LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan lawmakers are once again debating whether the state’s long-standing August primary – typically held just three months before the general election – should get booted back to an earlier month like May.
Supporters say the current August primary compresses campaigns, election officials, and voters into a narrow window, forcing audits, recounts, and ballot corrections to move at breakneck speed. Moving the date, they argue, would give county clerks more breathing room and potentially reduce costs for taxpayers.
Who’s rooting for a May makeover.
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Senate Democrats, led by State Senator Sam Singh (D-East Lansing), have a bill package that would scrap the August primary in favor of a May date, with some races even flirting with a February slot – but not until after 2026. Clerks and election officials mostly back the concept, saying a May primary means more time to prep for the general election.
Who’s yelling “too soon!”
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are weighing the proposal, and some haven’t yet settled on a position yet, including House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland). In October of last year, the Republican said he would not support moving the primary to May if the change were to take effect in 2026. He hasn’t indicated if he supports Singh’s bills or not.
Meanwhile, Senator Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) said she would likely back the bills but raised concerns about how a May primary could affect grassroots candidates. She questioned whether an earlier date would disadvantage those relying on in-person door knocking rather than large donor networks to fund and fuel their campaigns.
February voting.
The legislation would also allow a February election date for certain local races, including millage proposals, setting them on the fourth Tuesday in February. That is also the same day as the presidential primary every four years. The idea sparked more debate in committee, particularly from Sen. Ruth Johnson (R-Groveland Township), a former Michigan secretary of state, who raised concerns about the change. Johnson said, “There’s measurable evidence that cold and snowy bad weather can reduce voter turnout. For … states like Michigan, snow depresses not just turnout, but people don’t want to open their door to you in January and February, generally speaking, because it lets the cold in the house, so there’s less of that ability to contact with the voters if we do it in bad weather.”
Representatives from the Michigan Association of School Boards and the Michigan Townships Association voiced support for the February date, arguing it would give schools and local governments greater flexibility when planning and scheduling ballot proposals.
Even if lawmakers strike a deal, don’t expect your 2026 voting calendar to change. The August primary is staying put for the next cycle, including high-profile races like the U.S. Senate.
Other plans in the hopper.
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And while lawmakers debate shifting state and local primaries, there’s another calendar maneuver quietly unfolding at the national level – one that could reshape when Michigan voters weigh in on the presidential race itself. The Michigan Democratic Party, along with other state Democratic organizations, is pushing to move Michigan’s 2028 presidential primary earlier in the nominating calendar by formally applying to the Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee to be part of the coveted “early window.”
The goal is to secure one of the first primary dates in 2028 so that presidential candidates must campaign in Michigan, giving voters in the battleground state greater influence in shaping the Democratic nomination and forcing candidates to address issues that matter to voters in Michigan early in the race.
