2026 Primary Election Results

One of the nation’s most closely watched election races was too close to call as of press time 3am Wednesday, with Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in a neck-and-neck race in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s open Senate seat with 91 percent of votes counted.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Rep. John James will vie for governor this fall, U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman and Callie Barr will have a repeat of their 2024 fight for Michigan’s 1st Congressional District, the Village of Fife Lake rejected disincorporating, and several local millage proposals passed in The Ticker’s look at state and local primary results.

State Results
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson handily defeated primary opponent Christopher Swanson to clinch the Democratic nomination in the governor’s race Tuesday. “I'm so proud to be your Democratic nominee for governor of Michigan,” she posted on Facebook. “I'm ready to fight for your future – costs down, wages up, rights protected, and a government that works for all of us.”

Benson will face Republican nominee Rep. John James for the office being vacated by term-limited Governor Gretchen Whitmer. James, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, fended off opponent Perry Johnson to secure his party’s nod. “THANK YOU, MICHIGAN!” James posted. “Because of YOU, we’re one step closer to bringing common sense back to our state. But we’re not done yet. 90 DAYS UNTIL WE SAVE OUR STATE FROM SOCIALISM!”

In one of the most closely watched races in the country, Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens were in a neck-and-neck race in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s open Senate seat with 91 percent of votes counted. El-Sayed led by roughly 25,000 votes. Both candidates gave speeches to their supporters acknowledging the tight contest. “We knew that this was going to be a close race, and that's exactly what we've got,” Stevens said, adding she was “feeling good about” the outcome. El-Sayed said that despite being vastly outspent, his campaign was built on a movement “to take our politics back.”

Whichever candidate succeeds will face Mike Rogers, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary. The battleground race is considered a crucial one this fall as Republicans seek to flip a Senate seat held by Democratic Senator Gary Peters, who opted not to seek a third term.

In Michigan’s 1st Congressional District, incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman will once again appear on the November ballot after defeating primary challengers Justin Michal and Matthew DenOtter. He’ll face Democratic challenger Callie Barr in a repeat of their 2024 race. “Republican voters made it clear that they want results, not distractions,” Bergman’s campaign posted. “Together, we’ve delivered for the First District by fighting for our Veterans, securing our border, lowering taxes, strengthening our military, defending our constitutional freedoms, and standing shoulder to shoulder with President Trump to advance the America First agenda.”

Barr won the Democratic nomination over rivals Kyle Blomquist and Wayne Stiles, whom she thanked for running. She posted her campaign “is about fighting for a future that includes all of us. We’ve said enough is enough to doing more with less. To being abandoned by an absent congressman. And we’ve brought together people who instead of stepping back, stepped up…now, we move forward. Together. It’s time for a change.”

In Michigan’s 37th Senate district, where incumbent Republican State Sen. John Damoose was unchallenged in the primary and heads to the November ballot, Kate Gallup of Cedar handily clinched the Democratic nomination over opponent Traverse City Commissioner Mitch Treadwell. Both were newcomers to state office races. In the 103rd House District, incumbent Democrat Rep. Betsy Coffia and Republican challenger Edwin Dean both ran unopposed in their parties and advanced to November. Similarly, in the 104th House District, incumbent Republican Rep. John Roth and Democratic challenger Mitchell Ryan Distin ran unopposed and also advanced to November.

According to a release from Michigan Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie, prior to polls opening Tuesday the number of mail ballots returned statewide “outpaced the total number of mail ballots submitted for the entire primary election in August 2022. More than 1.3 million voters cast their ballot before polls opened this morning, including over 139,000 voters who cast it at their early voting site. Because of Michigan’s same-day voter registration law, more than 2,800 Michigan residents registered to vote and cast a ballot at their local clerk’s office on Election Day.”

Election officials will now begin canvassing results and “reviewing all election processes to confirm accuracy and correct clerical mistakes,” the release states. “Bipartisan boards of county canvassers oversee this process, conduct any recounts, and are required under law to certify the amended results by Tuesday, August 18. The Board of State Canvassers then conducts its own review of the processes and accuracy of the elections, and must vote to certify the results by Monday, August 24. After the Board of State Canvassers certifies, the primary election results are final and official.”

Local Results
Fife Lake Village residents rejected disincorporating Tuesday, preserving their village form of government with 52 percent opposed and 48 percent in support. Had the history-making initiative passed, the village would have ceased to exist as a legal entity. Such an outcome would have had significant implications for other local units of government, which would have taken over ownership or management of the village’s assets. State law required the proposal to pass by a two-thirds margin (of ballots cast, not of the total electorate), a high barrier to clear.

In Grant and Paradise townships, voters passed millage renewals for their emergency services, restoring funding levels that had been reduced through Headlee rollbacks. Green Lake Township voters similarly approved two millage funding proposals related to emergency services to address Headlee rollbacks.

Voters also approved non-homestead operating millages for Buckley Community Schools and Kingsley Area Schools. The 18-mill levies – which districts are required to levy on properties like businesses, second homes, and rental properties in order to receive their full foundation allowance from the state – provide funding for general costs like staff, curriculum materials, and building operations.