Multiple high profile politicians will be “termed out” as we head into the 2026 election. See the full list below.
LANSING, Mich. — Michigan’s political scene is preparing for a shakeup in the 2026 election, as multiple political seats will be “termed-out” by the time the election rolls around, including that of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
But what determines the term limit for each political seat?
According to the Michigan constitution, no individual can be elected into each executive office more than twice. This includes the state’s governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and attorney general. Serving four years in a position is considered a full term.
The state constitution also specifies that if an individual is appointed into one of these positions and serves more than half of the allotted term, the time served, regardless of how long, will also be considered a full term for the purpose of the law.
The following political seats within the executive branch will be termed out in the 2026 election:
Gretchen Whitmer was first elected during the 2018 election, and was later re-elected in 2022, terming out the governor. Prior to her time as governor, Whitmer served as a state representative (2001-2006) and a state senator (2007-2015).
Garlin Gilchrist II served as Lieutenant Governor alongside Whitmer for two full terms, making him ineligible for re-election. Prior to his time in the position, Gilchrist served as the Michigan Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Jocelyn Benson was elected as Michigan’s secretary of state during the 2018 election, where she served two terms in the position, making her ineligible for re-election. Benson has stated that she intends to run for Michigan’s governor seat during the 2026 election.
Dana Nessel was elected as Michigan’s Attorney General during the 2018 election. Nessel was the state’s first openly gay attorney general and the first woman to serve two terms in the position. Nessel is not eligible for re-election, but has yet to indicate what her next political move will be.
Term limits for Michigan State Senate and Michigan House of Representatives
Additionally, during the 2022 midterm election, Michigan voters passed Proposal 1, which changed the number of term limits for Michigan’s state legislators.
Previously, representatives in the Michigan state House could serve three 2-year terms and Michigan state senators could serve two 4-year terms, independent of one another.
Following the approval of Proposal 1, legislators can serve a combined 12 years between both the Michigan House and Senate.
Are there term limits for U.S. Senators and U.S. House Representatives?
Federally there are no laws limiting terms for those serving the United States Congress. Senators serve six-year terms, and there is no limit on how many they can serve.
Michigan’s current Senators include Elissa Slotkin (D), who was elected to the position in the 2024 election, and Gary Peters (D), who announced that he will not be seeking re-election for a third term. Peters has been serving in the position since 2015.
Similar to U.S. senators, members of the U.S. House of Representatives are also not term-limited. However, representatives only serve two-year terms. Michigan currently has 13 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
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