The governor in Lansing, the two senators and thirteen representatives in Washington, the seven justices, the mayor and council at Detroit’s City Hall, and the people at the head of the carmakers, the teams and the museums. Each one with a photo, where they come from and what the job actually does. The November 3, 2026 election changes a lot of names in January, so every seat shows who holds it today and who takes over, and the page switches on the day itself.
State canvass certifies the result (by the end of November)
Governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general and the justices start their terms
The new Congress meets in Washington
No match. Try a last name or a town.
01
Lansing: who runs the state?
Michigan’s four statewide officers are elected for four years and may serve two terms. The governor signs or vetoes every bill and commands the state’s National Guard; the secretary of state runs elections and the offices where you get a driver’s license and plates; the attorney general is the state’s lawyer. On January 1, 2027, all four seats get a new holder.
Governor of Michigan
Gretchen WhitmerDemocratsince 2019 · until January 1, 2027
Michigan's governor since 2019, a Lansing native raised in Grand Rapids, hands over on January 1, 2027.
IncomingJocelyn BensonDemocratfrom January 1, 2027
Won the governor's race on November 3, 2026 and takes office January 1, 2027, succeeding Gretchen Whitmer.
Who are they?
Gretchen Whitmer Governor of Michigan
Born August 23, 1971, in Lansing and raised in Grand Rapids, Gretchen Whitmer earned both her communication degree and her law degree at Michigan State University. She served in the Michigan House from 2001 to 2006 and in the state Senate from 2006 to 2015, leading Senate Democrats from 2011. Michiganders elected her governor in 2018 and again in 2022; Jocelyn Benson succeeds her on January 1, 2027.
Sources: 123 · Checked November 9, 2026 Photo: LBJLibraryNow · Public domain
Jocelyn Benson Governor-elect of Michigan
Benson, Michigan's Secretary of State since 2019, defeated Republican John James on November 3, 2026, as the Associated Press called the race early on November 4. She runs with Lieutenant Governor-elect Winnie Brinks and takes office on January 1, 2027, when Gretchen Whitmer leaves after two terms.
Garlin Gilchrist IIDemocratsince 2019 · until January 1, 2027
Michigan's lieutenant governor since 2019, a former Microsoft engineer and the state's first Black one.
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IncomingWinnie BrinksDemocratfrom January 1, 2027
State Senate Majority Leader from Grand Rapids, elected lieutenant governor on November 3, 2026.
Who are they?
Garlin Gilchrist II Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
Born September 25, 1982, in Detroit, Garlin Gilchrist II grew up in Farmington and earned a University of Michigan engineering degree in 2005. He spent four years at Microsoft building SharePoint, then worked at MoveOn.org and from July 2014 led innovation and emerging technology for Detroit city government, where he created the Improve Detroit app. He became Michigan's first African American lieutenant governor on January 1, 2019.
Sources: 12 · Checked November 9, 2026 Photo: City of Detroit · Public domain
Winnie Brinks Lieutenant Governor-elect of Michigan
Born February 17, 1968, in Mount Vernon, Washington, Winnie Brinks studied Spanish at Calvin College and ran One Way House, a Grand Rapids residential program for women offenders. She won a 2012 write-in primary to enter the Michigan House, moved to the state Senate in 2019 and in 2023 became its Majority Leader, the first woman in that job. Jocelyn Benson picked her as running mate on August 19, 2026; she takes office January 1, 2027.
Jocelyn BensonDemocratsince 2019 · until January 1, 2027
Michigan's 43rd Secretary of State since 2019, the ex-Wayne State law dean elected governor on Nov. 3, 2026.
IncomingGarlin Gilchrist IIDemocratfrom January 1, 2027
Won the Secretary of State race on Nov. 3, 2026; takes office January 1, 2027, succeeding Jocelyn Benson.
Who are they?
Jocelyn Benson Michigan Secretary of State
Born October 22, 1977, in Pittsburgh, Jocelyn Benson studied at Wellesley, Oxford as a Marshall Scholar and Harvard Law. In 2012 she became dean of Wayne State University Law School at age 36, the youngest woman to lead an accredited U.S. law school. Michigan's 43rd Secretary of State since January 1, 2019, she runs the state's driver's licenses, vehicle titles and elections; Garlin Gilchrist II takes over the office on January 1, 2027.
Garlin Gilchrist II Secretary of State-elect of Michigan
Gilchrist dropped out of the governor's race on January 12, 2026, and ran for Secretary of State instead. The Associated Press called it for him on November 4, 2026, over Republican Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini. He takes over the office that handles Michigan licenses, titles and elections on January 1, 2027.
Sources: 123 · Checked November 9, 2026 Photo: City of Detroit · Public domain
Attorney General of Michigan
Dana NesselDemocratsince 2019 · until January 1, 2027
Michigan's 54th Attorney General since 2019, the first openly LGBTQ person elected statewide in Michigan.
IncomingEli SavitDemocratfrom January 1, 2027
Washtenaw County prosecutor and ex-Supreme Court clerk, elected Attorney General on November 3, 2026.
Who are they?
Dana Nessel Attorney General of Michigan
Born April 19, 1969, in West Bloomfield Township, Dana Nessel graduated from West Bloomfield High School in 1987, the University of Michigan in 1990 and Wayne State Law in 1994. She spent eleven years as a Wayne County assistant prosecutor, then argued for the plaintiffs in DeBoer v. Snyder, Michigan's same-sex marriage case. Elected in 2018, she became the 54th Attorney General on January 1, 2019; Eli Savit succeeds her on January 1, 2027.
Born in Ann Arbor, Eli Savit holds a Kalamazoo College degree and a magna cum laude law degree from the University of Michigan. He clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O'Connor, worked as senior legal counsel to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, and has been Washtenaw County prosecutor since January 2, 2021. He beat Republican Doug Lloyd, the Eaton County prosecutor, and takes office on January 1, 2027.
Every state sends two senators for six-year terms, staggered so the two seats come up in different years. They vote on federal laws, confirm federal judges and cabinet members, and ratify treaties.
U.S. Senator from Michigan
Elissa SlotkinDemocratsince 2025
U.S. senator since January 3, 2025, a former CIA analyst and Pentagon official from a farm in Holly.
Who is this?
Elissa Slotkin U.S. Senator from Michigan
Born July 10, 1976, in New York City, Elissa Slotkin grew up on a family farm in Holly and studied at Cornell and Columbia. She joined the CIA in 2002 as an Iraq analyst, later served on the National Security Council and was acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs from 2015 to 2017. She represented Michigan in the U.S. House from 2019 to 2025 before moving to the Senate; she becomes Michigan's senior senator on January 3, 2027.
Gary PetersDemocratsince 2015 · until January 3, 2027
U.S. senator since January 3, 2015, a Navy Reserve veteran not seeking a third term; leaves January 3, 2027.
IncomingAbdul El-SayedDemocratfrom January 3, 2027
Doctor and ex-Detroit health director, elected U.S. senator on November 3, 2026; sworn in January 3, 2027.
Who are they?
Gary Peters U.S. Senator from Michigan
Born December 1, 1958, in Pontiac, Gary Peters grew up in Oakland County and served in the Navy Reserve from 1993 to 2008, reaching lieutenant commander. He was a financial advisor for about 22 years, sat in the Michigan Senate from 1995 to 2002, ran the state lottery from 2003 to 2008 and served in the U.S. House from 2009 to 2015. He announced on January 28, 2025, that he would not seek reelection; Abdul El-Sayed succeeds him.
Sources: 12 · Checked November 9, 2026 Photo: Peters.House.Gov · Public domain
Abdul El-Sayed U.S. Senator-elect from Michigan
Born October 31, 1984, in Rochester Hills, Abdul El-Sayed earned a University of Michigan degree, a public health doctorate at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and an M.D. at Columbia. He ran the Detroit Health Department from 2015 to 2017 and the Wayne County health and human services department from 2023 to 2025. He won the August 4, 2026, primary by 48.4% to 47.6% over Haley Stevens, then beat Mike Rogers; he will be the first Muslim U.S. senator.
Each of Michigan’s 13 districts elects a member of the U.S. House every two years, roughly 775,000 people per district. On January 3, 2027, five of the thirteen seats get a new face.
1the Upper Peninsula and the northern Lower Peninsula
Jack BergmanRepublicansince 2017
Retired Marine three-star general who has held the Upper Peninsula seat since 2017
Who is this?
Jack Bergman U.S. Representative, Michigan's 1st District
Bergman was born in Shakopee, Minnesota, and flew Marine Corps helicopters and transports before retiring as a lieutenant general who had commanded Marine Forces Reserve. He settled near Watersmeet in the U.P. and won the House seat in 2016. He sits on the Armed Services, Budget and Veterans' Affairs committees and was re-elected on November 3, 2026.
2Mount Pleasant, Clare and the central and western Lower Peninsula
John MoolenaarRepublicansince 2015
Midland chemist-turned-lawmaker who chairs the House Select Committee on China
Who is this?
John Moolenaar U.S. Representative, Michigan's 2nd District
Moolenaar was born in Midland on May 8, 1961, studied chemistry at Hope College, earned a Harvard public administration degree and spent eight months as a Dow Chemical chemist. He sat on the Midland City Council, then in the Michigan House and Senate, and has served in Congress since 2015. In 2026 he still chairs the House Select Committee on China. He was re-elected on November 3, 2026.
Immigration attorney and the first woman to represent Grand Rapids in Congress
Who is this?
Hillary Scholten U.S. Representative, Michigan's 3rd District
Scholten was born in Grand Rapids on February 22, 1982, and grew up in Hudsonville, where her mother taught school and her father wrote sports for The Grand Rapids Press. She worked as a housing social worker, then as a Justice Department attorney. She is the first Democrat to represent Grand Rapids since 1977, and she won another term on November 3, 2026.
4Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and the Lake Michigan shore around Holland
Bill HuizengaRepublicansince 2011 · until January 3, 2027
Ottawa County Republican in Congress since 2011, defeated on November 3, 2026
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IncomingSean McCannDemocratfrom January 3, 2027
Kalamazoo state senator who flipped the 4th District from Republican Bill Huizenga
Who are they?
Bill Huizenga U.S. Representative, Michigan's 4th District
Huizenga grew up in Ottawa County, went to Holland Christian High School and Calvin College, and co-owns the family business Huizenga Gravel in Jenison. After three terms in the Michigan House he won his congressional seat in 2010. He is vice chair of the Financial Services Committee. McCann beat him on November 3, 2026, about 50.1% to 48.3% in unofficial results; Huizenga leaves on January 3, 2027.
Sean McCann U.S. Representative, Michigan's 4th District
McCann was born on September 21, 1971, and calls Kalamazoo home. He ran the Vine Neighborhood Association, worked for the Kalamazoo Red Cross and sat on the Kalamazoo city commission for about ten years from 1999. He won the Michigan House seat in 2010, the state Senate in 2018 and beat Huizenga on November 3, 2026, about 50.1% to 48.3% in unofficial results.
5southern Michigan, including Jackson, Hillsdale and Adrian
Tim WalbergRepublicansince 2011
Former pastor from Tipton who chairs the House Education and Workforce Committee
Who is this?
Tim Walberg U.S. Representative, Michigan's 5th District
Walberg was born and raised in Chicago, pastored Grace Fellowship Church in New Haven, Indiana, from 1973 to 1977, and sat in the Michigan House from 1983 to 1998. He won a seat in Congress in 2006, lost it in 2008 and won it back in 2010. He lives in Tipton, chairs the Education and Workforce Committee and won re-election on November 3, 2026.
6Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County and western Wayne County suburbs
Debbie DingellDemocratsince 2015
Former General Motors executive who took over John Dingell's seat in 2015
Who is this?
Debbie Dingell U.S. Representative, Michigan's 6th District
Dingell graduated from Georgetown's School of Foreign Service in 1975, spent more than three decades in the auto industry, including as president of the General Motors Foundation, and chaired the Wayne State University Board of Governors. She succeeded her husband John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress in U.S. history. She lives in Ann Arbor, chairs the Great Lakes Task Force and was re-elected on November 3, 2026.
7Lansing, Ingham, Clinton, Livingston and Shiawassee counties
Tom BarrettRepublicansince 2025 · until January 3, 2027
Army helicopter veteran, in Congress since 2025, defeated on November 3, 2026
IncomingWilliam (Will) LawrenceDemocratfrom January 3, 2027
Sunrise Movement co-founder and tenant organizer who flipped the 7th District
Who are they?
Tom Barrett U.S. Representative, Michigan's 7th District
Barrett was born in Southfield on April 30, 1981, graduated from Western Michigan University and spent more than 21 years in the Army, including Iraq, Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay. He worked as a state Treasury analyst, then served in the Michigan House and Senate before winning the 7th District in 2024. Lawrence beat him about 51% to 48% on November 3, 2026; Barrett leaves on January 3, 2027.
William (Will) Lawrence U.S. Representative, Michigan's 7th District
Lawrence was born in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1990, grew up in East Lansing and studied at Swarthmore College. In 2015 he co-founded the Sunrise Movement, a climate group, and left it in 2020 to found the Mid-Michigan Tenant Resource Center. He has never held elected office. After winning the August 4, 2026 primary, he beat Tom Barrett on November 3, 2026, about 51% to 48%.
Former Head Start director and state senator from Bay City, in Congress since 2025
Who is this?
Kristen McDonald Rivet U.S. Representative, Michigan's 8th District
McDonald Rivet grew up in Portland, Michigan, with a twin sister, Karen McDonald, and studied history at Michigan State. She ran Michigan Head Start, was a vice president at the Skillman Foundation and led Greater Midlands. After the Bay City Commission and the Michigan Senate, she replaced retiring Dan Kildee in 2025 and was re-elected on November 3, 2026.
Stockbridge native who chairs the House Republican Conference, a party leadership post
Who is this?
