Remain vigilant, safeguard ag as Election Year 2026 approaches

As the 2026 election cycle approaches, political candidates may request to meet with county Farm Bureaus and individual member leaders. 

Such contact is encouraged and will always be an important means of being well-informed as a voter and a Farm Bureau member — especially members involved in our Candidate Evaluation program.

However… It’s not uncommon for ambitious candidates to take advantage of our organization’s eagerness to engage. Even now, in the earliest stages of the process, it’s important to remain vigilant and mindful of protecting the integrity of our Candidate Evaluation and AgriPac processes. 

See below a draft timeline of next year's election-year-related events, milestones and deadlines. Click here for more information.

2026 Endorsement & Elections Timeline (draft)

• Feb. 19 — AgriPac committee meeting
• March-April — AgriPac begins sending questionnaires to candidates as they file with Secretary of State
• March-April — Candidate Evaluation Committee (CEC) workshops
• April 21 — Candidates’ deadline to file for election
• April 22 — AgriPac sends a list of primary candidates, and incumbent candidates’ voting records, to county Farm Bureaus
• April 22 — County Farm Bureaus can start scheduling candidate interviews       
• May 4 — Candidates’ deadline for returning questionnaires
• May 4-25 — CECs meet to evaluate candidates and make endorsement recommendations
• May 25 — CEC deadline for submitting endorsement recommendations to AgriPac
• June 8 & 9 — AgriPac meets to endorse primary election candidates
• June 10 — List of AgriPac-endorsed primary candidates mailed to county Farm Bureau presidents and CEC chairs
• June 15 —AgriPac endorsements released to news media
• June 17 — Letters with campaign contributions sent to endorsed candidates
• June 17 — Deadline to turn in AgriPac postcard orders
• June TBD — Primary election absentee ballots mailed
• July TBD — Early voting opens
• Aug. 4 — Primary election
• Aug. 12 — U.S. Senate & Michigan gubernatorial forum
• Aug. 17 — CEC recommendations due for U.S. Senate & Michigan governor
• Aug. 18 — AgriPac committee meets virtually to review U.S. Senate & Michigan gubernatorial race
• Aug. TBD — Supreme court candidate questionnaires sent to county Farm Bureaus
• Aug. 5-26 — CECs re-evaluate districts where endorsed candidates lost or where no endorsement was made
• Aug. 31 —County Farm Bureau deadline for submitting general election recommendations
• Aug. TBD — State political party conventions
• Sept. 9 & 10 — AgriPac committee meets to decide general-election endorsements
• Sept. 11 — AgriPac’s general-election endorsements mailed to county Farm Bureau presidents and CECs
• Sept. 14 — AgriPac endorsements released to news media
• Sept. 16 — Letters sent to endorsed candidates with campaign contributions
• Sept. 16 — Deadline for AgriPac postcard orders
• Sept. 24 — Absentee ballots mailed
• Oct. TBD — Early voting opens
• Nov. 3 — General election