Bridge Listens is a yearlong listening effort to identify Michigan’s most important issues and ensure politicians address them. The initiative intends to ground 2026 elections in fact-based journalism and engagement, concluding with an Issues Summit.
Survey results: Michigan’s top issues, voted by readers
Fact guide: Here are facts shaping Michigan
Mark your calendar: ‘Issues Summit’ planned Oct. 21
The Issues
DEMOCRACY, TRANSPARENCY
- Fact guide: The state of democracy in Michigan
- How candidates would change elections, transparency
- In their own words: Candidate on voting rules, democracy
AFFORDABILITY, ECONOMY
- Fact guide: Michigan affordability, economy
- How governor candidates will address economy
- In their words: candidates on economy
- Michigan rural communities ‘overlooked’ in economic development
ENVIRONMENT
- Fact guide: Michigan environment, energy and data centers
- How governor candidates will address environment, energy
- Michigan loves a river story; happy ending isn’t guaranteed
- How many tax breaks are enough for data centers?
- Federal policies shield conditions of Michigan dams
EDUCATION
- Fact guide: Michigan schools are struggling. What to know
- How Michigan’s next governor will try to fix schools
- School challenges particularly profound Up North
- What’s behind Michigan’s poor reading scores
HEALTH
- Fact guide: Health care costs climbing, challenges loom. What to know
- How next governor would address health care
- Medical debt soars as hospitals expand
WJR
- Latest in the election
- Candidates promise transparency (again)
- Michigan is aging fast
- Affordability in focus
- Artificial intelligence and data centers
- Environment and energy
- Mental health crisis
- Health care in Michigan
- Gridlock in Lansing
- State of schools
Michigan Public
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