Sharon MacDonellSharon MacDonell

Sharon MacDonell is an incumbent Democrat running for her third term in the Michigan House of Representatives for the 56th District. Since taking office, MacDonell has delivered significant wins across multiple policy areas. In education, she backed historic funding for special education and at-risk programs, supported universal free school meals, and worked to keep classrooms focused by banning cell phone use. Her labor and economic record includes voting to repeal "right-to-work" laws, restoring prevailing wages, and eliminating the retirement tax on seniors. A champion for public safety, she sponsored the "Justice for Allie" package to combat online exploitation and supported tougher safe firearm storage requirements. On the environment, she voted for Michigan's 100% clean energy mandate and unlocked $110 million for EV infrastructure. As chair of the Legislative Disability Caucus, she has championed expanded MiABLE accounts, guardianship protections, and autism services, while securing vital infrastructure investments for Troy and Clawson. Macdonell's priorities start with reducing household costs, including help for young people buying first homes, pressure on DTE and Consumers Energy to lower bills, action against insurance price gouging, and lower child care and elder care costs. On education, she calls for smaller class sizes, more literacy and special education staff, permanent free school meals, expanded free Pre-K, and broader access to AP, dual enrollment, and career and technical programs. She also wants stronger anti-corruption and consumer protection laws, state protections for workers, the environment, and civil rights, and responsible AI policies that protect jobs. Finally, she pushes to restore trust in government by closing the revolving door into lobbying, ending dark money funneled through fake nonprofits, and extending the Freedom of Information Act to the legislature. MacDonell has been endorsed by the following progressive partner organizations: American Federation of Teachers - Michigan, Equality Michigan Action Network, Michigan AFL-CIO, Sierra Club - Michigan, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Michigan Association for Justice, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, and Service Employees International Union - Michigan. MacDonell is running against Republican Ashok Baddi. Sharon MacDonell is the most progressive choice in this race.