Lisa McClain U.S. Representative, Michigan's 9th District
McClain was born and raised in Stockbridge, graduated from Stockbridge High School in 1984 and earned a business degree at Northwood University. She worked 11 years at American Express and from 1998 to 2019 at the Hantz Group. She has served in Congress since 2021 and chairs the House Republican Conference, a party leadership post. She lives in Romeo and was re-elected on November 3, 2026.
10much of Macomb County in Detroit's northeastern suburbs
John JamesRepublicansince 2023 · until January 3, 2027
West Point graduate and Apache pilot who left Congress for a lost run for governor
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IncomingChristina HinesDemocratfrom January 3, 2027
Former prosecutor from Macomb County who won John James' open 10th District seat
Who are they?
John James U.S. Representative, Michigan's 10th District
James was born in Southfield in 1981, grew up in Detroit's Palmer Woods, graduated from West Point in 2004 and flew Apache helicopters in Iraq. He later ran the family logistics firm, James Group International. He announced his run for governor on April 7, 2025, won the Republican nomination and lost to Jocelyn Benson on November 3, 2026. His House term ends January 3, 2027.
Christina Hines U.S. Representative, Michigan's 10th District
Hines was born in Detroit on December 11, 1989, and grew up in Macomb County. She prosecuted cases in the Wayne County Prosecutor's General Trials Unit, then led the special victims unit in the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office. She lost the 2024 Macomb County prosecutor race to Peter Lucido with 43%, then won the open seat on November 3, 2026, about 52.4% to 45.3% over Michael Bouchard Jr.
Haley StevensDemocratsince 2019 · until January 3, 2027
In Congress since 2019; narrowly lost the August 2026 Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed
IncomingJeremy MossDemocratfrom January 3, 2027
Southfield state senator and Senate president pro tempore, headed to Congress
Who are they?
Haley Stevens U.S. Representative, Michigan's 11th District
Stevens was born in Rochester Hills, went to Seaholm High School in Birmingham and studied at American University. In 2009 she joined the presidential task force on the auto industry and has served in Congress since 2019. She entered the Senate race in April 2025 and lost the August 4, 2026 Democratic primary narrowly to Abdul El-Sayed, whom she endorsed the next day. Her House term ends January 3, 2027.
Sources: 12 · Checked November 9, 2026 Photo: Phi Nguyen · Public domain
Jeremy Moss U.S. Representative, Michigan's 11th District
Moss was born in Detroit on June 23, 1986, and has lived in Southfield all his life. Elected to the Southfield City Council in 2011 at 25, the youngest member in its history, he went on to the Michigan House in 2014 and the state Senate in 2018. He has been Senate president pro tempore since January 11, 2023. He beat Troy Mayor Ethan Baker on November 3, 2026, and will be Michigan's first openly gay member of Congress.
12western Detroit, Dearborn and nearby Wayne County suburbs
Rashida TlaibDemocratsince 2019
Detroit-born eldest of 14 children and the first Palestinian American woman in Congress
Who is this?
Rashida Tlaib U.S. Representative, Michigan's 12th District
Tlaib was born in Detroit on July 24, 1976, the eldest of 14 children of Palestinian immigrants, and graduated from Southwestern High School, Wayne State and Cooley Law School. She won a Michigan House seat in 2008 as the first Muslim woman in that legislature. She has served in Congress since 2019 and was re-elected on November 3, 2026.
13much of Detroit and neighboring Wayne County suburbs
Shri ThanedarDemocratsince 2023 · until January 3, 2027
Chemist-entrepreneur born in India who lost the August 2026 primary
IncomingDonavan McKinneyDemocratfrom January 3, 2027
Detroit state representative who ousted Rep. Shri Thanedar in the August 2026 primary
Who are they?
Shri Thanedar U.S. Representative, Michigan's 13th District
Thanedar was born in Chikkodi, India, came to the U.S. in 1979, earned a chemistry PhD at the University of Akron and became a citizen in 1988. He bought the lab company Chemir in 1991 and built it into a business with 160 employees. He was the first Indian American to represent Michigan in Congress and lost the August 4, 2026 primary to Donavan McKinney, 51.9% to 48.1%.
Donavan McKinney U.S. Representative, Michigan's 13th District
McKinney was born on June 16, 1992, and grew up on Detroit's northeast side. He organized health care workers for a Michigan service employees union, worked at Community Development Advocates of Detroit and served as a legislative director in Lansing. He has been a Michigan state representative since January 2023. He beat Shri Thanedar in the August 4, 2026 primary, 51.9% to 48.1%, and is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Sources: 123 · Checked November 9, 2026 Photo: City of Detroit · Public domain
04
The Michigan Supreme Court
Seven justices, elected statewide for eight-year terms on a nonpartisan ballot, though the parties nominate the candidates; the justices choose their own chief justice. The court sits in the Hall of Justice in Lansing and has the last word on Michigan law.
Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
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Megan K. CavanaghNonpartisan officesince 2025
Chief Justice since April 15, 2025 and a justice since 2019; won a new term on November 3, 2026.
Who is this?
Megan K. Cavanagh Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Born July 17, 1971, in Lansing, Megan Cavanagh earned an engineering degree at the University of Michigan in 1993 and a law degree at Wayne State in 2000. She spent years as an appellate lawyer at Garan Lucow Miller, joined the Supreme Court on January 1, 2019, and her fellow justices chose her chief justice on April 15, 2025, succeeding Elizabeth Clement. Voters returned her to the bench on November 3, 2026.
Michigan Supreme Court justice since January 14, 2011, the court's longest-serving member.
Who is this?
Brian K. Zahra Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Born January 9, 1960, Brian Zahra attended Divine Child High School, Wayne State University and the University of Detroit Mercy law school, graduating in 1987. He clerked in federal court, worked at Dickinson Wright, served on the Wayne County Circuit Court from 1994 to 1998 and joined the Court of Appeals in 1999. Governor Rick Snyder appointed him to the Supreme Court in 2011, and voters elected him to an eight-year term in 2022.
Justice since January 1, 2021, a Grand Rapids lawyer who succeeded Stephen Markman.
Who is this?
Elizabeth M. Welch Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Born September 20, 1970, in Grand Rapids, Elizabeth Welch earned a Penn State degree and a law degree from Ohio State's Moritz College of Law. She practiced in Michigan and Ohio from 1995 and opened her own Grand Rapids law practice in 2004. Nominated by the Michigan Democratic Party, she won the November 3, 2020, election and took Stephen Markman's seat on January 1, 2021.
Justice since January 1, 2025, a University of Michigan law professor and former Detroit News reporter.
Who is this?
Kimberly A. Thomas Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Kimberly Thomas earned a University of Maryland degree and a Harvard law degree, both magna cum laude. She reported for The Detroit News, worked as a trial attorney with the Defender Association of Philadelphia, clerked for Sixth Circuit Judge R. Guy Cole and joined the University of Michigan Law School faculty in 2003. She took David Viviano's Supreme Court seat on January 1, 2025.
Justice since January 1, 2023, the first Black woman on the Michigan Supreme Court.
Who is this?
Kyra Harris Bolden Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Born July 31, 1988, in Southfield, Kyra Harris Bolden went through Southfield Public Schools, Grand Valley State University and the University of Detroit Mercy law school. A civil litigator, she served in the Michigan House for the 35th district from January 1, 2019, to January 1, 2023. Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed her on November 22, 2022, making her the first Black woman on the court.
