Ruth Johnson
2023 - Present
2027
2
Ruth Johnson (Republican Party) is a member of the Michigan State Senate, representing District 24. She assumed office on January 1, 2023. Her current term ends on January 1, 2027.
Johnson (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Michigan State Senate to represent District 24. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Johnson was the Republican secretary of state for Michigan from 2011 to 2019. Johnson also represented District 46 in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1999 to 2002.[1][2]
Biography
Ruth Johnson lives in Oakland County, Michigan. Johnson graduated from Waterford Township High School.[3] She earned an associate degree from Oakland Community College, a bachelor's degree in history and social science from Oakland University, and a master's degree from Wayne State University.[3][4] Johnson's career experience includes owning a business. She served on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners and has been affiliated with the Holly Area Optimists, the American Business Women's Association, the Lake Louise and Tipsico Lake Improvement Board, and the Oakland County Republican Party.[2][3]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at:editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Johnson was assigned to the following committees:
- Judiciary and Public Safety Committee
- Education and Career Readiness Committee
- Elections and Ethics Committee, Minority Vice Chair
2021-2022
Johnson was assigned to the following committees:
- Elections Committee, Chair
- Environmental Quality Committee
- Families, Seniors, and Veterans Committee
- Health Policy and Human Services
- Judiciary and Public Safety Committee
- Local Government Committee, Majority vice-chair
- Senate Regulatory Reform Committee
2019-2020
Johnson was assigned to the following committees:
- Elections Committee, Chair
- Health Policy and Human Services
- Families, Seniors, and Veterans Committee
- Judiciary and Public Safety Committee
- Local Government Committee, Vice Chair
- Senate Regulatory Reform Committee
- Environmental Quality Committee
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
See also: Michigan State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for Michigan State Senate District 24
Incumbent Ruth Johnson defeated Theresa Fougnie in the general election for Michigan State Senate District 24 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Ruth Johnson (R) | 65.8 | 87,171 | |
| Theresa Fougnie (D) | 34.2 | 45,316 | ||
| Total votes: 132,487 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 24
Theresa Fougnie advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 24 on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Theresa Fougnie | 100.0 | 17,777 | |
| Total votes: 17,777 | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan State Senate District 24
Incumbent Ruth Johnson advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan State Senate District 24 on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Ruth Johnson | 100.0 | 36,231 | |
| Total votes: 36,231 | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Douglas Wozniak (R)
Campaign finance
2018
See also: Michigan State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Michigan State Senate District 14
Ruth Johnson defeated Renee Watson and Jessicia Smith in the general election for Michigan State Senate District 14 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Ruth Johnson (R) | 55.7 | 64,253 | |
| Renee Watson (D) | 42.1 | 48,578 | ||
| Jessicia Smith (G) | 2.2 | 2,580 | ||
| Total votes: 115,411 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 14
Renee Watson defeated Cris Rariden and Jason Waisanen in the Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 14 on August 7, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Renee Watson | 71.3 | 16,569 | |
| Cris Rariden | 18.4 | 4,269 | ||
| Jason Waisanen | 10.4 | 2,408 | ||
| Total votes: 23,246 | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan State Senate District 14
Ruth Johnson defeated Katherine Houston in the Republican primary for Michigan State Senate District 14 on August 7, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Ruth Johnson | 76.6 | 20,958 | |
| Katherine Houston | 23.4 | 6,398 | ||
| Total votes: 27,356 | ||||
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2014
Johnson ran for re-election in 2014.[5] She was uncontested in the primary and faced Democrat Godfrey Dillard and three minor party challengers in the general election. The general election took place on November 4, 2014.
