Wayne County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026

Justin Onwenu is an attorney and community organizer who serves as Detroit's first director of entrepreneurship and economic opportunity, per his campaign site and Bridge Detroit. He also teaches as an adjunct professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, per Bridge Detroit. He describes himself as a fourth-generation Detroiter, per his campaign site. Justin Onwenu appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan Senate District 1, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Patrick O'Connell appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan Senate District 1, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Patrick O'Connell.

Abbas Alawieh worked as a congressional staffer for U.S. Reps. Andy Levin and Rashida Tlaib before serving as chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, per Michigan Advance. He co-founded the Uncommitted movement in 2024, per Michigan Advance. Abbas Alawieh appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan Senate District 2, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Harry Sawicki has more than ten years of public service experience and has been active in over 100 community events, per his campaign site. Harry Sawicki appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan Senate District 2, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

John Conyers III, the son of former U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr. and former Detroit City Council President Monica Conyers, is a graduate of Detroit's Renaissance High School and Morehouse College, per Model D Media. This is his first run for the state Legislature, per State Affairs. John Conyers appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan Senate District 3, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Mark Ashley Price appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan Senate District 3, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Mark Ashley Price.

Camilleri is a former public school teacher and a Michigan state senator representing District 4, which covers Downriver and western Wayne County communities, per the campaign site. He previously served in the state House and is the son and grandson of union auto workers, per the campaign site.

Marcie Grzywacz is a nurse and educator running for Michigan Senate District 4, per her campaign site. Marcie Grzywacz appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan Senate District 4, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Koleszar is a Michigan state representative serving his fourth term who worked as a public school teacher for 12 years before entering public service in 2018, per the campaign site. He taught civics and AP government and served as president of the Airport Education Association in Carleton, per the campaign site.

Estelle Oliansky appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan Senate District 5, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Estelle Oliansky.

Mary Cavanagh is the incumbent state senator for Michigan Senate District 6 and is the Democratic nominee on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official primary results.

Joi Pokerwinski appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan Senate District 6, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Joi Pokerwinski.

Anthony Paesano is an attorney and small business owner from Bloomfield Hills, per the Detroit Regional Chamber's 2026 Southeast Michigan voter guide. No campaign website was found as of October 1, 2026.

Dayna Polehanki is a sitting Michigan state senator serving her third and final term and a two-time Teacher of the Year at New Haven Community Schools, per her campaign site. The same site lists a master's degree in teaching from Central Michigan University and her role as Senate Majority Caucus Chair.

Johnnie Townsend is a Sterling Heights Republican who announced a run in the 11th Senate District, per the Michigan Information & Research Service. No campaign website was found as of October 1, 2026.

John Goldwater is an oil and gas entrepreneur and small businessman from New Baltimore, per his campaign website. He says he holds degrees in business management and economics from Northwood University and has not held elected office.

Ryan Berman is an attorney and former two-term Michigan state representative for the 39th House District, running to represent Michigan Senate District 13, per the campaign site.

Tyrone Carter is the incumbent state representative for Michigan House District 1 and is the Democratic nominee on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official primary results. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Tyrone Carter.

Valerie Whittaker appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 1, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Valerie Whittaker.

Joanna Whaley works as a clinical hospital chaplain specializing in hospice care, per Pride Source. She completed her senior year at Eastern Michigan University and holds a master's degree in theology from seminary, per Pride Source. If elected, she would be the first openly transgender state representative in Michigan history, per FOX 2 Detroit. Joanna Whaley appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 2, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Ron Kokinda holds a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, earned in 1971, per his iVoterGuide candidate profile. Ron Kokinda appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 2, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026.

Alabas Farhat is the incumbent state representative for Michigan House District 3 and is the Democratic nominee on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official primary results.

Gus Tarraf is a Dearborn community advocate and local media voice running for Michigan House District 3, per his campaign site. Gus Tarraf appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 3, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Regina Ross is a longtime Detroit educator and three time Teacher of the Year, running to represent Michigan House District 4, per the campaign site.

Everett Davis appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 4, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Everett Davis.

Candace Calloway appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 5, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Chris Venable appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 5, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Chris Venable.

Tonya Myers Phillips is an attorney who represents Michigan House District 7, covering Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park, per the Michigan House of Representatives member directory and the campaign site. Myers Phillips previously worked as a housing attorney with Michigan Legal Services and served on the Detroit Charter Revision Commission, per the campaign site.

Reginald Moorer appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 7, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Reginald Moorer.

Chris Gilmer-Hill is a lifelong Detroiter with family roots in House District 8 and serves as a Democratic precinct delegate, per his campaign site. Chris Gilmer-Hill appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 8, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Bruce P. Langran appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 8, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Bruce P. Langran.

Willie Burton served as Detroit Police Commissioner Emeritus for District 5 for 12 years, per his campaign site. Willie Burton appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 9, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Michele Lundgren appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 9, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Michele Lundgren.

