★ Macomb Township Ballot Guide — November 3, 2026 ★
Macomb Township · Macomb County, Michigan · State General Election
Other Macomb communities: see the full list.
Which districts cover Macomb Township
- U.S. House: District 9 / 10
- State Senate: District 24
- State House: District 60 / 59
- School districts: Chippewa Valley Schools (school board race on the ballot), New Haven Community Schools (school board race on the ballot), Utica Community Schools (school board race on the ballot), L'Anse Creuse Public Schools (school board race on the ballot)
- District court: 41A District Court
Where a community is split, the district listed first covers the most land. To see exactly which districts you're in, look up your sample ballot at mvic.sos.state.mi.us.
The proposals: what each one costs and what it pays for
Property-tax millages are charged on your taxable value, which is shown on your tax bill and is usually about half of what your home would sell for. A mill is $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value.
| Proposal | Rate | Your cost at $50K taxable | At $75K taxable | Raises countywide, year 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMART transit millage | 0.94 mill | $47.00 / yr | $70.50 / yr | $39,204,999 |
| Detroit Zoo millage | 0.10 mill | $5.00 / yr | $7.50 / yr | $3,845,426 |
| Veterans' millage | 0.069 mill | $3.45 / yr | $5.18 / yr | $2,877,813 |
| All three millages | 1.109 mills | $55.45 / yr | $83.18 / yr | $45,928,238 |
Dollar figures are from the official ballot language. The per-household math is the rate × taxable value. All three millages replace or renew taxes Macomb County residents already pay.
Proposal 2026-1 — Call a constitutional convention
What it is: Elect 148 delegates in 2027 (one per state House and Senate district) to meet in Lansing and draft a general revision of Michigan's 1963 Constitution. Voters would then accept or reject the result within 90 days after the convention ends. The constitution requires this question every 16 years. Voters rejected it in 1978, 1994 and 2010.
What it would cost (Senate Fiscal Agency estimates):
- About $10.2 million if it costs what the 1961 convention cost, adjusted for inflation.
- Other comparisons put it at $0.85 million to $3.9 million per month for as long as it runs. There's no set length.
- Delegate pay: $148,000 to $1.1 million.
- Elections: $0 extra if they're held on regular election dates, or up to $60.9 million if three special statewide elections are needed (about $20.3 million each).
What the money pays for: Delegate salaries, staff, legal counsel, a meeting space and the elections. The convention sets and approves its own budget.
A YES vote means delegates are elected in 2027 and a convention begins. A NO vote means the 1963 Constitution stays as it is, and the question returns in 2042.
Supporters say it's a chance to modernize and streamline a constitution that has been amended dozens of times, and to reform the education system, the budget process and government structure.
Opponents say it costs millions with no guaranteed result. They also say special interests could push major changes, including reversing recent voter-approved amendments, and the uncertainty could hurt business. The Small Business Association of Michigan and the bipartisan coalition Protect MI Constitution oppose it.
Proposal 2026-2 — Ban some groups' campaign donations and expand ad rules
What it is: An initiated law that would:
- Ban regulated electric and gas utilities, companies with more than $250,000 a year in government contracts, and people or groups "substantially connected" to them from donating to officials whose offices affect them (such as the Governor, Attorney General and state legislators) and candidates for those offices.
- Apply donor-disclosure rules to ads that name or "clearly identify" a candidate or ballot question, even if the ad doesn't say how to vote. Spending of $5,000 or more must be reported.
- Require "paid for by" disclaimers on internet political ads.
- Penalties: civil fines on utilities of up to 10 times the contribution, and misdemeanors (up to 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine) for some violations.
What it would cost: The Senate Fiscal Agency calls it a "minor" cost. If enforcement caseloads grow, the Attorney General and Secretary of State could each need extra staff at about $145,700 per position per year, plus unknown court and jail costs. Fines collected go to local libraries.
