The deadline for Democrats and Republicans to file to seek the governor's office is 15 Tuesdays before the August primary election (April 21, 2026) and for candidates filing without party affiliation, it’s 110 days before the November election (July 16, 2026).

LANSING — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered her eighth and final State of the State address Wednesday night, calling for action to tackle Michigan’s literacy crisis, create an affordable housing tax credit, limit the impact of medical debt and turn the temperature down on partisan fighting.

Michigan is on track for something it hasn’t seen since Theodore Roosevelt’s Bull Moose Party was fielding candidates: a genuinely competitive three-way contest for its highest office.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. With about three months to go before partisan candidates must file to run, more than a dozen people say they are seeking the office of governor in Michigan. Fourteen candidates are ...