Election Day: November 3, 2026
45% of Americans Identify as Independent: A Record High
Source: Gallup - January 12, 2026
Most Voters Are Independent.
The Political System Isn't.
Under Michigan law, major-party candidates for State Senate can qualify for the ballot with as few as 500 signatures or by paying a $100 filing fee.
Independent candidates don't get those options.
To appear on the ballot, I had to collect at least 1,500 valid signatures in 180 days, in person and directly from registered voters—with no option to pay my way onto the ballot.
That's not a level playing field, and it's why you almost never see Independent candidates on the ballot. The system is actually built to favor two parties.
(Fact: Every currently serving Michigan State Senator and virtually every one of their opponents in the last election opted to pay the $100 fee rather than gathering signatures to qualify for the ballot.*)
So I went directly to the people because that's the only way an Independent campaign can even exist.
Thousands of conversations. Across communities. Across party lines.
Front porches. Kitchen tables. Festivals. Sidewalks.
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Talking to everyone.
My signatures came from people across the political spectrum—because most people aren't nearly as divided as our politics make it seem.​
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And that's the point. The problem isn't the people. It's the system.
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This campaign isn't about left versus right. It's about the people in the middle who've been left out.
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If you've ever felt like neither party truly represents you, you're not alone.
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This is your campaign, too.
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* Source: Michigan Bureau of Elections, official 2022 candidate filing records (most recent State Senate election cycle; see "Method" column for each candidate for State Senate).
