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Whitmer Sets May 5, 2026 Special Election for Michigan’s 35th Senate Seat

Whitmer has defended the timing by pointing to new early-voting requirements.

FILE - Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gives a policy speech at an event, April 9, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
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Overview

  • The primary is set for Feb. 3, 2026, with the special general election on May 5, 2026.
  • The seat has been vacant since Jan. 3, 2025, when Kristen McDonald Rivet resigned to join the U.S. House.
  • Residents sued to compel a writ of election, alleging about 270,000 people were denied representation, while the governor’s attorneys argued courts cannot force her to act and cited statutory deadlines tied to early voting.
  • By the time the winner is seated, the district will have gone nearly a year and a half without a state senator.
  • Democrats currently hold a 19–18 Senate edge, Democratic leaders praised the new timeline, Republicans criticized the delay, and declared candidates include Democrats Pamela Pugh and Brandell Adams and Republican Chadwick E. Twillman.