Age in the 2025 Michigan Legislature
The State of Michigan held its elections for a new Michigan House of Representatives and Michigan State Senate on November 4th 2024. In January 2025 the currently active 103rd legislative session of the Michigan State Legislature. Among the members elected 20 were aged 35 or younger on election day in 2024. Below is a map of these representatives within both chambers of the Michigan State Legislature.
Michigan Demographic Background in the 2024 Election
Preliminary estimates from CIRCLE at Tufts University indicate that 42% of young people aged 18–29 voted in the 2024 election, with turnout surpassing 50% in key battleground states. Nearly 50 million young citizens were eligible to vote nationwide, including over 8 million who turned 18 since the 2022 midterms.
According to the Pew Research Center, Millennials surpassed Baby Boomers in 2020 to become the largest generation in the U.S., making up 31% of the population, followed closely by Boomers at 30.9%. Generation X accounts for 28%, while the Silent Generation makes up just 9.9%. In Michigan, young voters played an outsized role in shaping both state and national outcomes. The state ranked first on CIRCLE’s Youth Electoral Significance Index (YESI) for projected youth impact in the 2024 presidential race. Michigan’s open U.S. Senate race ranked third nationally for youth influence, while two congressional contests—MI-7 and MI-8—were also among the top YESI races, ranking first and sixth nationwide, respectively.
Michigan has consistently been a leader in youth participation, posting the highest youth voter turnout in the country in 2022 (36%) and maintaining one of the highest youth voter registration rates in the U.S. The state’s voter-friendly policies—automatic, online, and same-day registration—make participation especially accessible. However, economic challenges remain: Michigan ranks below average in median household income and has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, factors that can impact youth political engagement (YESI-2024 Presidential Impacts).
The Michigan House of Representatives 103rd Legislative Session
Below is information covering age dynamics in the recently elected to the Michigan House of Representatives
- the average age of Michigan House of Representatives members is 50.31 years
- the youngest Representative Rylee Linting was born in 2002
- the oldest Representative Douglas C. Wozniak was born in 1947
- 18 Representatives are Young Elected Leaders age 35 or younger as of Election Day 2024
Generational Breakdown
Within the Michigan House of Representatives, most representatives come from the Millennial, Generation X or The Baby Boomer generation. Importantly, only a few members of the current Michigan House of Representatives belong to Generation Z. Scroll below to see the generations in the Michigan House of Representatives visualized.
Partisanship in the Michigan House of Representatives
The chart below further breaks down the current partisan makeup of the 2025 Michigan House of Representatives. Each dot represents a single member, colored by both party affiliation and whether the legislator qualifies as a Young Elected Leader (YEL)—defined as age 35 or younger at the time of the election. This format provides a visual snapshot of generational and partisan distribution within the chamber, highlighting how younger legislators are positioned across party lines.
Partisan differences in the Michigan House of Representatives extend beyond ideology to include notable generational contrasts. As shown in the visual below, Republican legislators have a significantly higher average age than their Democratic counterparts—53.46 years compared to 46.81 years—a gap of 6.65 years. These disparities may reflect broader patterns in political recruitment, generational turnover, and the types of candidates emerging in recent election cycles.
Young Elected Representatives – Michigan House of Representatives
Following the 2024 State Legislative Elections in Michigan, eighteen members aged 35 or under were elected to the Michigan House of Representatives. Below are all eighteen of these members, ordered from youngest to oldest, along with information about their local districts and party affiliation.
| Name | District | Birth year (Age on Election Day) | Year first elected to Michigan House | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Rylee Linting (R) | 27th District –
Grosse Ile, MI |
2002 (Age 22) | 2024 |
 |
Alabas Farhat (D) | 3rd District –
Dearborn, MI |
2000 (Age 24) | 2022 |
 |
Jasper Ryan Martus (D) | 69th District –
Flushing, MI |
2000 (Age 24) | 2022 |
 |
Parker Fairbairn (R) | 107th District –
Harbor Springs, MI |
1999 (Age 25) | 2024 |
 |
Noah Arbit (D) | 20th District –
West Bloomfield, MI |
1995 (Age 29) | 2022 |
 |
William G. Schuette Jr. (R) | 95th District –
Midland, MI |
1995 (Age 29) | 2022 |
 |
Dylan Wegela (D) | 26th District –
Garden City, MI |
1993 (Age 31) | 2022 |
 |
William Snyder (R) | 87th District – Muskegon, MI | 1993 (Age 31) | 2022 |
 |
Donavan McKinney (D) | 11th District –
Detroit, MI |
1992 (Age 32) | 2022 |
 |
Joshua Schriver (R) | 66th District –
Oxford, MI |
1992 (Age 32) | 2022 |
 |
Patrick Outman (R) | 91st District –
Six Lakes, MI |
1992 (Age 32) | 2020 |
 |
Peter Herzberg (D) | 25th District –
Westland, MI |
1991 (Age 33) | 2024 |
 |
Stephen Wooden (D) | 81st District –
Grand Rapids, MI |
1991 (Age 33) | 2024 |
 |
John Fitzgerald (D) | 83rd District –
Wyoming, MI |
1990 (Age 34) | 2022 |
 |
Jason Morgan (D) | 23rd District –
Ann Arbor, MI |
1989 (Age 35) | 2022 |
 |
Morgan Foreman (D) | 33rd District –
Pittsfield Township, MI |
1990 (Age 35) | 2024 |
 |
Pauline Wendzel (R) | 39th District –
Watervliet, MI |
1989 (Age 35) | 2018 |
 |
Stephen Carra (R) | 36th District –
Three Rivers, MI |
1989 (Age 35) | 2020 |
Photos courtesy of the Michigan House of Representatives member roster.
