State Senator District 16
August 4, 2026 · State Senate District 16; Michigan · State senate district · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 17 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 270,374 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(274,056 ÷ 270,374) ÷ ln(274,056 ÷ 253,220) = 17.11, comparing state senate districts in MI (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
State Senator is responsible for:
- Voting on state laws and the state budget
- Representing their district in the state senate
- Confirming certain governor appointments in many states
- Helping district residents deal with state agencies
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Reduce Wealth Gap, Anti-Corruption, Government Efficiency, Healthcare Affordability, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Social Programs and Welfare, Public Education Quality, Gun Control, Women's Reproductive Rights, Election Integrity, Personal Income Tax Reduction, Data Privacy, Civil Rights, Corporate Accountability, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Deandre Barnes
Democratic · declared
Deandre Barnes is a Democratic candidate for the Michigan Senate in District 16 (Monroe, Lenawee, and Hillsdale counties). From Newport, he is an educator for Jefferson Schools.
Joseph Bellino Jr.
Republican · Incumbent · declared
Joseph Bellino Jr. is a Republican member of the Michigan Senate representing District 16 (Monroe, Lenawee, and Hillsdale counties) since 2023. A Monroe business owner, he is seeking re-election.
Records: Data Privacy 2 for, Environment and Public Health 1 for, 1 against, Government Efficiency 1 for, Government Spending Reduction 1 for, Healthcare Affordability 2 for, Housing Affordability 2 for, Public Education Quality 1 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 4 for, Reduce Wealth Gap 1 against, Women's Reproductive Rights 1 against
Election sources
Source: mi-boe.entellitrak.com