Reports
2010 Citizen's Guide to Michigan Campaign Finance
The 2010 Citizen's Guide to Michigan Campaign Finance contains summaries of candidates' campaign finances, lists of top contributors to all electoral winners, and lists of top contributors to the legislative caucuses' PACs, politicians' leadership PACs and state party committees. The report includes 22 data tables and 17 appendices of campaign finance data, and policy reform recommendations.
$70 Million Hidden in Plain View - Michigan's Spectacular Failure of Campaign Finance Disclosure, 2000-2010
$70 million in television political advertisements was unreported in Michigan campaigns between 2000 and 2010, because the ads didn't contain magic words of express advocacy and the Department of State doesn't consider them to be campaign expenditures. Read about the loophole that has destroyed accountability in Michigan politics.
MCFN Coverage of Campaign 2010
Archived coverage of Campaign 2010
2008 Citizen's Guide to Michigan Campaign Finance
The 2008 Citizen's Guide to Michigan Campaign Finance contains summaries of candidates' campaign finances, lists of top contributors to all electoral winners, and lists of top contributors to the legislative caucuses' PACs, politicians' leadership PACs and state party committees. The report includes 26 data tables and 17 appendices of campaign finance data, and policy reform recommendations.
MCFN coverage of Campaign 2008
Archived coverage of Campaign 2008
Accessing Government: How difficult is it?
This report from the Chicago-based Citizen Advocacy Center provides an analysis of open government laws in Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Public Campaign Financing in Michigan: Driving Toward Collapse?
This report from the Center for Governmental Studies says Michigan's gubernatorial public financing system is broken and needs modernizing for the 21st century.
A Citizen's Guide to Redistricting
The new Brennan Center for Justice publication, A Citizen’s Guide to Redistricting is a comprehensive look at the rules for drawing political district lines, including a description of how redistricting works today, how it could work in the future, and why redistricting reform matters.
The New Politics of Judicial Elections in the Great Lakes States, 2000-2008
A new report from the Justice at Stake Campaign and the Midwest Democracy Network shows how Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin have become the epicenter of a spreading arms race between corporate interests, trial lawyers, ideological groups and political partisans who are committed to bending state judges to their will.
Democratic Renewal: A Call to Action from America's Heartland
Political reform organizations from five Midwest states have collaborated to publish a new book that assesses the state of democracy in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The volume analyzes political pathologies that are unique to the respective states and those that cut across the Great Lakes region. Democratic Renewal: A Call to Action from America’s Heartland also proposes reform measures to revitalize democracy in the states.
From Registration to Recounts: The Election Ecosystems of Five Midwestern States
A study by researchers at Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law examines election ecosystems in five midwestern states and finds room for improvement in Michigan.
2006 Citizen's Guide to Michigan Campaign Finance
The 2006 Citizen's Guide to Michigan Campaign Finance contains summaries of candidates' campaign finances, lists of top contributors to all electoral winners, and lists of top contributors to the legislative caucuses' PACs, politicians' leadership PACs and state party committees. The report includes 30 data tables and 17 appendices of campaign finance data, and policy reform recommendations.
The New Politics of Judicial Elections - 2006
Justice at Stake, The Brennan Center for Justice and the Institute for Money in State Politics have published "The New Politics of Judicial Elections - 2006," a study that details the spread of special interest pressure in state Supreme Court campaigns across America, including Michigan.
A Case for Political Reform in Michigan
This MCFN report includes rationale for 33 reforms in the areas of campaign finance, lobbying, ethics, term limits, redistricting, election administration, judicial independence and enforcement.
Brennan Center Report: Campaign Finance in Michigan
The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law has released its analysis of the state of campaign finances in Michigan. The Brennan Center’s findings closely agree with those of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network: Michigan’s campaign finance system has gaping loopholes, and it fails to establish limits and accountability in the financing of state political campaigns.
MCFN Coverage of Campaign 2006
Archived coverage of campaign 2006
Citizen's Guide to Michigan Campaign Finance 2004
The Guide includes campaign finance summaries of the 2004 presidential campaign, the federal political parties, 527 committees, Michigan's congressional campaigns, Michigan House campaigns, judicial campaigns, the state parties, political action committees and 2004 and 2006 ballot committees. It also has summaries of off-year fundraising by Michigan senators and statewide officeholders, and lists of top contributors to all state officeholders, political parties and leadership PACs.
MCFN Coverage of Campaign 2004
Archived coverage of campaign 2004
Perspectives on Michigan Judicial Elections
Michigan's unique approach to selecting its Supreme Court justices was the subject of a symposium at the Wayne State University Law School in January 2004. Former Michigan Supreme Court Justice and American Bar Association president Dennis W. Archer gave the keynote address. Proceedings of the symposium are available online.
A 28-minute video discussion featuring the same presenters explores many of the same issues. It is available on request in DVD or VHS format. Request your copy here.
Citizen's Guide to Michigan Campaign Finance 2002
A detailed look at the role of money in Michigan's 2002 elections.
Special Interests v. Public Values - Funding Michigan Supreme Court Campaigns - 1994-2000
Published in May 2002. An extensive look at the explosion of money in Michigan's Supreme Court elections and possible reforms to reverse the trend.
More Money, Less Disclosure
An overview of campaign finance in Michigan's 2000 elections.