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Michigan, State Representative, District 56

Michigan House of Representatives District 56
Current incumbentJason Sheppard Republican Party
Population96,937
Gender50.8% Female, 49.2% Male
Race93.2% White, 3.0% Black, 2.1% Two or More Races, 0.9% Other, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% Native American
Ethnicity96.7% Non-Hispanic, 3.3% Hispanic

Michigan's fifty-sixth state house district is held by Republican Representative Jason Sheppard.

As of the 2010 census, a total of 96,937 civilians reside within Michigan's fifty-sixth state house district. Michigan state representatives represent an average of 89,851 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 90,349 residents.

About the office

Members of the Michigan House of Representatives serve two-year terms with term limits. Michigan legislators assume office the at noon on first day of January.

Qualifications

Section 7 of Article 4 of the Michigan Constitution states, "Each senator and representative must be a citizen of the United States, at least 21 years of age, and an elector of the district he represents. The removal of his domicile from the district shall be deemed a vacation of the office. No person who has been convicted of subversion or who has within the preceding 20 years been convicted of a felony involving a breach of public trust shall be eligible for either house of the legislature."

Salaries

State legislators
SalaryPer diem
$71,685/year$10,800/year expense allowance for session and interim. Set by the compensation commission.

Term limits

The Michigan legislature is one of 15 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the Michigan Term Limits Act in 1992. That initiative said that Michigan representatives are subject to term limits of no more than three two-year terms, or a total of six years.

The first year that the term limits enacted in 1992 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 2002.

Vacancies

Whenever a vacancy occurs in the house, it is up to the Governor to call for a special election. A special election must be held during the next scheduled general election. If the vacancy happened after the statewide primary, leaders of the respective party organizations within the Senate district can submit a list of nominees to be voted on by party leadership. A vote must be held no later than 21 days after the vacancy.

2016 pivot county

206 Pivot Counties Logo.png

This district is one of 710 state legislative districts that intersects with one or more Pivot Counties. These 206 Pivot Counties voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012.

The 206 Pivot Counties are located in 34 states. Iowa, with 31, had the most such counties. The partisan makeup of state legislative districts intersecting with Pivot Counties is slightly more Republican than the overall partisan makeup of state legislatures throughout the country.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Michigan House of Representatives will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for August 4, 2020. The filing deadline is April 21, 2020.

2018

General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 56

Incumbent Jason Sheppard (R) defeated Ernie Whiteside (D) in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 56 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Jason Sheppard (R)
62.3
21,979

Ernie Whiteside (D)
37.7
13,289

Total votes: 35,268
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 56

Ernie Whiteside advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 56 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Ernie Whiteside (D)
100
5,565

Total votes: 5,565
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 56

Incumbent Jason Sheppard advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 56 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Jason Sheppard (R)
100
7,846

Total votes: 7,846

2016

Elections for the Michigan House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on August 2, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 19, 2016.

Incumbent Jason Sheppard defeated Tom Redmond and R. Al Bain in the Michigan House of Representatives District 56 general election.

Michigan House of Representatives, District 56 General Election, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Jason Sheppard Incumbent 58.35% 24,509
Democratic Tom Redmond 38.84% 16,316
U.S. Taxpayers R. Al Bain 2.81% 1,179
Total Votes 42,004
Source: Michigan Secretary of State

Tom Redmond ran unopposed in the Michigan House of Representatives District 56 Democratic primary.

Michigan House of Representatives, District 56 Democratic Primary, 2016

Party Candidate
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Tom Redmond (unopposed)

Incumbent Jason Sheppard ran unopposed in the Michigan House of Representatives District 56 Republican primary.

Michigan House of Representatives, District 56 Republican Primary, 2016

Party Candidate
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Jason Sheppard Incumbent (unopposed)

2014

Elections for the Michigan House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election was held on August 5, 2014, and a general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was April 22, 2014. Tom Redmond was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Jason Sheppard defeated Irma Kubiske in the Republican primary. Al Bain ran as a U.S. Taxpayers Party candidate. Sheppard defeated Redmond and Bain in the general election.

Michigan House of Representatives, District 56 General Election, 2014

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.pngJason Sheppard 50.3% 13,596
Democratic Tom Redmond 47.1% 12,726
U.S. Taxpayers Al Bain 2.6% 697
Total Votes 27,019

Michigan House of Representatives, District 56 Republican Primary, 2014

Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngJason Sheppard 66.8% 3,757
Irma Kubiske 33.2% 1,865
Total Votes 5,622

2012

Elections for the office of Michigan House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on August 7, 2012 and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature-filing deadline for major party candidates wishing to run in this election was May 15, 2012. The deadline for independent candidates was July 19, 2012. The deadline for write-in candidates was July 27, 2012. Incumbent Dale Zorn (R) defeated Larry Crider (D) in the general election. Zorn was unopposed in the Republican primary. Crider defeated Joe Astro in the Democratic primary.

Michigan House of Representatives, District 56, General Election, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDale Zorn Incumbent 57.6% 23,592
Democratic Larry Crider 42.4% 17,338
Total Votes 40,930

Michigan House of Representatives, District 56 Democratic Primary, 2012

Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngLarry Crider 59.9% 2,986
Joe Astro 40.1% 2,000
Total Votes 4,986

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Michigan House of Representatives District 56 raised a total of $3,261,024. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $116,465 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Michigan House of Representatives District 56

Year Amount Candidates Average
2016 $332,840 3 $110,947
2014 $465,522 4 $116,381
2012 $156,840 3 $52,280
2010 $144,978 2 $72,489
2008 $132,172 2 $66,086
2006 $1,156,082 3 $385,361
2004 $374,835 6 $62,473
2002 $120,153 3 $40,051
2000 $377,602 2 $188,801
Total $3,261,024 28 $116,465