Gender in the Michigan House of Representatives
The Michigan House of Representatives reflects a range of age and gender dynamics that help shape the composition of the state’s legislative body. Across all members, 59.09% are men, while women make up 40%. Women have a higher mean age than men with the current Michigan House. For male representatives there was an average age of 49.7 at the time of the election, compared to 51.31 for their female colleagues. Of the the 18 Young Elected Leaders, 15 are male and 3 are female. Additionally Michigan elected a non-binary member to the Michigan House of Representatives, their age is reflected below.
When examining both gender and party affiliation, additional differences in age emerge within the Michigan House of Representatives. Democratic men have the lowest average age of all groups at 40.87, while Democratic men have a higher average age of 51.32. For Republicans in the Michigan House of Representatives, men and women are on average older, with Republican men averaging 54.21 and Republican women averaging the highest age among these groups at 51.3. These patterns show that age representation in the Michigan House of Representatives varies by both gender and partisan alignment, highlighting differing pathways to political office across demographic groups. Additionally Michigan elected a non-binary member to the Michigan House of Representatives, this member is a Democrat and their age is reflected below.
Race and Ethnicity in the Michigan House of Representatives
The racial and ethnic composition of the Michigan House varies across generations. In 2024, younger cohorts show more diversity, though the chamber overall remains majority White. The table below shows each generation’s distribution.
Generations by Race/Ethnicity in the Michigan House of Representatives
| Ethnicity | Generation Z 1997 – |
Millennial Generation 1981 – 1996 |
Generation X 1965 – 1980 |
Boomer Generation 1946 – 1964 |
Full Chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White/Caucasian | 3 (75%) | 26 (78.79%) | 37 (86.05%) | 24 (80%) | 90 (81.82%) |
| Black/African American | – | 5 (15.15%) | 6 (13.95%) | 5 (16.67%) | 16 (14.55%) |
| Hispanic/Latino | – | – | – | 1 (3.33%) | 1 (0.91%) |
| Asian/Pacific American | – | 1 (3.03%) | – | – | 1 (0.91%) |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | – | 1 (3.03%) | – | – | 1 (0.91%) |
| Other | 1 (25%) | – | – | – | 1 (0.91%) |
| Total | 4 (3.64%) | 33 (30%) | 43 (39.09%) | 30 (27.27%) | 110 (100%) |
* The full Michigan House of Representatives is comprised of 110 seats.
The Michigan Senate
Below is information covering age dynamics in the recently elected Michigan State Senate.
- the average age of Michigan State Senate members is 53.39 years
- the youngest Senator is Darrin Camilleri who was born in 1992
- the oldest Senator is John D. Cherry who was born in 1951
- 2 members of the Michigan State Senate are Young Elected Leaders, aged 35 or younger as of Election Day 2024
Young Elected Senators in the Michigan State Senate
Following the 2024 State Legislative Elections in Michigan, two members aged 35 or under were elected to (and currently serve in) the Michigan State Senate. Below is information about their local districts and party affiliation.
| Name | District | Birth Year (Age on Election Day) | Year First Elected to the Michigan State Senate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Darrin Camilleri (D) | 4th District – Trenton, MI | 1992 (Age 32) | 2022 |
 |
Mary Cavanagh (D) | 6th District – Redford, MI | 1991 (Age 33) | 2022 |
Photos courtesy of the Michigan State Senate member roster.
Partisanship in the Michigan State Senate
In the Michigan State Senate, 19 senators belong to the Democratic Party, 18 senators are Republicans. The mean age of Democratic state senators after the 2024 election was 50.24, while the mean age of Republican state senators was 56.71. Each generation had a different partisan makeup. Below is the breakdown of party composition for each generation within the Michigan State Senate.
* One state senate seat currently remains vacant
Gender in the Michigan Senate
The generational makeup of the Michigan Senate reveals notable gender dynamics. Overall, men outnumber women, across Millennial and Baby Boomer senators. While there is an even gender balance among men and women for Generation X senators. These patterns indicate that gender representation varies across generations, with women present in every age cohort but often in smaller numbers than men.
Race and Ethnicity in the Michigan Senate
The racial and ethnic composition of the Michigan Senate shows generational variation. The table below presents the distribution by generation.
Generations by Race/Ethnicity in the Michigan State Senate
| Ethnicity | Millennial Generation | Generation X | Boomer Generation | Full Chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White/Caucasian | 7 (70%) | 11 (78.57%) | 13 (100%) | 31 (83.78%) |
| Black/African American | 1 (10%) | 1 (7.14%) | – | 2 (5.41%) |
| Hispanic/Latino | 1 (10%) | 1 (7.14%) | – | 2 (5.41%) |
| Asian/Pacific American | 1 (10%) | – | – | 1 (2.7%) |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | – | 1 (7.14%) | – | 1 (2.7%) |
| Total | 10 (27.03%) | 14 (37.84%) | 13 (35.14%) | 37 (100%) |
* One state senate seat currently remains vacant. The full Michigan State Senate is comprised of 38 seats.
Notes
The Young Elected Leaders Project applies the generational categorization of the Pew Research Center:
- Silent Generation: 1928 – 1945
- Baby Boomer Generation: 1946 – 1964
- Generation X: 1965 – 1980
- Millennial Generation: 1981 – 1996
- Generation Z: 1997 – 2012
This analysis is based on data from the most recent state legislative election in Michigan which took place on November 5th 2024.
Citation Guideline
In referencing the Young Elected Leaders Project in publication please use the following language: “The Young Elected Leaders Project is housed at the Center for Youth Political Participation at The Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University – New Brunswick.”
Bibliographic Citation For this document
Author: Young Elected Leaders Project
Corresponding Authors: George D. Quinn
Year: 2024
Title: Age in the 2025 Michigan Legislature