Paiz is a two-term Michigan state representative and minority vice chair of the House Agriculture Committee who previously served nearly eight years on the Harper Woods city council, per the campaign site. She has worked at Detroit Public TV and for Focus: HOPE, and holds a BFA from Wayne State University and a master's degree in studio arts from NYU, per the campaign site.

Peter Ochs appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 10, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Peter Ochs.

Kimberly Fisher is a small business owner and University of Michigan-Dearborn alumna, and a lifelong Detroit resident with family roots in the district, per her Run For Something candidate profile. Kimberly Fisher appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 11, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Matthew Stafford is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who founded a nonprofit assisting families with food, housing and job training, per his campaign site. He studied business and finance at Davenport University and previously attended Cincinnati State, per his campaign site. Matthew Stafford appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 11, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Kimberly L. Edwards is the Democratic nominee for Michigan House District 12 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official August 4, 2026 primary results. Kimberly L. Edwards is a sitting member for the district, per the Michigan House of Representatives's official roster (housedems.com). No campaign website was found as of October 1, 2026.

Randell J. Shafer is the Republican nominee for Michigan House District 12 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official August 4, 2026 primary results. No campaign website was found as of October 1, 2026.

Jalal Abdallah is an attorney who handles family law and personal injury cases and opened a family-owned law practice in 2021, per his campaign site. A graduate of Fordson High School, the University of Michigan-Dearborn, and Cooley Law School, he is the son of immigrant parents who owned a small business, per his campaign site. Jalal Abdallah appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 15, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Hassan H. Nehme appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 15, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Hassan H. Nehme.

Stephanie A. Young is the incumbent state representative for Michigan House District 16 and is the Democratic nominee on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official primary results. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Stephanie A. Young.

Brian M. Duggan appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 16, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Brian M. Duggan.

Pohutsky is a Michigan state representative serving her fourth term who chairs the Progressive Women's Coalition and sits on the Oversight Committee, per the campaign site. She earned a bachelor's degree in microbiology from Michigan State University and grew up in Redford, Michigan, the daughter of a nurse and a Teamster, per the campaign site.

Ken Crider appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 17, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Ken Crider.

Lisa McIntyre has a 30-year career as a Licensed Professional Counselor, holding a psychology degree from Kalamazoo College and a master's degree in mental health counseling, per her campaign site. She served as President of the Northville Board of Education after being elected in 2020 and now serves as its Treasurer, per her campaign site. Lisa McIntyre appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 22, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Casey Noce is a history teacher and football coach running for Michigan House District 22, per his campaign site. Casey J. Noce appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 22, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Jason Morgan is the sitting state representative for the 23rd House District, which covers Ann Arbor and nearby townships, and a former Washtenaw County commissioner and board chair, per his House Democrats page. The same page lists a bachelor's degree from Northern Michigan University and a master's in public administration from the University of Michigan. No campaign website was found as of October 1, 2026.

Miriam Corvino is the Republican nominee for Michigan House District 23 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official August 4, 2026 primary results. No campaign website was found as of October 1, 2026.

Puri holds an MBA and has worked in the automotive industry for one of the Big Three automakers, per the campaign site. He previously served as a community organizer and worked for President Obama, and is a father of three and a Canton homeowner, per the campaign site.

Allison Kay Fuller appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 24, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Allison Kay Fuller.

Herzberg is a graduate of John Glenn High School with a bachelor's degree in finance from Wayne State University who has served on the Westland City Council since 2016, per the campaign site. He was sworn in as state representative in April 2024 and has lived in the same Westland neighborhood his whole life, per the campaign site.

Dawn Udell appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 25, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Dawn Udell.

Wegela is a public school teacher and union organizer with 7.5 years of teaching experience in Arizona, Michigan and South Korea, per the campaign site. He served as his teacher union's president for two years while teaching full time and helped organize a 2018 teacher strike that won a major investment in public schools, per the campaign site.

Chris Dobis has spent more than 25 years in engineering in Michigan's auto industry and has lived in House District 26 since 1988, per his campaign site. Chris Dobis appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan House District 26, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Jaime Churches, a former state representative for this district, is the Democratic nominee for Michigan House District 27 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official primary results.

Rylee Linting is the incumbent state representative for Michigan House District 27 and is the Republican nominee on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official primary results.

Sherry A. Berecz serves as Brownstown Charter Township Supervisor after previously working as township clerk and trustee, according to Detroit Chamber's legislative preview. She has more than two decades of local government experience in the Downriver area and ran previously for a different Downriver-area House seat in 2016, per MLCMI's election overview. No campaign website was found as of 2026-09-11.

James DeSana operates a family farming operation raising sheep and cattle and spent 36 years as a sales representative in the fastener industry before entering the Legislature, according to the Michigan House Republicans caucus site. He has represented the 29th House District since 2022 and serves on the House Appropriations Committee. No campaign website was found as of 2026-09-12.

Shannon Dare Wayne is a Milan City Council member who has worked at Ford Motor Company for 30 years and teaches as an adjunct professor at Lawrence Technological University, according to MLCMI's election overview of the 31st House District. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed her to the Michigan Technological University Board of Trustees in 2024. No campaign website was found as of 2026-09-11.