Candidates for Governor
Learn about candidates who have filed to run for Governor.
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What this symbol means
Candidates and elected officials with this symbol took the GoodParty.org Pledge, promising to serve people first, independent of both major parties and big-money interests.
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About Governor
About this position
- Office level
- State
- Election frequency
- Every 4 years
- Typical salary
- $159,300/year
- Commitment level
- Full Time
- Affiliation
- Partisan
- Positions
- 1 open seat
Election type
- Partisan election (party labels appear on ballots)
- Run-off election
How to run for Governor
- Step 1
Meet eligibility requirements
To be eligible for the office of Governor "a person must have attained the age of 30 years, and have been a registered elector in this state for four years next preceding his election." (Art. V, Sec. 22, of State Constitution; MCL 168.51). A person who has been convicted of a violation of section 12a(1) of Act No. 370 of the Public Acts of 1941, being section 38.412a of the Michigan Compiled Laws, shall not be eligible to the office of governor or lieutenant governor for a period of 20 years after the conviction.
- Step 2
File for office
- Filing requirements
- Filing fee is $0; Signature requirement is 15000-30000 signatures for Republican, Democratic and Libertarian candidates including at least 100 registered electors in each of at least 1/2 of the congressional districts in the state; Signature requirement is 30000-60000 signatures for candidates without a political affiliation including at least 100 registered electors in each of at least 1/2 of the congressional districts in the state.
- Filing period
- January 1, 2026 - July 16, 2026
- Paperwork instructions
- Submit paperwork to the Secretary of State's office.
- Where to file
- Michigan Department of State, Bureau of Elections PO Box 20126 Lansing, MI 48901-0726
- Filing phone
- 517-335-3234
- Step 3
Launch your campaign
A real campaign starts with a real plan. Get a custom campaign plan from GoodParty.org, personalized for your race and district.
Get started
Need help? You don't have to run alone. Join the GoodParty.org Community to get advice from real independents who have run and won.
