Michigan Senate

Terms and sessions

Senators are elected at the same time as the governor and serve four-year terms concurrent with the governor of Michigan's term of office. Senate and gubernatorial elections are always held two years after the election for president of the United States, with the next election scheduled for November 6, 2018. Terms for senators begin on January 1 at Noon following the November general election and, concurrently with the Governor, ends on January 1 when their replacements are sworn in. Senators are eligible to serve two full four-year terms, except for Senators who have served more than half of a four-year term may only serve one full four-year term.

Each year during which the Legislature meets constitutes a new session. A new session of the Legislature begins when the members of each house convene on the second Wednesday of January every year at noon. A regular session of the Legislature typically lasts throughout the entire year with several periods of recess and adjourns sine die in late December. Any business, bill or joint resolution pending at the final adjournment of a regular session held in an odd numbered year shall carry over with the same status to the next regular session.

Title

Members of the Senate are commonly referred to as senators. Because this shadows the terminology used to describe members of Congress, constituents and news media, using the Associated Press guidelines for journalist, often refer to members as state senator to avoid confusion with their federal counterparts. As elected officials, members of the Senate also receive the courtesy title of the Honorable (abbreviated to Hon. or Hon'ble) for life.

Meeting place

The Michigan Senate convenes in the Senate chamber in the south wing of the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan. Their offices are located in the Billie S. Farnum Senate Office Building at the southeast corner of Capitol Avenue and Allegan Street adjacent to the Capitol.

There are six large portraits displayed in the Senate Chamber. At the right of the President's chair, is a full-length portrait of Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, and on the left is a full-length portrait of Governor Austin Blair - painted by Michigan artist Alvah Bradish. The two portraits are hanging in the same location as they were when the Capitol was dedicated in 1879. At the back of the Senate Chamber, the portraits of Governor Henry H. Crapo and Russell A. Alger are located on the northeast wall. The portraits of Governor Lewis Cass and State Senator Eva M. Hamilton are located on the northwest wall. All of these individuals were featured in portraits that hung in the Senate Chamber prior to the restoration in 1989. All of them, except Hamilton, are earlier period portraits with a long history in the Chamber. They were painted before the Capitol Building was built or when it was still very young.

Leadership

Under the Michigan Constitution, the Lieutenant Governor of Michigan serves as President of the Senate but may only cast a vote in the instance of a tie. The presiding officers of the Senate apart from the president are elected by the body at its first session and serve until their term of office is up. Majority and minority party officers are elected at the same time by, and serve at the pleasure of, their respective caucuses.

Presiding Officers

Current presiding officers of the Michigan Senate:

Majority Leadership

The Republican Caucus, with 27 members, currently holds the majority.

Current majority leadership of the Michigan Senate:

Minority Leadership

The Democratic Caucus, with 11 members, is currently in the minority.

Current minority leadership of the Michigan Senate: