# Michigan's 6th congressional district

Michigan's 6th congressional district is a United States congressional district in southeast Michigan. In 2022, the district was redrawn to be centered around Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, as well as western and southern Wayne County, a small part of southwestern Oakland County, and the city of Milan in Monroe County. In previous redistrictings, the 6th district consisted of all of Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren, counties, and includes most of Allegan county.
The district is currently represented by Democrat Debbie Dingell, who previously represented the old 12th district.

## Counties and municipalities

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and municipalities:
Monroe County (1)
    Milan (shared with Washtenaw County; part; also 5th)
Oakland County (3)
    Northville (shared with Washtenaw County), Novi (part; also 7th), Novi Township
Washtenaw County (28)
    All 28 municipalities
Wayne County (16)
    Belleville, Brownstown Charter Township, Canton Charter Township, Flat Rock (shared with Monroe County; part; also 5th), Gibraltar, Grosse Ile Township, Huron Charter Township, Northville (shared with Oakland County), Plymouth, Plymouth Charter Township, Riverview, Rockwood, Sumpter Township, Trenton, Van Buren Charter Township, Woodhaven

## Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | Obama 62% - 37% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 60% - 40% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 58% - 37% |
| 2018 | Senate | Stabenow 62% - 36% |
| 2018 | Governor | Whitmer 63% - 34% |
| 2018 | Attorney General | Nessel 60% - 36% |
| 2020 | President | Biden 63% - 36% |
| 2020 | Senate | Peters 61% - 38% |
| 2022 | Governor | Whitmer 66% - 32% |
| 2022 | Secretary of State | Benson 68% - 30% |
| 2022 | Attorney General | Nessel 65% - 33% |
| 2024 | President | Harris 60% - 37% |
| 2024 | Senate | Slotkin 63% - 37% |

## History

Michigan's sixth congressional district was originally formed in 1862. At this time it had all the Upper Peninsula except Menominee, Delta and Mackinac counties.
The district was vaguely contiguous, in that it did not contain the Straits of Mackinac but did include Presque Isle County, which can be reached without going through another district's area. It included another 21 counties on the Lower Peninsula. The southern boundary of the district was formed by Clinton, Shiawassee, Genesee, Tuscola and Huron counties. The district had a population of 97,783.
In 1872, the sixth district was shifted southward. It retained Clinton, Shiawassee, and Genesee counties while adding Ingham, Livingston and Oakland counties. With 163,000 residents the district had 12,000 more inhabitants than the next most populous district, and 65,000 more residents than Michigan's least populous district.
In 1882, Shiawassee County was removed from the district. The new district had about 165,000 people. In 1892, Clinton County was removed but the townships of Livonia, Nankin (now Westland, Michigan and surrounding cities), Redford (including the eastern portion since annexed by Detroit), Greenfield (almost all now in Detroit, except the portion that became Highland Park, Springwells (since annexed by Detroit and Dearborn), and Dearborn in Wayne County were added, as well as the part of Detroit west of Lawton. This new district had a population of 190,539 that was 0.8% African-American.
No changes were made in the boundaries of the district in 1902. Its population had risen to 221,699.
It was not until 1932 that the boundaries of the 6th district were altered. In this year it lost its parts of Oakland and Wayne counties and was shifted to Ingham, Livingston, and Genesee Counties. These boundaries were not changed until 1964, when the district was redrawn to cover Jackson, Ingham, and Shiawassee counties.
In 1972, the district was redrawn to include Jackson, Ingham, and Livingston counties, as well as the western portion of Washtenaw County.
In 1982 the district was redrawn to Ingham, Livingston, and northwestern Oakland counties with a finger stretching all the way to Pontiac. Waterford Township was in the district, as was Auburn Hills, but Orion Township, Rochester Hills and Bloomfield Hills were all in other districts. The boundaries also included Independence Township, White Lake Township, Rose Township, Springfield Township and Highland Township. Brighton and the areas directly east of it in Livingston County were also not in this district. Most of Lansing was put in the 3rd district. In Jackson County the district covered Henrietta Township, Rives Township, and Tompkins Township. In Clinton County it included Bath Township. In Shiawassee County the district included Antrim Township, Perry Township, Perry, and Woodhull Township.
In 1992, most of the old 6th's territory became the 8th district, while the 6th was redrawn to cover most of the old 4th and a small portion of the old 3rd, ending the splitting of Kalamazoo County between two districts. There were minor changes in the districts boundaries in 2002 and 2012.

