Daniel Striker (R) Victory P. Collier (R) 71R, 29D Thomas W. Ferry (R) 5R, 1D
1872 Grant/
Wilson (R) Green tick
1873 John J. Bagley (R) Henry H. Holt (R) Byron D. Ball (R) 31R, 1D 95R, 5D 9R
1874 Isaac Marston (R)
1875 Ebenezer G. D. Holden (R) Andrew J. Smith (R) William B. McCreery (R) 17R, 15D 54R, 46D Isaac P. Christiancy (R) 6R, 3D
1876 Hayes/
Wheeler (R) Green tick
1877 Charles Croswell (R) Alonzo Sessions (R) Otto Kirchner (R) 23R, 9D 75R, 25D 8R, 1D
1878
1879 William Jenney (R) Benjamin D. Pritchard (R) 65R, 35D Zachariah Chandler (R) 9R
1880 Henry P. Baldwin (R) Garfield/
Arthur (R) Green tick
1881 David Jerome (R) Moreau S. Crosby (R) Jacob J. Van Riper (R) 30R, 2D 86R, 13D, 1I Omar D. Conger (R) 9R
1882
1883 Josiah Begole (D) Harry A. Conant (R) Edward H. Butler (R) 19R, 13D 62R, 38D Thomas W. Palmer (R) 5R, 6D
1884 Blaine/
Logan (R) Red X
1885 Russell A. Alger (R) Archibald Buttars (R) Moses Taggart (R) 18R, 14D 52R, 48D 4R, 7D
1886
1887 Cyrus G. Luce (R) James H. MacDonald (R) Gilbert R. Osmun (R) George L. Maltz (R) 22R, 10D 63R, 37D Francis B. Stockbridge (R) 6R, 5D
1888 Harrison/
Morton (R) Green tick
1889 William Ball (R) Stephen V. R. Trowbridge (R) 24R, 8D 70R, 30D James McMillan (R) 9R, 2D
1890 Benjamin W. Huston (R)
1891 Edwin B. Winans (D) John Strong (D) Daniel E. Soper (D) Adolphus A. Ellis (D) Frederick Braastad (D) 17D, 15R 55D, 45R 3R, 8D
1892 Robert R. Blacker (D) 9 – Harrison/
Reid (R) Red X
5 – Cleveland/
Stevenson (D) Green tick
1893 John Treadway Rich (R) J. Wight Giddings (R) John W. Jochim (R) Joseph F. Hambitzer (R) 22R, 9D, 1DP 69R, 28D, 3Pop 7R, 5D
1894 Washington Gardner (R) James M. Wilkinson (R) John Patton Jr. (R)
1895 Alfred Milnes (R) Fred A. Maynard (R) 32R 99R, 1D Julius C. Burrows (R) 12R
1896 Joseph R. McLaughlin (R) McKinley/
Hobart (R) Green tick
1897 Hazen S. Pingree (R) Thomas B. Dunstan (R) George A. Steel (R) 26R, 6D 81R, 19D 10R, 2D
1898
1899 Orrin W. Robinson (R) Justus Smith Stearns (R) Horace M. Oren (R) 27R, 5D 92R, 8D 12R
Year Governor Lieutenant
Governor		 Secretary
of State		 Attorney
General		 Treasurer State Senate State House U.S. Senator
(Class I)		 U.S. Senator
(Class II)		 U.S. House Electoral votes
Executive offices State Legislature United States Congress

1900–1964

Year Executive offices State Legislature United States Congress Electoral votes
Governor Lieutenant
Governor		 Secretary
of State		 Attorney
General		 Treasurer Auditor
General		 Highway
Commissioner		 State Senate State House U.S. Senator
(Class I)		 U.S. Senator
(Class II)		 U.S. House
1900 Hazen S. Pingree (R) Orrin W. Robinson (R) Justus Smith Stearns (R) Horace M. Oren (R) George A. Steel Roscoe D. Dix (R) no such office 27R, 5D 92R, 8D Julius C. Burrows (R) James McMillan (R) 12R McKinley/
Roosevelt (R) Green tick
1901 Aaron T. Bliss (R) Fred M. Warner (R) Daniel McCoy (R) Perry F. Powers (R) 31R, 1D 90R, 10D 12R
1902
1903 Alexander Maitland (R) Charles A. Blair (R) 100R Russell A. Alger (R) 11R, 1D
1904 Roosevelt/
Fairbanks (R) Green tick
1905 Fred M. Warner (R) George A. Prescott (R) John E. Bird (R) Frank P. Glazier (R) James B. Bradley (R) Horatio Earle (R) 32R 95R, 5D 12R
1906
1907 Patrick H. Kelley (R) 95R, 5D William Alden Smith (R) 12R
1908 John Treadway Rich (R) Taft/
Sherman (R) Green tick
1909 Frederick C. Martindale (R) Albert Sleeper (R) Oramel B. Fuller (R) Townsend A. Ely (R) 98R, 2D 12R
1910 Franz C. Kuhn (R)
1911 Chase Osborn (R) John Q. Ross (R) 28R, 4D 88R, 12D Charles E. Townsend (R) 10R, 2D
