MICHIGAN — Michigan voters will choose a new governor in November 2026. Current Governor Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited after serving back-to-back four year stints in Lansing. We are keeping track of candidates who throw their hats in the ring below.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson becomes the first major Democratic candidate to launch a bid to be Michigan's next governor.

Ms. Benson, a Democrat, jumped into a high-profile and potentially crowded race to lead one of the country’s top battleground states.

The secretary of state is the first Democrat to announce a run for the seat, joining a field of three official candidates running for Michigan governor so far.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D), in a brief turn as acting governor, signed a bill Dec. 1, 2023, to allow voters to request an absentee ballot through a state portal, a policy first adopted during the early days of COVID-19.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson officially joined the race for governor. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is already running as an independent and Senate Republican Leader Aric Nesbitt is also in the race with more expected to follow considering election day is still 22 months away.

Benson said she's running for governor to "bring real solutions, not political games, conspiracy theories, or inaction" to Lansing.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, announced Wednesday that she is launching a campaign for governor.

Jocelyn Benson, currently Michigan's secretary of state, announced her campaign Wednesday for the state's governor in the 2026 election cycle. Current governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, is facing a term limit situation and therefore unable to run again for that seat.

Michigan's Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announces her candidacy for governor in a bid to replace Gretchen Whitmer.

In Michigan, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson launched a Democratic gubernatorial candidacy, hoping to succeed Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who cannot seek a third term. A variety of other prominent figures in the Wolverine State have expressed interest in the race,