Sources: 123 · Checked November 9, 2026 Photo: City of Detroit · Public domain
Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Noah P. HoodNonpartisan officesince 2025
Justice since May 27, 2025, a Detroit native and ex-federal prosecutor; won a full term on Nov. 3, 2026.
Who is this?
Noah P. Hood Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Born in Detroit in 1986, Noah Hood studied anthropology at Yale and law at Harvard. He was an assistant U.S. attorney in Ohio and Michigan, a Third Circuit Court judge in Detroit from 2019 to 2022, then a Court of Appeals judge. Governor Whitmer appointed him to the Supreme Court seat Elizabeth Clement vacated; he started May 27, 2025, and voters elected him on November 3, 2026.
Justice since January 1, 2015, legally blind since birth and a triathlete.
Who is this?
Richard H. Bernstein Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Born November 9, 1974, in Detroit, Richard Bernstein earned a University of Michigan degree in 1996 and a Northwestern law degree in 1999. He worked at his father's firm, the Law Offices of Sam Bernstein, taught as a University of Michigan adjunct and sat on the Wayne State Board of Governors. Legally blind from retinitis pigmentosa since birth, he was the first blind person to run for statewide office in Michigan and joined the Supreme Court on January 1, 2015.
38 state senators, elected for four years, and 110 state representatives, elected for two, meet in the State Capitol in Lansing. The majority in each chamber picks its leader, and the leader decides which bills reach a vote.
Michigan Senate Majority Leader
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Winnie BrinksDemocratsince 2023 · until January 1, 2027
First woman to lead the Michigan Senate; steps down to become lieutenant governor
IncomingDarrin CamilleriDemocratfrom January 1, 2027
Trenton Democrat chosen Senate Majority Leader on November 5, 2026
Who are they?
Winnie Brinks Michigan Senate Majority Leader
Winnie Brinks has led the Michigan Senate Democrats as majority leader since 2023, the first woman in that job and the first Democrat since 1984. Before politics she ran One Way House, a residential program for women leaving the criminal justice system, after a Spanish degree at Calvin College. She becomes Lieutenant Governor on January 1, 2027, so the Senate gets a new leader.
Darrin Camilleri was born in Dearborn in 1992 to a Maltese American father and a Mexican American mother. After Teach For America he taught social studies in southwest Detroit, won a House seat in 2016, and has represented the Downriver 4th Senate district since 2023. His caucus chose him as Majority Leader on November 5, 2026, with energy, housing and medicine costs as his priorities.
Matt HallRepublicansince 2025 · until January 1, 2027
Republican Speaker since January 2025; lost the caucus leadership on November 5, 2026
IncomingRanjeev PuriDemocratfrom January 1, 2027
Chosen Speaker by House Democrats on November 5, 2026; first South Asian to lead a chamber
Who are they?
Matt Hall Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives
Matt Hall, a lawyer from Richland Township, started as a House intern in 2005 and finished his law degree at Cooley in 2017. He won his House seat in 2018, led the Republican minority from 2023 and became the 79th Speaker in January 2025. On November 5, 2026, House Republicans picked Tom Kunse over him as their leader, and Democrats take the chamber in January.
Ranjeev Puri Speaker-designate of the Michigan House of Representatives
House Democrats chose Ranjeev Puri as their Speaker-designate on November 5, 2026, the day the new majority met to pick leaders. If the full House confirms him in January 2027, he will be the first person of South Asian heritage to lead either chamber of the Michigan Legislature. He replaces Republican Matt Hall.
Aric NesbittRepublicansince 2023 · until January 1, 2027
Lawton Republican who has led the Senate minority since 2023; term-limited
IncomingRoger HauckRepublicanfrom January 1, 2027
Mount Pleasant Republican chosen Senate Minority Leader on November 5, 2026
Who are they?
Aric Nesbitt Michigan Senate Minority Leader
Aric Nesbitt grew up in Lawton, studied economics at Hillsdale College and earned a master's in international business at the Norwegian School of Economics. He served in the state House, then ran the Michigan Lottery as commissioner in 2017 and 2018, and has sat in the Senate since 2019. He became minority leader in 2023 and is term-limited, so Roger Hauck takes over the Republican caucus.
Roger Hauck Senate Minority Leader-elect, Michigan Senate
Roger Hauck grew up on a beef and dairy farm, graduated from Beal City High School, and spent 24 years at the Delfield Company while co-owning a small building firm. A Union Township trustee, he served in the state House from 2017 to 2022 and has held the 34th Senate seat since 2023. Republicans chose him as their leader on November 5, 2026.
Ranjeev PuriDemocratsince 2025 · until January 1, 2027
Canton Democrat leading the House minority; Speaker-designate for 2027
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IncomingTom KunseRepublicanfrom January 1, 2027
Clare Republican who beat Matt Hall for the House GOP lead on November 5, 2026
Who are they?
Ranjeev Puri Michigan House Minority Leader
Ranjeev Puri was born around 1984 in Racine, Wisconsin, to Punjabi immigrant parents, and earned an MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School in 2014. After work on Barack Obama's campaign and in business development at Fiat-Chrysler, he won a Michigan House seat in 2020 as the first Sikh American in the Legislature's history. He has led House Democrats since January 2025.
Tom Kunse House Minority Leader-elect, Michigan House of Representatives
Tom Kunse, born in Pontiac, is a former Grant Township trustee in Clare County and runs a specialized transportation company called Northern Bulk. He has held the 100th House district since 2023. On November 5, 2026, House Republicans elected him leader over Matt Hall, and he said, "Democrats are not the enemy. Being 45th in education is the enemy."
Detroit’s mayor and nine-member City Council work in the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center on Woodward, the building behind the Spirit of Detroit statue. Seven council members represent districts and two are elected citywide; all serve four-year terms, elected in the year after a presidential election.
Mayor of Detroit
Mary SheffieldNonpartisan officesince 2026
Detroit's 76th mayor and the first woman to hold the job.
Who is this?
Mary Sheffield Mayor of Detroit
Sheffield grew up on Detroit's west side and graduated from Wayne State University in 2008. She joined the City Council at 26 in 2014, became its youngest president in 2022, then won the November 2025 mayoral election and took office on January 1, 2026. Her Project 1000 aims to build 1,000 homes by 2031.
Sources: 123 · Checked November 9, 2026 Photo: City of Detroit · Public domain
Detroit City Council President (District 1)
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James Tate Jr.Nonpartisan officesince 2026
Council president since January 5, 2026; the council's longest-serving member.
Who is this?
James Tate Jr. Detroit City Council President (District 1)
Tate has lived in Detroit's District 1 all his life. Colleagues elected him council president 5 to 4 on January 5, 2026, over Scott Benson, replacing Mary Sheffield after she became mayor. First elected in 2009, he is the council's longest-serving member and led its adult-use cannabis ordinance.
At-large council member and pro tem since January 5, 2026; son of Mayor Coleman Young.
Who is this?
