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Map the Midterms2026 midterms information · not official

Governor

Michigan Governor — 2026

Michigan elects a governor on November 3, 2026. Democrat Jocelyn Benson, the secretary of state, faces Republican John James, a former U.S. representative. Minor-party candidates are also listed on Ballotpedia.

Cook Political Report: Lean D (August 20, 2026)

What this office is

A governor is the state’s chief executive. Typical duties include proposing a budget, signing or vetoing bills, appointing some officials, and commanding the state National Guard under state and federal law. Term length and term limits are set by each state’s constitution. Lieutenant-governor pairing, if any, follows that state’s ballot design.

Why it matters in 2026

Cook rated the open Michigan governorship Lean Democratic as of August 2026. The office sets the state’s executive agenda and shares a ballot with Michigan’s open U.S. Senate race. Lieutenant-governor pairing follows Michigan law and the official ballot.

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited. The seat is open.

Green, Libertarian, and U.S. Taxpayers Party candidates appear on Ballotpedia’s general-election table. Confirm the printed slate with your clerk.

Candidates

Names below are declared or nominated figures reported as of mid-September 2026. Party labels identify tickets only. This is not an endorsement and not a certified list.

Portrait of Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson

Jocelyn Benson

Democratic

Democratic nominee; current secretary of state

Benson has been Michigan secretary of state since 2019. She is a former law-school dean. She is the Democratic nominee for the open governorship in 2026.

Read more:Michigan Secretary of StateWikipediaBallotpedia

Photo: Michigan Department of State / public domain. Public domain (U.S. government work). Source

Official portrait of former Rep. John James

John James

Republican

James represented Michigan’s 10th Congressional District from 2023 to 2025. He is an Army veteran and business executive who previously ran statewide Senate campaigns. He is the 2026 Republican nominee for governor.

Read more:WikipediaBallotpedia

Photo: U.S. House / public domain. Public domain (U.S. government work). Source

Published polls

Published surveys tagged to MI GovernorIndividual published surveys. Not a Map the Midterms average and not a prediction.
PollsterDatesSampleDemRepSpread
Emerson College / Nexstar
Emerson College Polling, Michigan 2026 poll · accessed September 17, 2026
Sep 12–14, 20261,000 LV · ±3.049Benson42JamesBenson +7

Questions readers ask

When is Election Day?
The 2026 U.S. midterm general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Early voting and mail-ballot calendars differ by state.
Is this the official candidate list for this governor’s race?
No. Map the Midterms is not an election office. Confirm qualified names with the Michigan Secretary of State and the official sample ballot for your address.
Are the poll numbers a forecast?
No. Tables show individual published surveys with the pollster, dates, sample, and a link. They are not a prediction and not an average unless a cited aggregator says so.

Other Michigan guides