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Government

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Government

Branches of Government

Michigan's government follows the federal plan of three branches, executive, legislative, and judicial. In both the executive and legislative branches, elected state officials are limited in the number of terms they can serve in particular positions.
  • Photo of the Michigan State Capitol with several state buildings in the foreground.

    Executive Branch

    Voters elect the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General to execute action in Michigan.
    Explore the Executive Branch
  • Court bench in the Michigan Hall of Justice.

    Judicial Branch

    Judges are elected to maintain fair legal proceedings in Michigan courts including Circuit, Probate, Appellate, and the Michigan Supreme Court.
    Explore Judicial Branch
  • Interior of the sentate chambers in the Michigan State Capitol, 1994

    Legislative Branch

    State Senators and Representatives are elected to represent their district. They write bills and vote to enact bills and laws.
    Explore Legislative Branch
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Tribal Government in Michigan

Michigan is home to a total of twelve federally-acknowledged Indian tribes that enjoy a special status under federal law and treaties.
Explore Tribal Governments
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Local Government in Michigan

The state of Michigan has a substantial number of local governments. Michigan ranks 13th among the 50 states in terms of the number of local governments. Included in the state’s system of local governments are 83 counties, 1,240 townships, 275 cities, 258 villages, 552 school districts, 57 intermediate school districts, 14 planning and development regions, and over 300 special districts and authorities.
Michigan's System of Local Governments

Government

Inside State Government

  • Spirit of Detroit. Image of statue in Detroit.

    Government Transparency

    As part of Executive Directive 2019-11, state departments and autonomous agencies subject to supervision by the governor under section 8 of article 5 of the Michigan Constitution of 1963, were required to identify a Transparency Liaison to make state government more open, transparent, and accountable.
    View Agency Liaison Contacts
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    Open Michigan Data Portal

    The purpose of Open Michigan Data Portal is to increase public awareness and access to data and information created by and available from state of Michigan agencies.
    Visit the Open Michigan Data Portal
  • An aerial photo of the Michigan State Capitol in downtown Lansing.

    Expenditures and Accountability

    Citizens of Michigan are encouraged to explore state government spending and payment information. This data highlights how taxpayer dollars are spent and provides transparency into state government.
    State Expenditures and Accountability
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State Buildings and Facilities

The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB) manages over six million square feet of facility space for state operations. Learn more about state of Michigan buildings on DTMB's state facilities page.
Learn More About State of Michigan's Facilities
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Forms for Local Government

Explore a searchable resource for commonly requested state of Michigan forms and reports for local governments. 
Search Local Government Forms

Related Resources