Senators debate moving Michigan primaries earlier, raise questions on specific proposed dates

Read the full article on the Michigan Advance website here.

Katherine Dailey- February 12, 2026

The Senate Elections and Ethics Committee heard testimony on Wednesday on a package of bills that would move Michigan’s primary elections from early August to early May starting in the 2027 election cycle.

Melanie Ryska, city clerk of Sterling Heights, said that these changes would be extremely beneficial for election administrators, who currently have less than 100 days between the August primary and November general election. In that time, clerks must complete canvassing certification, finalize ballot content, test voting equipment, and print and proof ballots. 

“Michigan clerks are known for making the impossible happen. We will do what it takes to meet deadlines, serve voters and deliver accurate results,” she said. “But the legislature should not have to rely on miracles as an election administration strategy, especially when the law includes important safeguards and options that require time to carry out properly.”

State Sen. Sam Singh (D-East Lansing), the sponsor of the primary bill in the package, SB 691, said that in talking to county clerks, he had been told that from their perspective May was an ideal time to host primaries, especially given other changes to Michigan election laws on early voting.

“We have really consolidated a lot of activity, especially with our move ups of early voting and absentee voting. All those have now added additional pressures to our local clerks,” Singh said.

“There are 11 other states that do their elections in May, and our two sister states right below us, Ohio and Indiana, both do their elections on the first Tuesday of May,” he added. “We’ll be aligned with them.”

Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) said that she would likely support the bills, but asked how an earlier primary date in May might impact grassroots candidates who would focus energy on in-person door knocking as opposed to courting major donors.

It’s unclear what the future will hold for these bills should they pass through the committee and the full Senate — House Speaker Matt Hall has not said whether or not he would support this legislation, though he said in October that he would not support moving the primary to May if it went into effect in 2026.

Two of the bills in the package are sponsored by Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Waucedah), who sits on the Elections and Ethics committee and was present on Zoom for the hearing. 

“I think June is better than May. I’ll take May because we can’t leave it in August, but I do think it should be June,” he said, echoing Chang’s concerns and advocating for an amendment to the bills. “I’m not so worried about whether people can get to the polls or not because of the weather, as I am regarding how our citizens are able to interact with candidates. and knocking on doors up here.”

Melanie Macey, the policy & government affairs Director for Promote the Vote MI, said the issue at hand was not simply about shifting dates. 

“It’s a matter of common sense. Election Administration improvement that would relieve strain on our election timeline without compromising the voter experience we know.,” Macey said.

The bills would also establish a February election date for certain local elections, such as millage proposals, to the fourth Tuesday in February, which is also every four years the date of the presidential primary, a move that was far more controversial in the committee session, especially for Sen. Ruth Johnson (R-Groveland Township), a former Michigan secretary of state.

“If we’re really trying to streamline things, why would we make the clerks run a February election with a very confusing date for the public, for the voters, during the winter months and just two months before the May election?” she asked, expressing her concerns that voters would be disenfranchised if they did not know when the February election would be. 

Lansing City Clerk Chris Swopes agreed, but noted, “I prefer not to have February, but I prefer to have this package.”

Representatives from the Michigan Association of School Boards and the Michigan Townships Association, however, both expressed their support for the February election date to provide for flexibility for schools and our local governments in planning ballot measures.