2026 is a significant election year for Michigan. The entire State House and Senate are up for election, as are all United States House members. On top of that, Michigan will also have statewide elections for governor, United States Senate, attorney general, secretary of state, and supreme court. Big changes could be in store for 2027, but there are great opportunities for retailers throughout the political process.
Each election cycle, MRA evaluates candidates for state legislative office, surveying them on issues that matter the most to retail and scoring current officeholders based on their votes on key retail issues.
Two questions we ask every election cycle are “Have you ever held a management-level or supervisory role in retail?” and “Have you or a close family member ever owned or operated a retail business in Michigan?” Candidates and elected officials with firsthand experience in retail and small business have a keener sense of the economic realities of doing business in the state, and that experience gives us a great conversation starter on the campaign trail or in the Capitol.
We’re also asking questions to gauge candidates’ opinions on our top retail priorities. One question asks about a candidate’s views on new technologies and strategies like dynamic pricing. Others measure a candidate’s positions on the 1976 bottle deposit law, the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, and funding for the Pure Michigan program. By asking a broad range of policy questions, we can start to paint an accurate picture of how a candidate might govern if elected, and whether we may be able to count on them as an ally.
Look for our 2026 Friends of Retail later this summer, and help elevate candidates who are looking out for the good of retail.