Skip to main content

Government

Photo of the Capitol and two people walking on the sidewalk.
Coat of Arms Logo

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

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
Image of a dream catcher with sunlight in the background.
Photo of a town in Michigan. Buildings, trees and a street is pictured.

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
Photo of Michigan flag flying in the wind.

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

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
Aerial Photo of Buildings in Downtown Lansing
Photo of the Michigan State Capitol Dome.

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