DETROIT, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – What was billed as a polished display of unity and competence quickly unraveled into hours of confusion on Sunday, April 19 at Huntington Place in Detroit. That’s where Michigan Democrats gathered for their 2026 endorsement convention – and ultimately struggled to tally their own votes. As the day dragged into evening, tensions rose and patience wore thin.

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In Michigan, party insiders can help shape the ballot lineup, but certain candidates in key races, like attorney general and secretary of state, are ultimately decided by precinct delegates at the conventions. These grassroots delegates who make up the bulk of the voting body cast ballots to choose the party’s endorsed candidates for specific statewide and board positions.

From mobile voting to mayhem.

Delegates at the convention streamed for the exits after casting ballots, while others lingered for hours waiting on results that remained stuck in limbo, bogged down by what appeared to be a breakdown of the voting system.

Delegates tried to vote on their phones, but technical glitches pushed many into long lines to vote on tablets instead. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel Jr. also acknowledged there were problems registering delegates where some weren’t marked as eligible to vote – but he assured the crowd that everyone would eventually get a chance to vote.

The hiccups dragged the process to a crawl, and while winners were finally announced later in the night, the Michigan Democratic Party has so far declined to release detailed counts, percentages, or vote margins from the races. Transparency, it seems, is in short supply.

Boos, blowback, and ballot chaos.

Adding to the chaos, pro-Israel candidates such as Haley Stevens – now running for U.S. Senate – were met with boos from progressive attendees, highlighting the party’s growing internal rifts.

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Meanwhile, controversial Senate candidate, Muslim Abdul El-Sayed, drew significant attention from progressive supporters but in an interview with CNN on Sunday, he also sparked backlash with remarks saying that Israel was just as evil as Hamas.

Big turnout and winners announced (eventually).

A record number of 7,252 delegates were reportedly at the convention, the biggest number ever, according to Hertel. When the dust finally settled, the party backed:

  • Secretary of State: Garlin Gilchrist
  • Attorney General: Eli Savit
  • Michigan Supreme Court: Megan Cavanagh (incumbent) and Noah Hood
  • State Board of Education: Judith Pritchett (incumbent) and Tiffany Tilley
  • MSU Board of Trustees: Brianna Scott (incumbent) and Kelly Tebay Zemke.
  • Wayne State University Board of Governors: Richard Mack and Shereef Akeel
  • University of Michigan Board of Regents: Regent Paul Brown (incumbent) and Amir Makled

A win for progressives.

Nearly every candidate backed by the Michigan Democratic Party’s Progressive Caucus came out on top in Sunday’s races including Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist who won the Democratic endorsement to be Michigan’s next secretary of state.

Delegates voted for civil rights attorney Amir Makled for the University of Michigan Board of Regents, knocking off incumbent Jordan Acker in one of the convention’s most contentious matchups. The race became a proxy battle over the university’s response to pro-Palestinian protests tied to the Israel- Hamas war in Gaza. Makled – like fellow attorney Shereef Akeel – has been active in civil rights law and advocacy circles that have included pro-Palestinian causes, a factor that energized many activists during the race. Makled has also been accused of antisemitism. Acker, who had support from Gretchen Whitmer and other top Democrats, faced mounting criticism from activists who framed his record as hostile to pro-Palestinian protesters.

Additionally, Eli Savit has championed a slate of progressive policies that have drawn pushback from conservatives, including his 2021 move to eliminate cash bail for many offenses – a change he argued was necessary because the system penalized people simply for being unable to pay. He’s also now at the center of a legal fight with the Trump administration, which has filed a lawsuit against Savit and the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, alleging their policies interfere with federal immigration enforcement efforts.

Republicans respond.

Michigan Republican House Speaker Matt Hall couldn’t resist a jab after the Democratic endorsements were announced, posting: “Thank you, Democrat delegates” hinting that he believes that the opposition party has given the GOP political ammo to use in the upcoming elections including Gilchrist’s lack of experience in administering elections and the Democrats putting forth progressive candidates that might not appeal to the mainstream Michigan voter.

On the other side of the political aisle, Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer also chimed in ahead of the convention, urging supporters to ramp up their efforts – calling on volunteers to do everything they can, and then some, to help Democrats win across Michigan.

What everything means.

Both major parties in Michigan follow a two-step convention process: a spring endorsement convention to signal preferred candidates, followed by a fall nominating convention that formally places certain candidates on the general election ballot. While it is technically possible for spring- endorsed candidates to be replaced at the fall convention, such a switch is rare and has not happened since the parties began using early endorsements.

Republicans held their endorsement convention on March 28 in Novi without the same public hiccups or voting problems.

Bottom line.

If tallying just over 7,000 votes turns into an hours-long fiasco for the Democratic party, it’s fair for voters to question how the same operation expects to competently manage millions on Election Day in November – especially with Jocelyn Benson, now running for governor, overseeing a system that will be counting her own votes.