Where's The Senate? 21 Days Of Voting Comparatively Low

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 06/15/2026) The Michigan Senate has held roll-call votes on just 21 days so far this year, a historically sluggish pace that is less than half the number recorded at the same point in 2008 and 2010, the last time the Legislature operated under split-party control.

One Senate Democratic source pointed to a closely divided chamber, member absences and a House controlled by Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) that has shown little interest in moving Senate priorities. Hall counters that Senate Democrats have spent more time campaigning in 2026 than governing.

Either way, the Senate's total is also well below its pace during the COVID-19 pandemic. By June 15, 2020, senators had taken roll-call votes on 39 days. In 2008 and 2010, when control of state government was split between the parties, the Senate had recorded roll-call votes on more than 50 days by mid-June.

Since Jan. 1, 2026, the Senate has met and recorded a vote on 21 days, compared with 37 days in the House. That means the Senate has held 43 percent fewer voting days — the largest gap between the chambers at this point in an even-numbered year since at least 2008.

MIRS' review counts days on which each chamber met and recorded at least one vote between Jan. 1 and mid-June of each even-numbered year. It does not include session days on which lawmakers met but did not vote.

The Senate's few action days in 2026 follows a trend over the last 10 years of lighter output than prior years, but 2026 is presenting some different attendance issues, according to one Senate source. With Democrats holding onto a 19-18 majority, the absence of one Democratic member can gum up a calendar.

For starters, some Senators are seeking higher office.

Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) is running for the U.S. Senate, causing her to miss a third of all session days between January and April. Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Bloomfield Twp.) is running for the U.S. House. Sen. Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit) is running for the Michigan State University Board of Trustees.

Second, Sen. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) lost her teenage daughter this year to cancer, a devastating loss that cast a sobering pall over the entire chamber as members and staff alike reflected on the important things in life.

Finally, according to one Senate source, some Democrats saw little incentive to push major legislation after watching many Senate-passed bills stall in the House last year. Behind the scenes, the caucus felt Hall focused on negotiations over roads and the budget while declining to advance many Senate priorities.

McMorrow talked about this during her June 8 interview on MIRS Monday.

"It's hard. I mean, Matt Hall has decided that he wants to have the least productive Legislature in state history, and he was pretty successful," she said. "I mean, last year we passed fewer bills into law than at any point since I believe it was 1837 and there seems to be no rhyme or reason for doing that, except to do it, which is simply not how Michiganders want their government to function."

This year, with polling and the results of the special 35th Senate District election signaling a bad election year for Republicans, Hall is much more interested in dealing, but Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) flatly said a couple of weeks ago, "It's really difficult to think about trusting you with something really big."

In Hall's eyes, he believes the Senate Democrats are distracted from governing, shifting their focus primarily on campaigning.

"They could be very productive if they moved bills that passed the House," Hall said. "I have been able to pass 100 more bills than the Senate, so they would probably benefit from listening to me on this."

The Speaker said if the Senate Democrats can't move legislation on their own, they should negotiate with Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton) on bills that can attract bipartisan support.

Nesbitt saw the voting record as an example of Senate Democrats not showing up for Michigan families, saying it's like "Gov. Gretchen Whitmer off on another European vacation."

"I joined with Speaker Hall to drag them to the table to save tipped jobs last year and protect Selfridge just weeks ago," Nesbitt said. "Democrats only seem to work overtime when raising taxes or handing out welfare to illegals. Meanwhile, I'm working with Speaker Hall to eliminate the state property tax, repeal the Green New Scam, deliver real relief to Michigan families, and lower the cost of living."