A YES vote adopts the new law. A NO vote keeps current campaign-finance law.
Supporters (Michiganders for Money Out of Politics) say utilities and state contractors donating to the officials who approve their rates and contracts is a conflict of interest. They note that 38 states already require online ad disclaimers and Michigan doesn't.
Opponents (Protect MI Free Speech and the Detroit Regional Chamber) say it singles out specific businesses and limits their political speech. They expect costly court challenges under Citizens United v. FEC.
Veterans' Millage — 0.069 mill, 4 years (2027–2030)
What it is: Renews the current veterans' tax, which expires in 2026. It also restores 0.0017 mill that state law (a "Headlee rollback") had cut when property values rose.
What it costs: $3.45 a year on $50,000 of taxable value. It raises about $2.88 million countywide in the first year.
What the money pays for: Financial aid and services for Macomb County veterans, and running the county Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Affairs Commission.
A YES vote continues the tax through 2030. A NO vote ends it after 2026, and this dedicated veterans' funding stops unless the county pays for it another way.
Public Transportation (SMART) Millage — 0.94 mill, 5 years (2027–2031)
What it is: A new 0.94-mill tax that replaces the 0.95-mill SMART tax expiring after 2026, so the rate is slightly lower than today's.
What it costs: $47 a year on $50,000 of taxable value. It raises about $39.2 million countywide in the first year, roughly $196 million over five years.
What the money pays for: SMART bus service, paratransit for older adults and people with disabilities, and public transit for the general public. Each participating city and township gets 12.5% of what its own residents pay, for local transit services.
A YES vote continues SMART funding through 2031. A NO vote ends this funding after 2026. Macomb voters have approved a SMART millage since 1995, most recently with 65% in 2022.
Detroit Zoo Millage (Macomb County Zoological Authority) — 0.10 mill, 10 years (2028–2037)
What it is: Renews the zoo tax first approved in 2008 and renewed in 2016. It renews 0.0922 mill and restores the 0.0078 mill that a Headlee rollback had cut, for a total of 0.10 mill, the originally approved rate.
What it costs: $5 a year on $50,000 of taxable value. It raises about $3.85 million from Macomb County in the first year.
What the money pays for: Care for more than 2,000 animals of 200 species, educational and senior programs, and facility maintenance at the Detroit Zoo. The funds are independently audited every year.
A YES vote continues the tax from 2028 through 2037. A NO vote ends Macomb County's zoo millage when the current one expires.
Local proposals in Macomb Township
School and village proposals appear only on ballots of homes inside that school district or village.
School Safety & Improvement Bond — $288,000,000, up to 25 years
What it is: Lets the district borrow up to $288 million.
What it costs: The district projects no increase in its debt tax rate: 0 mills in the first year, with the total debt levy staying at or below 8.64 mills, the 2026 level. The new bonds alone average 2.47 mills a year over their life. The district expects to borrow $31.1 million more from the state's School Bond Loan Program, plus about $20.6 million in interest.
What the money pays for: Security (cameras, keyless entry, emergency communications, fire alarms, generators); renovating schools, career-tech spaces, athletic fields and playgrounds; classroom technology; a replacement elementary school and additions; school buses. By law the money can't pay salaries or routine maintenance.
A YES vote approves the borrowing. A NO vote rejects it.
Partisan races
Candidates are listed in ballot order where known. Issue positions come from each candidate's own campaign materials, debates and news coverage (sources at the bottom). "Not found in public sources" means we couldn't find a stated position, not that the candidate has none.
Governor & Lieutenant Governor
- Jocelyn Benson & Winnie Brinks (D): Benson is Michigan's Secretary of State. Brinks is the State Senate Majority Leader.
- John James & Jay DeBoyer (R): James is the U.S. Representative for the 10th District, a West Point graduate, a former Army Apache pilot and a businessman.
