MPPS Policy Brief: Local officials report declining outlook for state, plummeting approval of the Legislature
This policy brief presents the opinions of Michigan's local government leaders regarding the direction in which the state is headed, as well as their evaluations of the job performance of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the spring 2026 wave of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS)—conducted between March 30 and June 9, 2026—and tracking comparisons to previous spring waves.
Key findings
- Statewide, 60% of local officials say Michigan is currently on the "wrong track." Meanwhile, only around a quarter (26%) of local officials believe the state is going in the right direction, a six-point drop from 2025.
- As in prior years, these views correspond closely to local leaders' partisan identification, but optimism has declined among all partisan groups. Only 15% of Republican local officials say the state is going in the right direction, also down from the 20% who said the same in 2025. A third (33%) of local officials who self-identify as Independents say the state is headed in the right direction, down slightly from last year. Around two-thirds of self-identified Democrats (65%) think Michigan is headed in the right direction, down sharply from the peak of 85% saying the same in 2023.
- In the final year of her second term, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer received "excellent or good" ratings from 26% of local government leaders, down three points from the consistent ratings she's received since 2021. Meanwhile, 41% rate her performance as "poor," up slightly from 38% who said so in 2023 and 2025. These evaluations are also strongly associated with the political party of the respondent.
- Assessments of the Michigan Legislature saw a significant decline this year. Ratings of "poor" for the Legislature's performance jumped from 28% in 2025 to 40% this year. Those who currently view the Legislature's performance as either "excellent" or "good" dropped to just 11%—the lowest level since tracking began in 2011.