## List of members representing the district

| Representative | Party | Term | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| District created March 4, 1863 |||||
| John F. Driggs (East Saginaw) | Republican | March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1869 | 38th 39th 40th | Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1864. Re-elected in 1866. Retired. |
| Randolph Strickland (St. Johns) | Republican | March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871 | 41st | Elected in 1868. Lost renomination. |
| Jabez G. Sutherland (Saginaw) | Democratic | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873 | 42nd | Elected in 1870. Retired. |
| Josiah Begole (Flint) | Republican | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875 | 43rd | Elected in 1872. Lost re-election. |
| George H. Durand (Flint) | Democratic | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 | 44th | Elected in 1874. Lost re-election. |
| Mark S. Brewer (Pontiac) | Republican | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1881 | 45th 46th | Elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Retired. |
| Oliver L. Spaulding (St. Johns) | Republican | March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883 | 47th | Elected in 1880. Lost re-election. |
| Edwin B. Winans (Hamburg) | Democratic | March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887 | 48th 49th | Elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Retired. |
| Mark S. Brewer (Pontiac) | Republican | March 3, 1887 – March 3, 1891 | 50th 51st | Elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Retired. |
| Byron G. Stout (Pontiac) | Democratic | March 3, 1891 – March 3, 1893 | 52nd | Elected in 1890. Lost re-election. |
| David D. Aitken (Flint) | Republican | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1897 | 53rd 54th | Elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Retired to run for Governor of Michigan. |
| Samuel W. Smith (Pontiac) | Republican | March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1915 | 55th 56th 57th 58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd 63rd | Elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. .Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Retired. |
| Patrick H. Kelley (Lansing) | Republican | March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1923 | 64th 65th 66th 67th | Redistricted from the at-large district and re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Retired to run for U.S. senator. |
| Grant M. Hudson (East Lansing) | Republican | March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1931 | 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st | Elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Lost renomination. |
| Seymour H. Person (Lansing) | Republican | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | 72nd | Elected in 1930. Lost re-election. |
| Claude E. Cady (Lansing) | Democratic | March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935 | 73rd | Elected in 1932. Lost re-election. |
| William W. Blackney (Flint) | Republican | January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1937 | 74th | Elected in 1934. Lost re-election. |
| Andrew J. Transue (Flint) | Democratic | January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1939 | 75th | Elected in 1936. Lost re-election. |
| William W. Blackney (Flint) | Republican | January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1953 | 76th 77th 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd | Elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Retired. |
| Kit Clardy (East Lansing) | Republican | January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1955 | 83rd | Elected in 1952. Lost re-election. |
| Donald Hayworth (East Lansing) | Democratic | January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1957 | 84th | Elected in 1954. Lost re-election. |
| Charles E. Chamberlain (East Lansing) | Republican | January 3, 1957 – December 31, 1974 | 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd | Elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Retired and resigned early. |
| Vacant | Vacant | December 31, 1974 – January 3, 1975 | 93rd | |
| Bob Carr (East Lansing) | Democratic | January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1981 | 94th 95th 96th | Elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Lost re-election. |
| Jim Dunn (East Lansing) | Republican | January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1983 | 97th | Elected in 1980. Lost re-election. |
| Bob Carr (East Lansing) | Democratic | January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993 | 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd | Elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Redistricted to the 8th district. |
| Fred Upton (St. Joseph) | Republican | January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2023 | 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th | Redistricted from the 4th district and re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Redistricted to the 4th district and retired. |
| Debbie Dingell (Ann Arbor) | Democratic | January 3, 2023 – present | 118th 119th | Redistricted from the 12th district and re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. |

## Recent election results
### 2012

Michigan's 6th congressional district, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Fred Upton (incumbent) | 174,955 | 54.6 |
| | Democratic | Mike O'Brien | 136,563 | 42.6 |
| | Libertarian | Christie Gelineau | 6,366 | 2.1 |
| | Independent | Jason Gatties | 2,591 | 0.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 320,475 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2014

Michigan's 6th congressional district, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Fred Upton (incumbent) | 116,801 | 55.9 |
| | Democratic | Paul Clements | 84,391 | 40.4 |
| | Libertarian | Erwin Haas | 5,530 | 2.6 |
| | Green | John Lawrence | 2,254 | 1.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 208,976 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2016

Michigan's 6th congressional district, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Fred Upton (incumbent) | 193,259 | 58.6 |
| | Democratic | Paul Clements | 119,980 | 36.5 |
| | Libertarian | Lorence Wenke | 16,248 | 4.9 |
| | Independent | Richard Miller Overton (write-in) | 78 | 0.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 329,565 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2018

Michigan's 6th congressional district, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Fred Upton (incumbent) | 147,436 | 50.2 |
| | Democratic | Matt Longjohn | 134,082 | 45.7 |
| | Constitution | Stephen Young | 11,920 | 4.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 293,438 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2020

Michigan's 6th congressional district, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Fred Upton (incumbent) | 211,496 | 55.8 |
| | Democratic | Jon Hoadley | 152,085 | 40.1 |
| | Libertarian | Jeff DePoy | 10,399 | 2.7 |
| | Green | John Lawrence | 4,440 | 1.2 |
| | Independent | Jerry Solis (write-in) | 560 | 0.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 378,980 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2022

Michigan's 6th congressional district, 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Debbie Dingell (incumbent) | 241,759 | 65.8 |
| | Republican | Whittney Williams | 125,167 | 34.1 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 1 | 0.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 366,927 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2024

Michigan's 6th congressional district, 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Debbie Dingell (incumbent) | 281,162 | 62.0 |
| | Republican | Heather Smiley | 158,658 | 35.0 |
| | Green | Clyde K. Shabazz | 7,963 | 1.8 |
| | Libertarian | Bill Krebaum | 5,523 | 1.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 453,306 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |