As the November election draws closer, voter confidence in Michigan’s election system is edging lower.
A new poll of 800 likely Michigan voters found 74.4% believe the system is fair and accurate. However, that’s down from 79.4% in 2025.
The Glengariff Group was hired to conduct the annual poll by the bipartisan Democracy Defense Foundation.
Pollster Richard Czuba said 85% of Republicans, Democrats, and Independent voters trust their own local county’s election system to be fair and accurate.
But only 48% trust other counties to count the vote accurately.
Czuba said Republicans tend to distrust the results coming from big counties, suggesting Wayne and other largely Democratic voting counties are “rigged."
“(Republicans) know those neighbors. They know those people,” said Czuba. “Their concerns rise for places they are not located.”
Former Republican Governor John Engler is a member of the bipartisan Democracy Defense Foundation. Overall he sees the poll results as positive.
“It shows both a lot of good news about the confidence and the need … to keep trying to educate voters, inform them of the process,” said Engler.
Michigan voters can begin casting ballots late next week for the November election.
Michigan is selecting a new U.S. senator, governor, secretary of state, and attorney general, as well as members of Congress and the state Legislature. There are also other local issues and offices on the ballot.
