Welcome to the 2026 voter guide for Michigan's Aug. 4 primary election. The voter guide ‒ separate from the Detroit Free Press' news coverage and the Detroit Free Press Editorial Board's endorsements ‒ offers
candidates the chance to communicate with voters in their own words. We remove entries that include false or unverifiable statements, personal attacks on other candidates or foul language, but responses are otherwise unedited.
- Find your U.S. House district here.
- Visit the Detroit Free Press Voter Guide.
U.S. House
Michigan voters in each of the 13 congressional districts will select a candidate to represent them in the U.S. House. Two races in and around Metro Detroit are considered toss-ups this year: Democratic candidate William Lawrence challenges Republican incumbent Tom Barrett in Michigan’s 7th District, and Democratic candidate Christina Hines and Republican candidate Michael Bouchard campaign to fill incumbent U.S. Rep. John James’ seat in Michigan’s 10th District. (James is running for governor.)
Click on the links below to learn more about each candidate.
How to vote
Local clerks mailed absentee ballots to Michigan voters Sept. 24. Registered voters may cast ballots early, in person, across the state from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1 ‒ check with your local clerk for your city's early voting start date, location of early voting sites and absentee ballot dropboxes. And, of course, you can vote ‒ and register to vote ‒ in person on Nov. 3, Election Day.
Don't see your candidate?
The Free Press invited candidates in U.S. House races to participate in the voter guide. Free Press staff follow up to ensure each candidate received our questionnaire, but some candidates simply choose not to participate.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Where U.S. House candidates stand on health care, affordability, more
