Michigan elections: Republicans have early lead in State Board of Education, university board races split

Voters are selecting two partisan members on the State Board of Education
Voters decide partisan board members on the state’s three largest public universities
Michigan faces absenteeism challenges in K-12 and enrollment challenges in higher education

Republicans have an early lead in the race for Michigan State Board of Education.

The polls are closed across Michigan.

Candidates include Democratic incumbents Tiffany Tilley, D-West Bloomfield, and Judith Pritchett, D-Washington Township, and Republican challengers Terence Collins and Bree Moeggenberg.

The election comes as Michigan’s K-12 districts continue to struggle with high absenteeism, low reading scores and high schoolers unready for college.

Voters also decided on members of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees, University of Michigan Board of Regents and the Wayne State University Board of Governors. Republicans have early leads in the U-M race and Democrats lead the MSU and Wayne State races.

The election of university leaders has long faced criticism from many, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and former governors.

RELATED:

\While state leaders have created scholarship programs in recent years to lower the cost of tuition, many potential students are concerned about cost or the value of a degree.

A recent report shows enrollment across the state’s 15 public universities decreased 2% from the previous year, with one public university advocate blaming birthrates and federal policies that limit international students.

Here’s what to know

State Board of Education

The outcome determines whether Democrats continue dominating the board in charge of educating Michigan’s 1.4 million public school students — or Republicans gain enough leverage to split the board 50-50 along party lines, potentially making it harder to push through policy changes.

The eight-member board meets monthly to discuss public education and it hires the state superintendent, who oversees the Michigan Department of Education.

State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko started in December 2025.

The board does not control the state education budget or pass new laws, but serves as the “general planning and coordinating body” for public education in the state.

In recent months, the board has passed resolutions establishing a special education committee, requesting the Legislature “provide sufficient financial resources” for the board to conduct its duties and opposing the federal tax credit scholarship program.

The ballot also includes candidates from third parties: Charles Essner (Libertarian), William Mohr II (US Taxpayers), Christine C. Schwartz (US Taxpayers), Wissam Charafeddine (Green), Mary Anne Hering (Working Class) and Kelli Monroe (Natural Law).

Michigan State University Board of Trustees

Voters are choosing two people to sit on the eight-member board. Each term lasts for eight years.

Democratic incumbents Kelly Tebay Zemke and Brianna Scott are running against Republicans Julie Maday and Roger Victory.

A tower is seen on Michigan State University's campus — Eight elected officials oversee Michigan State University. (Josh Boland/Bridge Michigan)

This is Maday’s second attempt to join the MSU board. She is a former city councilperson for Novi and Victory is a term-limited state senator.

MSU continues to face turmoil.

Michigan State President Kevin Guskiewicz made waves earlier this year when he announced he was leaving for Clemson University, blaming tensions on the board as one factor for leaving. But he later reversed course and said he would stay.

Just last week, Trustee Mike Balow, the lone Republican on the board, filed a federal lawsuit against Scott and board Secretary Stefan Fletcher, alleging a new board ethics policy is unconstitutional.

Last month, Trustee Rema Vassar filed a lawsuit against Guskiewicz, Scott and other MSU officials alleging they have discriminated and retaliated against her.

Scott defended the ethics policy in a statement and a university spokesperson said MSU would respond to Vassar’s allegations “through the applicable legal process.”

The race includes six candidates from third parties: Daniel R. Patterson (Libertarian), Will Tyler White (Libertarian), Janet Sanger (US Taxpayers), John Sanger (US Taxpayers), John Anthony La Pietra (Green) and Yaz Ozbek (Working Class).

University of Michigan Board of Regents

Democratic incumbent Paul Brown and Democrat Amir Makled are running against Republicans Lena Epstein and Michael Schostak.

Makled is a civil rights attorney who ousted incumbent Jordan Acker at the state Democratic Party convention earlier this year. Brown is a managing partner at eLab Ventures, a venture capital firm.

Epstein is co-owner and an executive of Vesco Oil Corp. and Schostak is the treasurer of Bloomfield Township.

A University of Michigan flag flies above a building — The elected University of Michigan Board of Regents oversees three U-M campuses. (Ella Miller/Bridge Michigan)

The race also includes Andrew Chadderdon (Libertarian) and Kyle Maas (US Taxpayers).

U-M’s new president, C. Cybele Raver, will start Dec. 1 as the university faces several challenges including its plan to build a data center in Ypsilanti Township that faces local pushback and its effort to find a new athletic director after multiple scandals.

Wayne State University Board of Governors

The board currently has five Democrats and three Republicans.

Democrats Shereef Akeel and Richard Mack are running against Republicans Andy Anuzis and Christa Murphy.

Democrats Bryan Barnhill III and Anil Kumar did not run for reelection.

Akeel is a civil and human rights attorney. Mack is a labor and civil rights attorney. Anuzis recently retired from being principal at Lincoln-King High School, a Detroit charter school. Murphy is a tech executive who works at a medical device company.

A Wayne State University sign is seen on a building — Wayne State University is overseen by the elected Board of Governors. (Photo via Shutterstock)

The ballot also includes: Alex Avery (Libertarian), Jami Van Alstine (Libertarian), Jeff McDonald (US Taxpayers), Paul M. Ragan (Green), Suzanne Roehrig (Working Class) and Kathleen Oakford (Natural Law).

The new board members will work with President Richard Bierschbach.

He was named to the permanent presidency role in February after serving on an interim basis since September. Former President Kimberly Andrews Espy, the first WSU female president, left two years into her five-year contract, citing “personal reasons.”