Coleman Young II Detroit City Council President Pro Tem (at-large)
Young was elected pro tem 5 to 4 over Mary Waters on January 5, 2026, and presides when the president is absent. The son of Detroit Mayor Coleman Young, he grew up mostly in San Bernardino, California, returned to Detroit in 2005 and graduated from Wayne State University. He served in the state House from 2007 to 2010 and the state Senate from 2011 to 2019.
Detroit's clerk and chief elections officer since 2005.
Who is this?
Janice Winfrey Detroit City Clerk
A Detroit native and Cass Tech graduate who studied at Eastern Michigan University, Winfrey was sworn in as clerk in 2005. She runs the city's elections and keeps its records, and she founded the Detroit Archives and Records Management Division. She won another term on November 4, 2025, beating Theresa Williams and Articia Bomer.
Detroit's police chief, a 1994 patrol recruit who rose to the top.
Who is this?
Todd Bettison Chief of Police, Detroit Police Department
Bettison joined the Detroit Police Department as a patrol officer in 1994 and retired as first assistant chief before becoming deputy mayor in 2022. He became interim chief on October 25, 2024, and the City Council confirmed him in 2025. Mary Sheffield kept him in 2026, while an inspector general probe of calls he made to residents was reported in October 2026.
Sources: 1234 · Checked November 9, 2026 Photo: City of Detroit · Public domain
Executive Fire Commissioner, Detroit Fire Department
CS
Charles "Chuck" Simmssince 2021
Detroit's fire commissioner, a firefighter since 1986.
Who is this?
Charles "Chuck" Simms Executive Fire Commissioner, Detroit Fire Department
Simms joined the Detroit Fire Department in 1986 at age 19 and rose from firefighter and EMT to chief of arson and fire investigations. He became interim commissioner in December 2021 and was confirmed as permanent commissioner in 2023. Mayor Sheffield kept him on, and he plans to replace 15 to 20 aging fire stations.
Superintendent, Detroit Public Schools Community District
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Nikolai Vittisince 2017
Detroit schools chief since 2017; 2022 national superintendent of the year.
Who is this?
Nikolai Vitti Superintendent, Detroit Public Schools Community District
Vitti took over Detroit's public schools on May 23, 2017, after running Duval County schools in Jacksonville, Florida and serving at Miami-Dade schools. He studied at Wake Forest and Harvard, was named 2022 National Urban School District Superintendent of the Year, and his contract runs through June 2028. A June 2026 petition asked the board to seek his resignation.
Executive Director of Transit, Detroit Department of Transportation
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Robert Cramersince 2025
Runs Detroit's city buses; formerly general manager of the People Mover.
Who is this?
Robert Cramer Executive Director of Transit, Detroit Department of Transportation
Cramer became the city's executive director of transit on January 6, 2025, after about two and a half years as general manager of the Detroit People Mover. From 2014 to 2022 he was deputy and then acting general manager of the regional SMART bus agency, where he launched the FAST rapid routes. In March 2026 he told City Council that bus tracking needed a new system.
President and CEO, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
KJ
Kevin D. Johnsonsince 2018
Leads Detroit's economic development agency since June 2018.
Who is this?
Kevin D. Johnson President and CEO, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
Johnson has led the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation since June 2018. He has a political science and pre-law degree from South Carolina State University and previously ran the economic development program at Invest Atlanta. He helped bring Fiat Chrysler's 4.5 billion dollar investment to Detroit.
Sheffield's chief operating officer, running 17 city departments.
Who is this?
Winnie Liao Chief Operating Officer of the City of Detroit
Mayor Mary Sheffield announced Liao as chief operating officer on February 11, 2026, and she started on February 16. She came from Mastercard, and earlier led the effort that cut customer wait times at the Michigan Secretary of State. Her remit covers 17 city departments and a more customer-focused city government.
At-large council member and former state House minority leader.
Who is this?
Mary D. Waters Detroit City Council member, at large
Waters was born in Alabama in 1955, picked cotton as a child in Greenville and moved to Detroit as a teenager. She holds a University of Michigan degree, served in the state House from 2001 to 2007 and was its first Black woman minority leader from 2003 to 2006. She has held an at-large council seat since January 2022.
District 2 member since 2022; chairs Internal Operations.
Who is this?
Angela Whitfield-Calloway Detroit City Council member, District 2
She represents District 2, which covers Bagley, University District and Palmer Woods, and chairs the Internal Operations Committee. A former adult education instructor and hearing officer, she won the seat in 2021 and was re-elected in 2025.
District 3 member since 2014; Coast Guard veteran from Los Angeles.
Who is this?
Scott Benson Detroit City Council member, District 3
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Benson is a retired U.S. Coast Guard commander with two overseas deployments. He holds a Hampton University degree and a Wayne State master's in urban planning, ran small business services at Midtown Detroit, and has held the District 3 seat since January 2014.
District 4 member since 2022; founded MECCA Development Corporation.
Who is this?
Latisha Johnson Detroit City Council member, District 4
A Detroit native and the fifth of eight children, Johnson has lived on the east side since childhood and lives in East English Village. She founded the nonprofit MECCA Development Corporation in 2014 and has represented District 4 since 2022.
District 5 member since January 2026; succeeded Mary Sheffield.
Who is this?
Renata Miller Detroit City Council member, District 5
A lifelong Detroiter and daughter of a retired Detroit fire captain, Miller studied political science at Tuskegee Institute, worked at Chrysler and served the UAW as a community action coordinator. She is a former president of the Historic Indian Village Association and took the District 5 seat in January 2026.
District 6 member since 2022; first Latina to chair a council committee.
Who is this?
Gabriela Santiago-Romero Detroit City Council member, District 6
An immigrant from Mexico and a Southwest Detroit native, Santiago-Romero has a University of Michigan master's in social work and once led policy research at We The People Michigan. She was the first Latina to chair a council standing committee, Public Health and Safety, and has represented District 6 since 2022.
Denzel Anton McCampbellNonpartisan officesince 2026
District 7 member since January 2026; former Charter Revision Commissioner.
Who is this?
Denzel Anton McCampbell Detroit City Council member, District 7
Born and raised on Detroit's east side, McCampbell is a Michigan State University graduate with more than a decade of work on voting rights, water affordability and transit. He served as a Charter Revision Commissioner before taking the District 7 seat in January 2026.
Detroit sits in Wayne County, Michigan’s most populous, with about 1.8 million people. From the Guardian Building downtown the county runs the jail, the prosecutor’s office, birth and marriage records and the county parks.
Wayne County Executive
Warren C. EvansDemocratsince 2015
Wayne County Executive since 2015; re-elected to a fourth term on November 3, 2026.
Who is this?
Warren C. Evans Wayne County Executive
Evans started as a Wayne County deputy sheriff in 1970, was county sheriff from 2003 to 2009 and Detroit police chief from July 2009 to July 2010. He has been county executive since January 1, 2015, and unofficial returns show him winning a fourth term on November 3, 2026 with about 72 percent. Detroit Metro Airport's terminal carries his name.
Sources: 123 · Checked November 9, 2026 Photo: City of Detroit · Public domain
Wayne County Prosecutor
KW
Kym WorthyDemocratsince 2004
Wayne County's top prosecutor since January 6, 2004.
Who is this?
Kym Worthy Wayne County Prosecutor
Worthy has been Wayne County Prosecutor since January 6, 2004, after serving as a prosecutor, Recorder's Court judge and circuit judge. She led the effort to test 11,431 abandoned sexual assault kits found in Detroit in 2009 and created the Conviction Integrity Unit in 2017. Voters re-elected her in 2024 with 80 percent.
Wayne County sheriff since January 2021, with the office since 1983.
Who is this?
Raphael Washington Wayne County Sheriff
Washington started at the Wayne County Sheriff's Office in 1983 and was deputy chief from 2009 until he was appointed sheriff in January 2021, after Benny Napoleon died. Voters elected him in the November 2022 special election and again on November 5, 2024. His current term runs to January 1, 2029.
Wayne County Clerk, who runs every election in the county.
Who is this?
Cathy M. Garrett Wayne County Clerk
Garrett coordinates and administers all federal, state, county and school district elections in Wayne County. She was already clerk in August 2011, when the county launched a campaign finance system she spearheaded. She beat Dylan Gomula on November 3, 2020, and Joseph LeBlanc on November 5, 2024.
The county executives of Oakland and Macomb run the two big suburban counties north of Detroit; the mayors run the cities you are most likely to visit after Detroit.
Oakland County Executive
Dave CoulterDemocratsince 2019
Former Ferndale mayor running Oakland County since 2019
Who is this?
Dave Coulter Oakland County Executive
Dave Coulter grew up in St. Clair Shores, worked for 13 years at Michigan Consolidated Gas and directed the Michigan AIDS Fund. He won an Oakland County Commission seat in 2002 by 86 votes, was Ferndale's mayor from 2011 to 2019, and was appointed County Executive in August 2019 after L. Brooks Patterson died. In 2020 he became the first elected Democrat in the job, and he is still in office in 2026.
Ex-sheriff who won a fifth term as Macomb County Executive on November 3, 2026
Who is this?
Mark Hackel Macomb County Executive
Mark Hackel was born in Detroit in 1962, graduated from Sterling Heights High School, and joined the Macomb County sheriff's department in 1981. He was sheriff from 2001 to 2010 and has been the county's first County Executive since the office was created in 2011. On November 3, 2026, he beat Republican Richard Moore with 61.24 percent of the vote for a fifth term.
Dearborn-born mayor, first Arab American and Muslim in the job, now in a second term
Who is this?
Abdullah Hammoud Mayor of Dearborn
Abdullah Hammoud was born in Dearborn in 1990 to a Lebanese family; his father drove a truck and his mother ran a small business. He earned degrees in biology, public health and business, served in the state House from 2017 to 2021, and became Dearborn's mayor in 2022. He won re-election on November 4, 2025 with about 71 percent and was sworn in on January 10, 2026.
Sworn in on November 8, 2026 after 37 late-found ballots flipped the 2025 race
Who is this?
Muhith Mahmood Mayor of Hamtramck
Muhith Mahmood came from Bangladesh to Michigan in 2000, sat on Hamtramck's City Council from 2022 and worked about 20 years at the D.PRIME Steakhouse in MGM Grand Detroit. He lost the 2025 mayoral race by six votes, until 37 ballots found in the clerk's office were counted on October 16, 2026. The county canvassers certified him on November 4, and he was sworn in on November 8; Adam Alharbi plans to appeal.
Former teacher and state representative, the first woman to lead Warren
Who is this?
Lori Stone Mayor of Warren
Lori Stone was born in Warren, graduated from Fitzgerald High School and earned two bachelor's degrees and a science education master's at Michigan State University. She taught elementary school for 14 years at Mound Park Elementary, then won a state House seat. In November 2023 she beat George Dimas and took office on November 20, 2023 as the first woman to be Warren's mayor.
Mayor since December 2014, re-elected on November 4, 2025
Who is this?
Michael C. Taylor Mayor of Sterling Heights
Michael Taylor is a lifelong Macomb County resident with an economics degree from Kalamazoo College and a law degree from Wayne State. He joined the city council in 2009 and was sworn in as mayor in December 2014 after Mayor Richard Notte died, the youngest mayor of a U.S. city above 100,000 people at the time. He won another term on November 4, 2025 with 65 percent against Matthew Ryan.
Former teacher and local historian, Southfield's mayor since 2015
Who is this?
Kenson Siver Mayor of Southfield
Ken Siver spent 45 years as a teacher and administrator in Southfield Public Schools and has written three books on the city's history. He was on the city council from 2001, won a special election in 2015 to finish Brenda Lawrence's term, and was sworn in on November 16, 2015 as Southfield's sixth mayor. He won again on November 4, 2025, 52 to 47 percent, against Sylvia Jordan.
Mayor since 2014; lost the August 4, 2026 primary to Yousef Rabhi
Who is this?
Christopher Taylor Mayor of Ann Arbor
Christopher Taylor, an attorney with four University of Michigan degrees, served on the Ann Arbor City Council from 2008 to 2014 and was sworn in as mayor on November 10, 2014. He was re-elected in 2018 and 2022 and pushed the A2Zero plan for community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030. He lost his 2026 primary to Yousef Rabhi, and his term ends in November 2026.
Lansing's first Jewish mayor, now in his third term
Who is this?
Andy Schor Mayor of Lansing
Andy Schor grew up on Long Island, New York, and came to Michigan for the University of Michigan. He was an Ingham County commissioner from 2003 to 2012, worked for the Michigan Municipal League, and held the 68th state House seat before becoming Lansing's first Jewish mayor in 2018. He won a third term in November 2025 with about two-thirds of the vote against Kelsea Hector.
Lawyer, coffee shop and distillery co-founder who became mayor in 2025
Who is this?
David LaGrand Mayor of Grand Rapids
David LaGrand studied history at Calvin College, earned a law degree at the University of Chicago in 1992, and co-founded Four Friends Coffee Shop, Wealthy Street Bakery and Long Road Distillers. He sat on the city commission from 2007 to 2010 and in the state House from 2016 to 2023. He won the 2024 mayor's race with 63 percent over Senita Lenear and took office on January 1, 2025.
Flint's mayor since 2019; lost the November 3, 2026 runoff to Tonya Burns
TB
IncomingTonya BurnsNonpartisan office
Sixth Ward councilwoman who beat Mayor Sheldon Neeley on November 3, 2026
Who are they?
Sheldon Neeley Mayor of Flint
Sheldon Neeley was born and raised in Flint, graduated from Flint Northern High School in 1986, and works as a broadcast engineer. He sat on the city council from 2005 to 2014, in the state House from 2015 to 2019, and has been mayor since 2019. In the November 3, 2026 runoff, unofficial results gave Tonya Burns 54 percent to his 44 percent; he stays until she takes office.
Tonya Burns was born and raised in Flint and has represented the Sixth Ward on the city council since 2021. Before that she worked in economic development for the city and spent more than 20 years in the security and alarm industry, as the first woman and first Black owner of a licensed ADT dealership in Michigan and Illinois. Unofficial results of the November 3, 2026 runoff gave her 54 percent.
