Jump to content

Michigan Democratic Party

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michigan Democratic Party
ChairpersonCurtis Hertel Jr.
Governor of MichiganGretchen Whitmer
Lieutenant Governor of MichiganGarlin Gilchrist
Senate LeaderWinnie Brinks
House Minority LeaderRanjeev Puri
HeadquartersLansing, Michigan
National affiliationDemocratic Party
Colors  Blue
Michigan House of Representatives
52 / 110
Michigan Senate
20 / 38
Statewide Executive Offices
4 / 4
Seats on the Michigan Supreme Court
6 / 7
U.S. House of Representatives
6 / 13
U.S. Senate
2 / 2
Website
Official Website

The Michigan Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the state of Michigan. It is based in Lansing. Curtis Hertel Jr. is the party's current chair.[1]

Structure

[edit]

Residents of the state of Michigan at least 16 years of age are eligible for party membership; no financial contribution is required.[2] Generally, a person is required to have been a member for at least 30 days before a convention, caucus or meeting to receive voting privileges.[2]

Between state party conventions, the party is governed by the Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC). Delegates to the state central committee are elected at congressional district spring conventions in odd-numbered years.[2] Each district is entitled to at least four delegates consisting of two men and two women, with additional members allocated by congressional district based on the proportion of its vote for the Democratic nominee for President or Secretary of State at the last general election held.[2] Additional ex-officio with voting privileges include the Democratic National Committee members of the state and the officers of the DSCC. Any congressional district or county chairs having not been elected delegates also become DSCC ex-officio members, but without voting privileges.[2]

Leadership

[edit]

The DSCC's officers are elected at the spring state convention in odd-numbered years by party members. Officers consists of a Chair, two Vice-Chairs one of each of a different gender and race, Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, and any additional officers as the convention deems proper.[2] Current major officers for the DSCC include:[3][4]

  • Chair: Curtis Hertel Jr.
  • 1st Vice-Chair: Portia Roberson
  • 2nd Vice-Chair: Nazmul Hassan-Shahin
  • 3rd Vice-Chair: Deirdre Honner
  • 4th Vice-Chair: Jonathan Kinloch
  • 5th Vice-Chair: Jessica Alexander
  • 6th Vice-Chair: Justin Mendoza
  • Youth Vice-Chair: Adam LaCasse
  • Recording Secretary: Candice Mushatt
  • Corresponding Secretary: Hind Omar
  • Treasurer: Chris Cracchiolo
  • Parliamentarian: Nathan Triplett
  • Outreach Chair: Sami Khaldi
  • Legislative Chair House: Rep. Jason Morgan
  • Legislative Chair Senate: Sen. Sylvia Santana

Officers of the DSCC plus the Democratic National Committee members constitute the Executive Committee of the DSCC. The Executive Committee addresses policy questions in between the meetings of the DSCC.[2] The Executive Committee is also responsible for drawing up a 2-year budget for the DSCC at a spring meeting in odd-numbered years.[2]

List of chairs of the Michigan Democratic Party

[edit]

The following is an incomplete list of chairs of the Michigan Democratic Party.

Name Term Ref.
Daniel J. Campau 1890–1894 [5][6]
Elliot G. Stevenson 1894–1896 [7][8]
Fred A. Baker 1896–1898 [9]
Daniel J. Campau 1898–1901 [10]
Justin R. Whiting 1901–1903 [11]
Thomas E. Backworth 1903–1904 [12]
Edwin O. Wood 1904–1906 [13]
John T. Winship 1906–1909 [14]
Edmund C. Shields 1909–1916 [15]
Albert E. Stevenson 1916–1919 [16][17]
Thad Preston 1919–1921 [18]
William Comstock 1921–1924 [19]
Horatio J. Abbott 1924–1929 [20]
Henry H. Heimann 1929–1930 [21]
Alfred Debo 1930–1934 [22]
Walter I. McKenzie 1934 [23]
Elmer B. O'Hara[a] 1934–1936 [24][25][26]
Edward J. Fry 1936–1939 [26]
Charles S. Porritt 1939–1943 [27]
Earnest C. Brooks 1943–1944 [28]
Walter C. Averill Jr. 1944–1945 [29]
David M. Martin 1945–1947 [30][31]
John Franco 1947–1949 [32]
Hicks Griffiths 1949–1950 [32]
Neil Staebler 1950–1961 [32]
John Collins 1961–1963 [32]
Zolton Ferency 1963–1968 [32]
Sander Levin 1968–1969 [32]
James McNeely 1969–1973 [32]
Morley Winograd 1973–1979 [32]
Olivia Maynard 1979–1983 [32]
Richard Wiener 1983–1989 [32]
F. Thomas Lewand 1989–1991 [32]
Gary Corbin 1991–1995 [32]
Mark Brewer[b] 1995–2013 [32][33][34]
Melvin Hollowell[b] 2003–2004 [32][33][34]
Lon Johnson 2013–2015 [32]
Brandon Dillon 2015–2019 [32]
Lavora Barnes 2019–2025 [32]
Curtis Hertel Jr. 2025–present [32]

Current officeholders

[edit]

The Michigan Democratic Party controls all four statewide offices and a majority in the Michigan Senate. Democrats hold both of Michigan's U.S. Senate seats, six of the state's 13 U.S. House seats, and majorities on the elected governing boards of the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University as well as a majority on the State Board of Education.[35]