- Anthony Hudson & Beau Parmenter (Libertarian) · Donna Brandenburg & Robert Cowper II (U.S. Taxpayers) · Douglas Campbell & Bobbie Clay (Green)
Polls: the RealClearPolling average (Sept. 24–Oct. 18) has Benson 49.8%, James 43.5%. Marist (Oct. 15–18) has Benson +6 among likely voters. The minor-party candidates are each around 2%.
| Issue | Benson (D) | James (R) |
|---|---|---|
| Taxes | $5,000 tax credit for family caregivers. Supports suspending the federal gas tax. | Cut the 4.25% state income tax by 25% in year one as a start toward phasing it out. Lower property and gas taxes. A full audit of state spending. Supports suspending the federal gas tax. |
| Cost of living & energy | Lower the costs of health care, housing, electricity and childcare, and raise wages. | "All of the above" energy, including nuclear and natural gas. Repeal the state clean-energy mandate. |
| Data centers | Pause new data centers. Require community negotiation, water protections and payment for the power they use. No tax breaks that don't benefit communities. | Pause new data centers until residents are protected. Repeal PA 233 to restore local control over siting. |
| Education | Raise educator pay, invest in early childhood, replace the school funding formula. | Opt into the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit, focus on third-grade reading, expand skilled trades. |
| Health care | Medical billing transparency. Stop prescription drug price gouging. | Hold insurers accountable. Protect Medicaid for those it's meant for and penalize fraud. |
| Abortion | Supported 2022's Proposal 3, which put abortion rights in the state constitution. | Said "I am 100% pro-life" (2018). In 2024 said Michigan voters had "already decided" the issue with Proposal 3. |
Secretary of State
- Garlin Gilchrist II (D): Michigan's Lieutenant Governor.
- Anthony G. Forlini (R): Macomb County Clerk.
- Christine Sloan (L) · Scott Aughney (UST) · Eric Borregard (G)
Poll: Mitchell Research (early October) has Gilchrist 41%, Forlini 36%.
| Issue | Gilchrist (D) | Forlini (R) |
|---|---|---|
| Voter rolls & the federal government | Would not give the unredacted voter roll to the Trump administration. | Wants cleaner voter rolls and would work with the federal government to find noncitizens on them. Didn't give a yes or no on handing over the roll. |
| Citizenship checks | Not found in public sources | Self-reporting citizenship when registering isn't enough. Says the government "has some responsibility" to verify it. |
| Branch offices | Walk-in option alongside appointments, more self-service kiosks, more mobile Secretary of State units. | Review office processes, cross-train staff, answer phones reliably, allow walk-ins. |
| Transparency | Disclose "dark money" before elections, enforce campaign-finance violations in real time, fix the state's campaign-finance system. | Cites Macomb's Ballot Verifier, which posts an image of every ballot cast. Keep more election records with chain of custody. |
Attorney General
- Eli Savit (D): Washtenaw County Prosecutor.
- Doug Lloyd (R): Eaton County Prosecutor.
- Jason Dye (L) · John Ludtke Jr. (UST) · Jeff Polonowski (G) · Doug Dern (Natural Law)
Poll: Mitchell Research (early October) has it tied, 36%–36%.
| Issue | Savit (D) | Lloyd (R) |
|---|---|---|
| Gun laws | Supports red-flag laws, which let a court temporarily remove guns from someone found to be at risk. | Repeal red-flag laws over due-process concerns. Supports "constitutional carry" (no permit needed to carry). |
| Criminal justice | As Washtenaw prosecutor: no cash bail, decriminalized psychedelics, declines some low-level offenses. Created special-victims and domestic-violence units. | Calls Savit's approach, such as his sex-work policy, "foolish and dangerous." |
| Utilities | Keep challenging utility rate hikes and data-center costs. | Not found in public sources |
| Line 5 pipeline | Keep fighting the pipeline in court. | "We need to have oil there." |
| Federal government | Clashed with Lloyd over Trump administration policies. | "If the federal government is doing something that harms the citizens of Michigan, then the attorney general better go after" it. |
U.S. Senator (open seat; Gary Peters is retiring)
- Abdul El-Sayed (D): Former Wayne County health director. He supports Medicare for All, taxing billionaire wealth, and regulating AI companies like public utilities.
