Lawmakers Swap Districts In New Exchange Program

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 04/23/2025) A "Michigan Legislative Exchange" program is officially beginning next month, allowing lawmakers of different political ideologies, community makeups and geographies to experience life in a legislative district very unlike their own.

During the annual fundraising dinner for Michigan State University's (MSU) Michigan Political Leadership Program (MPLP), the new Michigan Legislative Exchange (MILE) program was announced. The program will be a part of MSU's Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR), pairing two lawmakers from opposite parties to take a 12- to 36-hour-long trip to each other's districts.

The first exchange trip will be made by Rep. Greg Markkanen (R-Hancock), who will be leaving his 4,501-person community in the Upper Peninsula to spend time in Rep. Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac)'s district, covering Pontiac and northwestern Auburn Hills, in Metro Detroit.

Another MILE pair will be Reps. Carol Glanville (D-Grand Rapids) and John Roth (R-Interlochen).

Involved in the project is political strategist Jonathan Perman, who's based in the Chicago area. In early 2018, Perman was contracted by the Bipartisan Policy Center think tank in Washington, D.C. to launch the American Congressional Exchange (ACE) program.

"We will design, particularly with the host member, because it's their district, a very intense itinerary that's built around what they want to show the visiting member," Perman said to MIRS. "It might be a factory tour, it might be a meeting with their chamber of commerce…visiting a human service organization, talking to faith leaders…it could be any one of a number of things."

He said the host legislator will sort of dictate what the focus of the trip is. He explained Michigan will be the second individual state to have such an exchange program for legislators, following Minnesota, who launched their program two weeks ago.

Perman described how Michigan is a relatively large state geographically, with tight margins of control in the Legislature between Republicans and Democrats.

"There's lots to see, lots to explore and lots to really understand (about) one another's district," he said. "The Legislature in Michigan is relatively large, particularly the House – 110 members, and so the reality is they don't know each other that well."