Empower Women Through Knowledge and Engagement

In Michigan, the nonpartisan section of the ballot primarily features candidates for judicial offices and local officials, including school board members. Candidates in this section do not have their political party affiliations listed on the ballot, though for some offices, such as the Michigan Supreme Court, candidates are nominated by political parties at party conventions. 

Offices typically found in the nonpartisan section include:

 

• Michigan Supreme Court Justices (though nominated by parties)

• Judges for other state courts (Court of Appeals, Circuit Court, Probate Court, District Court)

• Local School District Board Members

• Community College Board of Trustees Members

• City, Village, and Township officers (depending on local ordinances) 

 

Additionally, the nonpartisan section of the ballot is where voters will find any state and local proposals (ballot initiatives or referendums).

 

All voters can cast votes in the nonpartisan and proposal sections of the ballot, regardless of how they vote in the partisan section (in a primary election) or if they vote a straight ticket (in a general election). 

 

Typically, the non-partisan section follows the partisan section, which includes congress, state senators, state representatives, etc. 

 

It is important to know, if you choose to vote the option of a Straight Ticket, (also called straight party voting) which allows voters to choose a party’s entire slate of candidates with just a single ballot mark. Voters make one mark or selection on the ballot in order to vote for every candidate of that party for each partisan office on the ballot. 

 

A brief background: six states allow straight-ticket voting (STV). With a few exceptions, the straight-ticket option is available in all general elections, and applies to all partisan offices on the ticket, including federal, state and local races. The states with STV are Alabama, Indiana, * Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma and South Carolina. 

Engage Women will be scheduling meetings and forums for you to meet many of the non-partisan candidates for 2026. We will ask questions and will also ask you to supply any questions you would like to have answered.

 

Ideally, we will be scheduling additional time in an after-gathering meet and greeting period, this will enable you to get a sense of whom each candidate is and what their policies are.