- Mike Rogers (R): Former congressman, FBI agent and Army officer, and former chair of the House Intelligence Committee. He supports tax cuts for working families, rebuilding manufacturing, and health-price transparency. He opposes abortion and parts of the Affordable Care Act.
- Lydia Christensen (L) · Tim Long (UST) · Douglas Marsh (G) · Walter Kristy (Natural Law)
| Issue | El-Sayed (D) | Rogers (R) |
|---|---|---|
| Economy & taxes | Stronger unions, more research funding, anti-monopoly enforcement, end corporate tax breaks, a wealth tax on top earners. | Tax cuts for working families, rebuilding manufacturing. Blames state energy standards for high bills. Tax-free 529 withdrawals for first-home down payments. |
| Health care | Single-payer "Medicare for All," while letting workers keep supplemental union or employer coverage. | Expand TrumpRx to lower drug prices. Penalize hidden prices and unfair denials. Opposed the ACA and extending enhanced premium credits. |
| Data centers & AI | Public ownership of AI, regulating AI companies like utilities, binding rules for developers to protect electric rates. | Supports a one-year pause on new data centers. |
| Immigration | Abolish ICE. | Defends President Trump's immigration strategy. |
| President Trump | Calls Rogers a "sock puppet" for Trump. | Vows to "stand with" the president. |
U.S. Representative, 9th District
- Lisa McClain (R): Incumbent since 2021. Re-elected with 66.8% in 2024.
- Ray Pooley (D): CNC machinist and programmer.
Minor-party candidates may also appear on your ballot.
U.S. Representative, 10th District (open seat)
- Christina Bertrand Hines (D): Attorney, endorsed by EMILY's List.
- Michael Bouchard (R): U.S. Army captain. He won the GOP primary with 72%.
- Mike Saliba (L) · Kwabena Nkromo (G) · Andrea Kirby (Working Class)
Cook Political Report rates the district "Lean Republican." The district covers southern Macomb County and part of eastern Oakland County.
| Issue | Hines (D) | Bouchard (R) |
|---|---|---|
| Background | 36. Former sexual-assault and child-abuse prosecutor (Wayne and Washtenaw counties). Lives in Warren. | 32. Army veteran and National Guard captain. Lives in Rochester Hills. Son of Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard. Endorsed by President Trump. |
| Economy | Lower costs and bring jobs and infrastructure money to the district. "Both parties have left working families behind." | Lower costs through energy independence and less regulation of construction. Boost American manufacturing. |
| Taxes & Social Security | Strengthen Social Security. | Keep no tax on tips and overtime, the child tax credit, and the Social Security tax reduction. |
| Health care | Universal health care and lower costs. | Opposes a "socialized healthcare system," which he says would cost each family $10,000 a year. |
| Abortion | Protect reproductive freedom. | Not found in public sources |
| Public safety & border | Says keeping people safe is a priority. | "I stand for law enforcement." Prioritizes border enforcement and national security. |
This community is split between congressional districts 9 and 10. Your ballot shows only one, so check your sample ballot.
State Senator, 24th District (open seat)
- Doug Wozniak (R): State representative, 59th District.
- Edlira Sako (D): 2024 nominee for Macomb County Commission, 7th District.
Incumbent Ruth Johnson (R) is term-limited.
State Representative, 60th District
- Joseph Aragona (R): Incumbent. Re-elected with 62.2% in 2024.
- Amy Gray (D)
State Representative, 59th District (open seat)
- Sylvia Grot (R): Macomb County commissioner. Won the Republican primary with 49%.
- Jason Robbins (D)
Incumbent Doug Wozniak (R) is running for State Senate.
