State Representative District 97
State House District 97; Michigan
My vote power
High
Election date
August 4, 2026 · Primary election
How do we calculate my vote power?
What goes into the rating: Representation: how much weight one vote carries here compared with a statewide vote — the smaller the district, the more each vote counts. Decisiveness: how likely this race is to be close, based on past results or current analyst ratings, plus the number of candidates.
Representation: High · 71 out of 100
This district is a small slice of its state, so each vote here carries much more weight than a vote in a statewide race. About 94,207 people live here.
Show the representation math
score = 50 + 50 × ln(state population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(50,000) = 50 + 50 × ln(10,077,761 ÷ 94,207) ÷ ln(50,000) = 71.59, measured against a statewide vote in MI (grades: 66+ high, 55+ above average, 33+ average, otherwise low; a statewide race is the 50 baseline)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No analyst ratings or past results for this contest yet.
High representation → My vote power: High.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
About this office
- Voting on how much you pay in state taxes
- Voting on how much money your local public schools get
- Voting on which roads and highways get built or repaired
Affects: AI Regulation, Healthcare Affordability, Environment and Public Health,
Candidates
Republican · declared
Briar Bearss is a West Point graduate who retired from the Army as a captain after service injuries. He co-founded a housing company that rents to veterans and working families, and he focuses on manufacturing jobs and school results.
Democratic · declared
Jack Bader is a realtor and small business owner from Vassar who works across Saginaw, Tuscola, Bay and Genesee counties. He focuses on stronger local economies and safer roads.
Records: Housing Affordability 1 for
Democratic · declared
Kandie Sherman is a Democratic candidate for the Michigan House of Representatives in District 97, an open seat, running in the August 2026 primary.
Republican · declared
Mark Piotrowski is a Republican candidate for the Michigan House of Representatives in District 97, an open seat. An engineer, he serves as a Saginaw County commissioner.
Records: Government Spending Reduction 3 for, Gun Control 1 against, Healthcare Affordability 1 for
Source: mi-boe.entellitrak.com