Nobody elects them, yet they are as much part of Michigan’s who’s who as anyone on a ballot: the people at the head of the carmakers, the teams, the museums, the universities and the archdiocese.
Chair and CEO, General Motors
Mary Barrasince 2014
Royal Oak-born engineer who runs GM; first woman to lead a Big Three automaker.
Who is this?
Mary Barra Chair and CEO, General Motors
Mary Barra was born in Royal Oak and joined GM at 18 as a co-op student inspecting fender panels and hoods. She earned an electrical engineering degree at the General Motors Institute (now Kettering University) in 1985 and a Stanford MBA in 1990 on a GM fellowship. She became CEO on January 15, 2014, the first woman to head a Big Three automaker, and chair on January 6, 2016.
Henry Ford's great-grandson; chairs Ford and is vice chair of the Detroit Lions.
Who is this?
William Clay Ford Jr. Executive Chair, Ford Motor Company
Bill Ford was born in Detroit on May 3, 1957, and studied history at Princeton and management at MIT. He has chaired Ford since January 1, 1999, and also served as CEO from October 30, 2001, until Alan Mulally took over in 2006. He is vice chair of the Detroit Lions.
Sources: 12 · Checked November 9, 2026 Photo: Jimmy Tafoya · Public domain
President and CEO, Ford Motor Company
Jim Farleysince 2020
Ford CEO since October 1, 2020; came from Toyota's Lexus.
Who is this?
Jim Farley President and CEO, Ford Motor Company
Jim Farley joined Ford in November 2007 from Toyota, where he ran Lexus sales and marketing in the U.S. He led Ford of Europe from 2015 to 2017 and became chief operating officer in February 2020. Ford named him CEO on August 4, 2020, effective October 1, 2020. He joined the McDonald's board in February 2026.
Italian engineer who runs Jeep's parent company Stellantis from June 23, 2025.
Who is this?
Antonio Filosa CEO, Stellantis
Antonio Filosa was born in Castellammare di Stabia near Naples and joined Fiat in 1999 as an industrial engineer. He ran Jeep from November 2023 and became Stellantis chief operating officer for North America in October 2024. The board named him CEO on May 28, 2025, and he took over on June 23, 2025.
Founder and Chairman, Rocket Companies; founder, Bedrock
Dan Gilbert
Rocket Companies founder whose Bedrock owns much of downtown Detroit.
Who is this?
Dan Gilbert Founder and Chairman, Rocket Companies; founder, Bedrock
Dan Gilbert was born in Detroit and grew up in Southfield, then earned degrees at Michigan State and Wayne State Law. He co-founded Rock Financial in 1985, bought it back from Intuit in 2002 as Quicken Loans, and moved its staff downtown by 2010. Bedrock, his real estate arm, started in 2011. Rocket Companies went public in 2020.
President and CEO, Ilitch Holdings; Governor and CEO, Detroit Red Wings; Chairman and CEO, Detroit Tigers
Christopher Ilitchsince 2010
Runs Ilitch Holdings: Little Caesars, the Tigers and the Red Wings.
Who is this?
Christopher Ilitch President and CEO, Ilitch Holdings; Governor and CEO, Detroit Red Wings; Chairman and CEO, Detroit Tigers
Chris Ilitch was born in Detroit on June 2, 1965, and graduated from the University of Michigan in 1987. He became president and CEO of Ilitch Holdings in 2010 and took over the Tigers from his father Mike Ilitch in 2017. The company also includes Little Caesars Pizza, and his name is engraved on the Stanley Cup for four Red Wings titles.
Sources: 123 · Checked November 9, 2026 Photo: City of Detroit · Public domain
Founder and Chairman, Penske Corporation
Roger Penske
Racing legend and Bloomfield Hills businessman; owns the Indy 500 track.
Who is this?
Roger Penske Founder and Chairman, Penske Corporation
Roger Penske was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio, on February 20, 1937, and graduated from Lehigh in 1959. His Bloomfield Hills company includes Penske Truck Leasing, founded in 1969, and a large stake in Penske Automotive Group. He bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on November 4, 2019, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom that year.
First woman to run DTE; started there as a high school co-op in 1991.
Who is this?
Joi Harris President and CEO, DTE Energy
Joi Harris is a Detroit native who started at DTE Energy as a high school engineering co-op and became a full-time employee in 1991. She ran distribution, system control and transmission operations, led construction of renewable projects and the Blue Water Energy gas plant, and served as DTE Gas president. On September 8, 2025, she became the company's first woman and first African American CEO.
DTE's CEO from 2019 to 2025; now executive chairman advising his successor.
Who is this?
Gerardo "Jerry" Norcia Executive Chairman, DTE Energy
Jerry Norcia studied at the University of Windsor and worked at Union Gas before joining DTE in 2002 to run its gas storage and pipelines business. He became president and chief operating officer in 2016 and CEO on July 1, 2019. Since September 8, 2025, he has been executive chairman and advises CEO Joi Harris.
Has led the Detroit Regional Chamber since 2010; ran the Mackinac Policy Conference.
Who is this?
Sandy Baruah President and CEO, Detroit Regional Chamber
Sandy Baruah has led the Detroit Regional Chamber since 2010. Under President George W. Bush he was Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development from 2005 to 2008 and then acting head of the Small Business Administration until January 2009. He holds degrees from the University of Oregon and Willamette University, and is a Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit branch director.
Visit Detroit's CEO since January 2021; ran Huntington Place convention center first.
Who is this?
Claude Molinari President and CEO, Visit Detroit
Claude Molinari became Visit Detroit's 10th president and CEO on January 1, 2021, succeeding Larry Alexander. He joined the Cobo Center, now Huntington Place, as assistant general manager in 2011 and became its general manager in March 2016. He is a USA Hockey Level III certified official and lives in Northville.
Owns the Lions; took over from her mother in the NFL's first woman-to-woman handoff.
Who is this?
Sheila Ford Hamp Principal Owner and Chair, Detroit Lions
Sheila Ford Hamp was born in Detroit on October 31, 1951, studied at Yale and earned a Boston University master's degree. She became Lions principal owner and chair on June 23, 2020, succeeding her mother Martha Firestone Ford, the first ownership handoff between two women in NFL history. She hired general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell in January 2021.
Born in Nazareth, raised near Flint; Platinum Equity founder and Pistons owner.
Who is this?
Tom Gores Owner, Detroit Pistons
Tom Gores was born in Nazareth, Israel, and moved at about age five to Genesee Township near Flint. He graduated from Michigan State in 1986, founded the private equity firm Platinum Equity in 1995, and bought the Pistons' parent company in June 2011. Since September 2015 he has been sole owner, and the team moved to Little Caesars Arena in 2017.
Interim Red Wings GM since September 15, 2026, after Steve Yzerman stepped down.
Who is this?
Shawn Horcoff Interim General Manager, Detroit Red Wings
Shawn Horcoff grew up in Castlegar, British Columbia, played at Michigan State and spent 12 NHL seasons with Edmonton, three as captain. He joined the Red Wings in 2016 and became assistant GM in 2022. After Steve Yzerman stepped down on July 15, 2026, the club named Horcoff interim general manager on September 15, 2026 while an outside firm searches for a permanent GM.
Ex-Giants GM who has run Tigers baseball operations since September 2022.
Who is this?
Scott Harris President of Baseball Operations, Detroit Tigers
Scott Harris grew up in Redwood City, California, studied economics at UCLA and worked in the MLB commissioner's office and the Chicago Cubs front office, including the 2016 World Series team. He was San Francisco's general manager from 2019 to 2022, including the 107-win 2021 season. The Tigers hired him on September 19, 2022, and they reached the playoffs in 2024 and 2025.
Director, President and CEO, Detroit Institute of Arts
Salvador Salort-Ponssince 2015
Spanish-born Velázquez scholar who has directed the DIA since October 2015.
Who is this?
Salvador Salort-Pons Director, President and CEO, Detroit Institute of Arts
Salvador Salort-Pons was born in Madrid on April 18, 1970, and earned his art history degree at Complutense University in 1993. The DIA hired him in 2008 as assistant curator of European paintings, and he became director in October 2015. He became a U.S. citizen in 2017, and in 2026 he attributed a long-lost 1626 portrait of the Count-Duke of Olivares to Velázquez.
Italian conductor and former clarinetist; DSO music director with a contract to 2031.
Who is this?
Jader Bignamini Music Director, Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Jader Bignamini was born in Crema, Italy, in 1976 and played clarinet in Milan's La Verdi orchestra before turning to conducting. He stepped in for Leonard Slatkin in Detroit in June 2018, and the DSO named him music director in January 2020, his first such post. In December 2023 it extended his contract through the 2030-31 season.
First woman and longest-serving CEO in The Henry Ford's history, in the job since 2005.
Who is this?
Patricia Mooradian President and CEO, The Henry Ford
Patricia Mooradian is a Pennsylvania native with a fine arts degree from Texas Christian University. She came from the Taubman Company to The Henry Ford in 2000 as vice president of programming and marketing and was named CEO in 2005. Annual visitors rose from 1.4 million in 2005 to 1.7 million in 2025.
Named Motown Museum CEO on October 20, 2025 after a 15-month national search.
Who is this?
Kenya LeNoir Messer CEO, Motown Museum
Dr. Kenya LeNoir Messer was announced as Motown Museum CEO on October 20, 2025, after a 15-month national search, succeeding Robin Terry, who had led the museum since 2015. She previously ran the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and held senior roles at Columbia University and Wilberforce University. She oversees day-to-day operations of the $75 million expansion.
Granddaughter of the founder; led the Motown Museum as CEO from 2015, now chairs its board.
Who is this?
Robin Terry Chair of the Board of Trustees, Motown Museum
Robin Terry is the granddaughter of Motown Museum founder Esther Gordy Edwards, who opened it in 1985. She was CEO from 2015 and led the expansion project from concept through the capital campaign. After Dr. Kenya LeNoir Messer took over as CEO in autumn 2025, Terry stayed on as chair of the board of trustees. The final phase of the $75 million expansion is due late in 2026.
President and CEO, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
NB
Neil Barclaysince 2019
Wright Museum CEO since 2019; founded Pittsburgh's August Wilson Center.
Who is this?
Neil Barclay President and CEO, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
Neil Barclay was announced as the Wright Museum's CEO in March 2019, succeeding Juanita Moore. Before Detroit he led the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans, spent seven years as associate director of the University of Texas at Austin's performing arts center, and was founding president and CEO of Pittsburgh's August Wilson Center. Detroit PBS still introduced him as president and CEO on June 11, 2026.
Domenico Grassosince 2025 · until December 1, 2026
U-M's 16th president, in office since May 8, 2025; hands over on November 30, 2026.
CR
IncomingC. Cybele Raverfrom December 1, 2026
Vanderbilt provost elected U-M's 17th president; starts December 1, 2026.
Who are they?
Domenico Grasso President, University of Michigan
Domenico Grasso was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, served in the Army from 1977 to 1990 and earned his Ph.D. in environmental engineering at Michigan. He was chancellor of U-M Dearborn from 2018 to 2025 and created the Go Blue Guarantee for Michigan families earning $125,000 or less. Named interim president on May 8, 2025, he got the full appointment in April 2026 and serves through November 30.
C. Cybele Raver President, University of Michigan (from December 1, 2026)
Cybele Raver grew up in Manhattan, graduated from Radcliffe in 1986 and earned a Yale doctorate in developmental psychology in 1994. She taught at Cornell and the University of Chicago, then rose to deputy provost at NYU, and was Vanderbilt's provost from July 2021 until October 2026. Regents elected her on September 1, 2026, making her the university's second woman president.
MSU's 22nd president; concussion researcher who withdrew his Clemson move on July 6, 2026.
Who is this?
Kevin Guskiewicz President, Michigan State University
Kevin Guskiewicz was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and earned a sports medicine Ph.D. at Virginia. He won a MacArthur Fellowship in 2011 for concussion research and was UNC Chapel Hill chancellor from December 2019 to January 2024. He became MSU president on March 4, 2024. Clemson named him its president on May 27, 2026, but on July 6, 2026, he withdrew his resignation and stayed.
Former Wayne State law dean; interim president from September 2025, elected president February 24, 2026.
Who is this?
Richard Bierschbach President, Wayne State University
Richard Bierschbach graduated from the University of Michigan and its law school, clerked for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in 2000 and 2001, and worked in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel. He became dean of Wayne State Law on August 17, 2017. He took over as interim president on September 17, 2025, and the Board of Governors elected him 14th president on February 24, 2026, through June 30, 2030.
Detroit's Catholic archbishop since March 18, 2025; led Tucson before.
Who is this?
Edward Weisenburger Archbishop of Detroit (Roman Catholic)
Edward Weisenburger was born in Alton, Illinois, on December 23, 1960, and was ordained for the Oklahoma City archdiocese in 1987. He served as a chaplain to rescue workers after the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, then as Bishop of Salina and Bishop of Tucson. He was appointed to Detroit on February 11, 2025, and in November 2025 announced a parish restructuring to begin July 1, 2027.
Gretchen Whitmer has been governor of Michigan since 2019. Jocelyn Benson takes office on January 1, 2027.
Who are Michigan’s U.S. senators?
Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters. Abdul El-Sayed takes Gary Peters’s seat on January 3, 2027.
Who is the mayor of Detroit?
Mary Sheffield, since January 1, 2026. Detroit's 76th mayor and the first woman to hold the job.
Who represents Detroit in Congress?
Detroit is split between two districts: the 12th District by Rashida Tlaib; the 13th District by Shri Thanedar today and by Donavan McKinney from January 3, 2027.
Who is the chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court?
Megan K. Cavanagh, since April 15, 2025.
Who is Michigan’s attorney general?
Dana Nessel, since 2019. Eli Savit takes over on January 1, 2027.
Every name is checked against official pages and Michigan newsrooms, and each card says where. Spotted a change before we did? Write to hello@quarterdetroit.com.
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