Members of Congress

[edit]

U.S. Senate

[edit]

Democrats have controlled both of Michigan's seats in the U.S. Senate since 2000:

U.S. House of Representatives

[edit]

Out of the 13 seats Michigan is apportioned in the U.S. House of Representatives, six are held by Democrats:

District Member Photo
3rd Hillary Scholten
6th Debbie Dingell
8th Kristen McDonald Rivet
11th Haley Stevens
12th Rashida Tlaib
13th Shri Thanedar

Statewide offices

[edit]

Democrats control all four of the elected statewide offices:

State Legislature

[edit]

Mayors

[edit]

Local groups

[edit]

The party has local branches in all counties throughout the state.[36]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ↑ In May 1935, O'Hara was stripped of his powers as chairman by the state central committee, though he retained the title. His powers were transferred to an executive committee until his resignation in 1936.
  2. 1 2 From 2003 to 2004, both Brewer and Hollowell served as co-chairs of the party. Brewer was designated as executive chairman, while Hollowell was chairman. This lasted until Hollowell resigned in August 2004.

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Hendrickson, Clara. "Curtis Hertel Jr. ascends to Michigan Democratic Party chair". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Rules of the Michigan Democratic Party [2018]" (PDF). MIDems. Democratic State Central Committee. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  3. ↑ "Elected Officials". Michigan Democratic Party. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  4. ↑ Hendrickson, Clara. "Curtis Hertel Jr. ascends to Michigan Democratic Party chair". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  5. ↑ "Political Pitfalls". Detroit Free Press. July 31, 1890. p. 5. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Democratic Ticket". The Bay City Times. September 11, 1890. p. 1. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "The Democratic Convention". Grand Haven Tribune. June 29, 1894. p. 1. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Headed By Fisher". The Saginaw News. June 29, 1894. p. 1. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ ""Steve" Is Out". The Bay City Times. August 5, 1898. p. 1. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Here They Are". Lansing State Journal. June 23, 1898. p. 2. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Judge Adsit Nominated For Supreme Bench". The Kalamazoo Gazette. March 7, 1901. p. 1. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Backforth Succeeds Whiting". The Lansing Journal. February 4, 1903. p. 2. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Campau Forces Win; Wood For Chairman". The Bay City Tribune. August 26, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "John T. Winship, Saginaw Editor, State Chairman". The Muskegon Chronicle. January 17, 1906. p. 1. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Shields is Chairman". The Saginaw Courier-Herald. April 22, 1909. p. 1. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Harmony Ruled the Convention". Cassopolis Vigilant. May 25, 1916. p. 7. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Governor Ferris Springs Surprise". The Monroe Evening News. May 17, 1916. p. 1. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Democrats Clash Over Dry Plank". The Grand Rapids Press. February 22, 1919. p. 2. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "Dem Nominees Are Chosen". Lansing State Journal. February 23, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ "Horatio J. Abbott Head State Dems". Jackson Citizen Patriot. November 19, 1924. p. 16. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ "Niles Man Made Chief Of State Democrats". The Herald-Palladium. February 22, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ "Alfred Debo Named to Chairmanship by Michigan Democrats". The Niles Daily Star. July 9, 1930. p. 1. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ "McKenzie New Head of State Democrats". The Bessemer Herald. July 13, 1934. p. 6. Retrieved August 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ "New Democrat Leader Chosen". Lansing State Journal. October 1, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved August 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ↑ "Elmer O'Hara Is Stripped of Power by Dems". Jackson Citizen Patriot. May 23, 1935. p. 1. Retrieved August 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. 1 2 "Edward J. Fry New Dem Head". The Times Herald. July 28, 1936. p. 1. Retrieved August 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ↑ "Michigan Democrats Name Slate for Spring election". Lansing State Journal. February 19, 1939. p. 1. Retrieved August 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ↑ "Earnest C. Brooks Named Democratic State Chairman". The Grand Rapids Press. February 26, 1943. p. 1. Retrieved August 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ↑ "Fry Squeezes In His Choice As Democratic Chairman By 2 Votes". The Escanaba Daily Press. August 10, 1944. p. 1. Retrieved August 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ↑ "David M. Martin New State Demo Chieftain". The Herald-Press. December 17, 1945. p. 10. Retrieved August 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ↑ "Democrats Unseat Martin as Chairman". Detroit Free Press. March 2, 1947. p. 1. Retrieved August 17, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Democratic Party of Michigan records, 1932-2013 (majority within 1950-2012)". University of Michigan Library. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
  33. 1 2 "Hollowell, Brewer to share power state party leaders". Grand Haven Tribune. February 11, 2003. p. 3. Retrieved August 5, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. 1 2 Gray, Kathleen (August 4, 2004). "Hollowell joins Kerry campaign". Detroit Free Press. p. 13. Retrieved August 5, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ↑ Levin, Einhorn, Koby, Erin (7 November 2018). "As the Michigan state school board shifts to Democratic control, meet the two new members". Chalkbeat. Retrieved 20 January 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  36. ↑ "County Chairs", michigandems.com, retrieved 2024-07-29
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://latimes.pages.dev/https-en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michigan_Democratic_Party&oldid=1370131835"