# Michigan's 78th House of Representatives district

Michigan's 78th House of Representatives district (also referred to as Michigan's 78th House district) is a legislative district within the Michigan House of Representatives located in parts of Barry, Eaton, Ionia, and Kent counties. The district was created in 1965, when the Michigan House of Representatives district naming scheme changed from a county-based system to a numerical one.

## List of representatives

| Representative | Party | Dates | Residence |
| Roy L. Spencer | Republican | 1965–1976 | Attica |
| Larry E. Burkhalter | Democratic | 1977–1980 | Lapeer |
| John Gregory Strand | Republican | 1981–1982 | Lapeer |
| Keith Muxlow | Republican | 1983–1992 | Brown City |
| Carl Gnodtke | Republican | 1993–1996 | Sawyer |
| Ron Jelinek | Republican | 1997–2002 | Three Oaks |
| Neal Nitz | Republican | 2003–2008 | Baroda |
| Sharon Tyler | Republican | 2009–2012 | Niles |
| Dave Pagel | Republican | 2013–2018 | Berrien Springs |
| Brad Paquette | Republican | 2019–2022 | Niles |
| Gina Johnsen | Republican | 2023–present | Lake Odessa |

## Recent elections

2018 Michigan House of Representatives election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Brad Paquette | 20,596 | 61.35 |
| | Democratic | Dean E. Hill | 12,978 | 38.65 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 33,574 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
2016 Michigan House of Representatives election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Dave Pagel | 26,037 | 67.51% |
| | Democratic | Dean Hill | 12,529 | 32.49% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 38,566 | 100.00% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
2014 Michigan House of Representatives election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Dave Pagel | 15,360 | 67.23 |
| | Democratic | Cartier Shields | 7,488 | 32.77 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 22,848 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
2012 Michigan House of Representatives election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Dave Pagel | 23,227 | 61.08 |
| | Democratic | Jack Arbanas | 14,802 | 38.92 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 38,029 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
2010 Michigan House of Representatives election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Sharon Tyler | 15,218 | 65.35 |
| | Democratic | Cindy Ellis | 8,070 | 34.65 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 23,288 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
2008 Michigan House of Representatives election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Sharon Tyler | 20,226 | 52.06 |
| | Democratic | Judy Truesdell | 18,623 | 47.94 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 38,849 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## Historical district boundaries

| Description | Apportionment Plan |
| Huron County (part) Brookfield Township Fairhaven Township Grant Township Oliver Township Sebewaing Township Winsor Township Lapeer County Tuscola County (part) Almer Township Columbia Township Dayton Township Elkland Township Ellington Township Fremont Township Kingston Township Koylton Township Millington Township Novesta Township Watertown Township Wells Township | 1964 Apportionment Plan |
| Lapeer County (part) Excluding Burlington Township Burnside Township Goodland Township Rich Township Macomb County (part) Armada Township Bruce Township (part) Memphis (part) St. Clair County (part) Excluding Algonac Brockway Township Burtchville Township Casco Township China Township Clay Township Cottrellville Township East China Township Grant Township Ira Township Kimball Township (part) Lynn Township Marine City Marysville New Baltimore (part) Port Huron Port Huron Township St. Clair St. Clair Township Yale | 1972 Apportionment Plan |
| Sanilac County St. Clair County (part) Burtchville Township Clyde Township Fort Gratiot Township Port Huron | 1982 Apportionment Plan |
| Berrien County (part) Baroda Township Berrien Township Bertrand Township Bridgman Buchanan Buchanan Township Chikaming Township Galien Township Lake Charter Township New Buffalo New Buffalo Township Niles Niles Charter Township Oronoko Charter Township Pipestone Township Royalton Township Sodus Township Three Oaks Township Weesaw Township | 1992 Apportionment Plan |
| Berrien County (part) Baroda Township Berrien Township Bertrand Township Buchanan Buchanan Township Chikaming Township Galien Township New Buffalo New Buffalo Township Niles (part) Niles Charter Township Oronoko Charter Township Pipestone Township Three Oaks Township Weesaw Township Cass County Dowagiac Howard Township LaGrange Township (part) Niles (part) Silver Creek Township Wayne Township | 2001 Apportionment Plan |
| Berrien County (part) Baroda Township Berrien Township Bertrand Township Buchanan Buchanan Township Chikaming Township Galien Township New Buffalo New Buffalo Township Niles (part) Niles Charter Township Oronoko Charter Township Pipestone Township Sodus Township Three Oaks Township Weesaw Township Cass County Howard Township Milton Township Niles (part) Ontwa Township Silver Creek Township | 2011 Apportionment Plan |