1912 Roger I. Wykes (R) Roosevelt/
Johnson (Prog) Red X
1913 Woodbridge N. Ferris (D) Grant Fellows (R) John W. Harrer (R) Frank F. Rogers (R) 21R, 6Prog, 5D 54R, 35D, 11Prog 10R, 2D, 2Prog
1914
1915 Luren Dickinson (R) Coleman C. Vaughan (R) 29R, 3D 95R, 5D 11R, 2D
1916 Hughes/
Fairbanks (R) Red X
1917 Albert Sleeper (R) Alex J. Groesbeck (R) Samuel Odell 27R, 5D 88R, 12D 11R, 2D
1918
1919 32R 98R, 2D Truman H. Newberry (R) 12R, 1D
1920 Frank E. Gorman (R) Harding/
Coolidge (R) Green tick
1921 Alex J. Groesbeck (R) Thomas Read (R) Charles J. DeLand (R) Merlin Wiley (R) 100R 13R
1922
1923 Andrew B. Dougherty (R) 95R, 5D Woodbridge N. Ferris (D) James Couzens (R) 12R, 1D
1924 Coolidge/
Dawes (R) Green tick
1925 George W. Welsh (R) Frank D. McKay 100R 13R
1926 Clare Retan (R)
1927 Fred W. Green (R) Luren Dickinson (R) John S. Haggerty (R) William W. Potter 98R, 2D 13R
1928 Wilber M. Brucker (R) Arthur Vandenberg (R) Hoover/
Curtis (R) Green tick
1929 Grover C. Dillard (R) 13R
1930
1931 Wilber M. Brucker (R) Frank Fitzgerald (R) Paul W. Voorhies (R) Howard C. Lawrence (R) 31R, 1D 13R
1932 Roosevelt/
Garner (D) Green tick
1933 William Comstock (D) Allen E. Stebbins (D) Patrick H. O'Brien (D) Theodore I. Fry (D) John K. Stack Jr. (D) Murray Van Wagoner (D) 17D, 15R 55D, 45R 10D, 7R
1934 Clarke W. Brown (R)
1935 Frank Fitzgerald (R) Thomas Read (R) Orville E. Atwood (R) Harry S. Toy (R) John J. O'Hara (R) 21R, 11D 51R, 49D 11R, 6D
1936 David H. Crowley (R)
1937 Frank Murphy (D) Leo J. Nowicki (D) Leon D. Case (D) Raymond Wesley Starr (D) George T. Gundry (D) 17D, 15R 60D, 40R Prentiss M. Brown (D) 9R, 8D
1938
1939 Frank Fitzgerald (R) Luren Dickinson (R) Harry Kelly (R) Thomas Read (R) Miller Dunckel (D) Vernon J. Brown (R) 23R, 9D 73R, 27D 12R, 5D
Luren Dickinson (R) Matilda Dodge Wilson (R)
1940 Willkie/
McNary (R) Red X
1941 Murray Van Wagoner (D) Frank Murphy (D) Herbert J. Rushton (R) Theodore I. Fry (D) G. Donald Kennedy (R) 22R, 10D 68R, 32D 11R, 6D
1942
1943 Harry Kelly (R) Eugene C. Keyes (R) Herman H. Dignan (R) D. Hale Brake (R) Lloyd B. Reid (D) 25R, 7D 74R, 26D Homer S. Ferguson (R) 12R, 5D
1944 Charles M. Zeigler (R) Roosevelt/
Truman (D) Green tick
1945 Vernon J. Brown (R) John R. Dethmers (R) John D. Morrison (R) 24R, 8D 66R, 34D 11R, 6D
1946 Foss O. Eldred (R)
1947 Kim Sigler (R) Eugene C. Keyes (R) Frederick M. Alger Jr. (R) Eugene F. Black (R) Murl K. Aten (R) 28R, 4D 95R, 5D 14R, 3D
1948 Dewey/
Warren (R) Red X
1949 G. Mennen Williams (D) John W. Connolly (D) Stephen John Roth (D) 23R, 9D 61R, 39D 13R, 4D
1950 12R, 5D
1951 William C. Vandenberg (R) Frank Millard (R) John B. Martin (R) 25R, 7D 66R, 34D Blair Moody (D) 12R, 5D
1952 Eisenhower/
Nixon (R) Green tick
1953 Clarence A. Reid (R) Owen Cleary (R) 24R, 8D Charles E. Potter (R) 13R, 5D
1954
1955 Philip Hart (D) James M. Hare (D) Thomas M. Kavanagh (D) Sanford Brown (D) Victor Targonski (D) 23R, 11D 59R, 51D Patrick V. McNamara (D) 11R, 7D
1956
1957 Frank S. Szymanski (D) John C. Mackie (D) 61R, 49D 12R, 6D
1958 Paul L. Adams (D)
1959 John Swainson (D) Otis M. Smith (D) 22R, 12D 55R, 55D Philip Hart (D) 11R, 7D
1960 Kennedy/
Johnson (D) Green tick
1961 John Swainson (D) T. John Lesinski (D) Billie S. Farnum (D) 56R, 54D 11R, 7D
1962 Frank J. Kelley (D)
1963 George W. Romney (R) 23R, 11D 58R, 52D 11R, 8D
1964 Johnson/
Humphrey (D) Green tick
Year Governor Lieutenant
Governor		 Secretary
of State		 Attorney General Treasurer Auditor
General		 Highway
Commissioner		 State Senate State House U.S. Senator
(Class I)		 U.S. Senator
(Class II)		 U.S. House Electoral votes
Executive offices State Legislature United States Congress!

In 1963, the Michigan Constitution was rewritten, modifying the statewide elected positions.

1965–present

Year Executive offices State Legislature United States Congress Electoral votes
Governor Lieutenant
Governor		 Secretary
of State		 Attorney
General		 State Senate State House U.S. Senator
(Class I)		 U.S. Senator
(Class II)		 U.S. House
1965 George W. Romney (R) William Milliken (R) James M. Hare (D) Frank J. Kelley (D) 23D, 15R 73D, 37R Philip Hart (D) Patrick V. McNamara (D) 12D, 7R Lyndon B. Johnson/
Hubert Humphrey (D) Green tick
1966 Robert P. Griffin (R)
1967 20R, 18D 56R, 54D 12R, 7D
1968 Hubert Humphrey/
Edmund Muskie (D) Red X
1969 William Milliken (R) vacant 57D, 53R
1970 Thomas F. Schweigert (R)
1971 James H. Brickley (R) Richard H. Austin (D) 19R, 19D 58D, 52R
1972 Richard Nixon/
Spiro Agnew (R) Green tick
1973 60D, 50R
1974 11R, 8D
1975 James Damman (R) 24D, 14R 66D, 44R 12D, 7R
1976 Gerald Ford/
Bob Dole (R) Red X
1977 68D, 42R Donald Riegle (D) 11D, 8R
1978
1979 James H. Brickley (R) 70D, 40R Carl Levin (D) 13D, 6R
1980 Ronald Reagan/
George H. W. Bush (R) Green tick
1981 64D, 46R 12D, 7R
1982
1983 James J. Blanchard (D) Martha Griffiths (D) 20D, 18R 63D, 47R 12D, 6R
1984 20R, 18D
1985 57D, 53R 11D, 7R
1986
1987 64D, 46R
1988 George H. W. Bush/
Dan Quayle (R) Green tick
1989 61D, 49R
1990
1991 John Engler (R) Connie Binsfeld (R)
1992 Bill Clinton/
Al Gore (D) Green tick
1993 22R, 16D 55R, 55D 10D, 6R
1994
1995 Candice Miller (R) 56R, 54D Spencer Abraham (R) 9D, 7R
1996
1997 52R, 58D 10D, 6R
1998
1999 Dick Posthumus (R) Jennifer Granholm (D) 23R, 15D 58R, 52D
2000 Al Gore/
Joe Lieberman (D) Red X
2001 59R, 51D Debbie Stabenow (D) 9D, 7R
2002
2003 Jennifer Granholm (D) John D. Cherry (D) Terri Lynn Land (R) Mike Cox (R) 22R, 16D 62R, 48D 9R, 6D
2004 John Kerry/
John Edwards (D) Red X
2005 58R, 52D
2006
2007 21R, 17D 58D, 52R
2008 Barack Obama/
Joe Biden (D) Green tick
2009 21R, 16D 67D, 43R 8D, 7R
2010 22R, 16D
2011 Rick Snyder (R) Brian Calley (R) Ruth Johnson (R) Bill Schuette (R) 26R, 12D 63R, 47D 9R, 6D
2012 64R, 46D
2013 59R, 50D, 1I 9R, 5D
2014
2015 27R, 11D 63R, 47D Gary Peters (D)
2016 Donald Trump/
Mike Pence (R) Green tick
2017
2018
2019 Gretchen Whitmer (D) Garlin Gilchrist (D) Jocelyn Benson (D) Dana Nessel (D) 22R, 16D 58R, 52D 7R, 7D
7D, 6R, 1I/L
2020 Joe Biden/
Kamala Harris (D) Green tick
2021 7R, 7D
2022
57R, 53D
2023 20D, 18R 56D, 54R 7D, 6R
2024 54D, 54R
Year Governor Lieutenant
Governor		 Secretary
of State		 Attorney
General		 State Senate State House U.S. Senator
(Class I)		 U.S. Senator
(Class II)		 U.S. House Electoral votes
Executive offices State Legislature United States Congress
Key to party colors and abbreviations for elected officials
Democratic (D) National Union (NU) Progressive (Prog) Republican (R) Whig (W)
  1. Until 1851, elections were held in odd number years; since that time, they have been held in even number years, on the first Tuesday in November, coincident with other national and state elections. Winners are now sworn in on January 1. Governors were elected to two year terms from 1837 until 1966 when the term was set at four years. Effective with the 2003 retirement of John Engler, governors are subject to a lifetime term limit of two four year terms.