This community is split between State House districts 60 and 59. Your ballot shows only one, so check your sample ballot.
State Education & University Boards (vote for 2 in each)
- State Board of Education: Judith Pritchett (D), Tiffany Tilley (D), Terence Collins (R), Bree Moeggenberg (R), Charles Essner (L), William Mohr II (UST), Christine Schwartz (UST), Wissam Charafeddine (G), Mary Anne Hering (WC), Kelli Monroe (NL)
- University of Michigan Regents: Paul Brown (D), Amir Makled (D), Lena Epstein (R), Michael Schostak (R), Andrew Chadderdon (L), Kyle Maas (UST)
- Michigan State University Trustees: Brianna Scott (D), Kelly Tebay Zemke (D), Julie Maday (R), Roger Victory (R), Daniel Patterson (L), Will Tyler White (L), Janet Sanger (UST), John Sanger (UST), John Anthony La Pietra (G), Yaz Ozbek (WC)
- Wayne State University Governors: Shereef Akeel (D), Richard Mack (D), Andy Anuzis (R), Christa Murphy (R), Alex Avery (L), Jami Van Alstine (L), Jeff McDonald (UST), Paul Ragan (G), Suzanne Roehrig (WC), Kathleen Oakford (NL)
The State Board of Education sets statewide education policy. The university boards set tuition and budgets and hire university presidents.
County Executive
- Mark A. Hackel (D): Incumbent since the office was created in 2011, seeking a fifth term.
- Richard Moore (R): Campaigning on attracting new businesses and jobs.
The County Executive heads the county's executive branch and oversees every department except those run by other countywide elected officials.
| Issue | Hackel (D) | Moore (R) |
|---|---|---|
| Stated priorities | More than $100 million for roads, bridges and transit in 2026. A mental-health and substance-use intake center. More senior services. Former county sheriff, county executive since 2011. | "Common sense politics and constitutional values." Attracting new businesses and jobs. Hadn't answered the MLive or League of Women Voters questionnaires as of Oct. 9. |
Nonpartisan section
Justice of the Supreme Court (vote for 2)
No party appears on the ballot, but the parties nominate these candidates at their conventions.
- Megan Kathleen Cavanagh: Incumbent and Chief Justice. Nominated by the Democratic Party.
- Noah P. Hood: Incumbent, appointed in 2025. Nominated by the Democratic Party.
- Thomas W. Howe: Nominated by the U.S. Taxpayers Party.
- Casandra Morse-Bills: Presiding judge, 23rd Circuit (Oscoda County). Nominated by the Republican Party.
- Michael Warren: Oakland County Circuit Judge. Nominated by the Republican Party.
- Jody White: Nominated by the U.S. Taxpayers Party.
Other judges
- Court of Appeals (vote for 2): Sima Patel and Christopher Trebilcock, incumbents running unopposed.
- 16th Circuit Court, incumbent seats (vote for 4): Julie Gatti, Tanya Grillo, James Maceroni and Matthew Switalski, incumbents running unopposed.
- 16th Circuit Court, open seat (vote for 1): James L. Spagnuolo or Genevieve L. Taylor.
- Macomb County Probate Court: Sara A. Schimke, an incumbent running unopposed.
- 41A District Court: Annemarie Marino Lepore, incumbent, running unopposed.
Community college & school boards
- Macomb Community College Trustees (vote for 3): countywide, every Macomb voter.
- School board races: Chippewa Valley Schools, New Haven Community Schools, Utica Community Schools, L'Anse Creuse Public Schools. You vote only in the school district your home is in.
These are nonpartisan races. Look up your sample ballot for the candidates, and check their own statements for their positions.
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How and where to vote
- Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Early in-person voting: Saturday, Oct. 24 through Sunday, Nov. 1. Locations: Macomb County early voting.
- Your polling place, sample ballot and absentee ballot status: mvic.sos.state.mi.us.