  2. State Treasurers are listed for the time period when it was an elective office, (1850–1963).
  3. Elected a Democratic as Speaker, Charles Whipple.
  4. Michigan participated in the 1836 election but had not yet been formally admitted to the Union as a state due to a boundary dispute with Ohio.
  5. A Democrat until 1854, Manning became a Republican because of the Republican Party's anti slavery position.
  6. Resigned to take an elected seat in the U.S. Senate.
  7. As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term.
  8. First elected treasurer
  9. Effective with the Constitution of 1850, terms for Senator were increased to two years.
  10. Effective with the Constitution of 1850, terms for Representative were increased to two years.
  11. After a new state constitution was drafted in 1850, McClelland was elected to a single one-year term in 1851. He was then re-elected to a full two-year term in 1852 but resigned to become United States Secretary of the Interior.
  12. Democrat, then Republican after 1854
  13. Ran on the first Republican state ticket in 1854
  14. Republican after 1854, Whig before that.
  15. Removed from office.
  16. Removed from office
  17. Initially appointed to fill vacancy; later elected in his own right.
  18. Indicted on 48 charges of embezzlement.
  19. Indicted for bribery in 1994 but the case ended when the star witness, Sen. Warren G. Hooper was murdered.
  20. Died in office
  21. Due to a change in rules, Republicans organized the chamber on a 55-54 vote and elected a Speaker, Don R. Pears, of their party when a Democrat, Josephine Hunsinger, left for an emergency appendectomy.
  22. Resigned to become United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
  23. Effective with the Constitution of 1964, senators started to be elected to four-year terms, all at the same election. This went into effect at the 1966 election.
  24. The 1966 Midterms yielded a 55-55 split, but the Republicans prevailed on a Democrat to skip on the vote for Speaker and be able to organize the chamber on a 55-54 vote due to a rule change, like was done in 1959. Robert E. Waldron became Speaker, and the Republicans ran the chamber. The Democrat, E.D. O'Brien, became a Republican for the purposes of composition for the rest of the session.
  25. As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term and was later elected in his own right.
  26. The Republicans organized the Senate with the tie-breaking vote of the Lt. Governor.
  27. Donald Riegle switched parties from Republican to Democratic on February 27, 1973.
  28. Two Democratic Senators, David Serotkin and Phil Mastin, were recalled after a tax hike during the legislative session earlier in the year. The recalls flipped the chamber to the Republicans.
  29. A power-sharing agreement was negotiated between the Democrats and Republicans to control the chamber.
  30. Sen. Mark Schauer resigned his 19th District seat to take office as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
  31. Mike Nofs won the special election to take Schauer's seat, flipping the seat to the Republicans.
  32. Rep. Roy Schmidt switched parties from Democratic to Republican on May 15, 2012.
  33. U.S. Rep. Justin Amash switched parties from Republican to Independent on July 4, 2019, then became a Libertarian from April 2020 until the end of his term.
  34. Carol Glanville won a special election in the 74th district on May 3, 2022, flipping the seat from Republican to Democratic.

See also