Results
| Secretary of State of Michigan, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Ruth Johnson Incumbent |
53.5% | 1,649,047 | |
| Democratic | Godfrey Dillard | 42.9% | 1,323,004 | |
| Libertarian | James Lewis | 2% | 61,112 | |
| U.S. Taxpayer | Robert Gale | 1.1% | 34,447 | |
| Natural Law | Jason Gatties | 0.4% | 13,185 | |
| Total Votes | 3,080,795 | |||
| Election results via Michigan Department of State | ||||
2010
Johnson was elected Secretary of State in 2010. She announced her candidacy for on April 23, 2010. The seat was being vacated by Terri Lynn Land, who was barred by state term limit laws from running for a third consecutive term in office.[6]
| 2010 Race for Secretary of State- General Election[7] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
| Republican Party | 50.7% | ||
| Democratic Party | Jocelyn Benson | 45.2% | |
| Libertarian Party | Scotty Boman | 1.8% | |
| U.S. Taxpayers | Robert Gale | 1.3% | |
| Green Party | John A. La Pietra | 1.0% | |
| Total Votes | 3,173,248 | ||
2008
- 2008 Race for Oakland County Clerk - Republican Primary[8]
- Ruth Johnson ran unopposed
| 2008 Race for Oakland County Clerk - General Election[9] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
 Ruth Johnson (R)
|
50.3% | |||
| Sheila Smith (D) | 49.3% | |||
| Write In | 0.4% | |||
| Total votes | 626,430 | |||
2004
| 2004 Race for Oakland County Clerk - Republican Primary[10] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| Ruth Johnson (R)
|
56.0% | |||
| G. William Caddell (R) | 44.0% | |||
| Total votes | 91,028 | |||
| 2004 Race for Oakland County Clerk - General Election[11] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| Ruth Johnson (R)
|
53.5% | |||
| Jason Ellenburg (D) | 43.2% | |||
| Joseph Server (Libertarian) | 3.3% | |||
| Total votes | 577,800 | |||
2002
| 2002 Race for State House, District 46 - Republican Primary[12] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| Ruth Johnson (R)
|
69.0% | |||
| John Lauve (R) | 31.0% | |||
| Total votes | 5,559 | |||
| 2002 Race for State House, District 46 - General Election[13] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| Ruth Johnson (R)
|
70.9% | |||
| Robert Reading (D) | 29.1% | |||
| Total votes | 30,448 | |||
2000
- 2000 Race for State House, District 46 - Republican Primary[14]
- Ruth Johnson ran unopposed
| 2000 Race for State House, District 46 - General Election[15] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| Ruth Johnson (R)
|
64.5% | |||
| Patrick Doyon (D) | 30.8% | |||
| Sean Sullivan (UST) | 4.7% | |||
| Total votes | 45,157 | |||
1998
| 1998 Race for State House, District 46 - Republican Primary[16] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| Ruth Johnson (R)
|
40.7% | |||
| Jeff Gallant (R) | 35.2% | |||
| Patricia Woods (R) | 21.1% | |||
| John Lauve (R) | 3.0% | |||
| Total votes | 8,935 | |||
| 1998 Race for State House, District 46 - General Election[17] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| Ruth Johnson (R)
|
67.5% | |||
| Roxanne La Montaine (D) | 26.6% | |||
| Mark Carney (Libertarian) | 5.9% | |||
| Total votes | 32,186 | |||
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Ruth Johnson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Noteworthy events
June 2017 request for voter rolls
On June 29, 2017, the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, which had been created by President Donald Trump on May 11, requested information on registered voters from all 50 states dating back to 2006. The states were given until July 14 to respond. On July 3, Secretary Johnson announced that the state would provide only publicly available information to the commission.
| “ | As in most other states, Michigan law does provide for disclosure of some basic public voter information...Political parties, candidates and news organizations routinely request and receive this data. State law for decades has allowed anyone to review voter lists to ensure election integrity. As in Michigan, similar laws in almost all states make this basic voter information a public record. Michigan will certainly not go beyond what is legally required.[18] | ” |
| —Johnson Spokesman Fred Woodhams[19] | ||
Citizenship box on ballots
A check box on Michigan ballot applications re-confirming a voter's U.S. citizenship was added to the August 2012 primary ballots. Johnson asserted that adding the question to ballot applications at the polling places added extra security against potential non-citizens from casting a ballot.[20] A federal judge ruled that this question had to be removed from the November ballot applications, saying that the question would slow the voting process and was confusing to voters. Opponents of the checkbox asserted that the box violated the Equal Protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.[21]
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Michigan scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 10 to December 23.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 11 to November 14.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 12 to December 28.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 13 to December 31.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 8 to December 31.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 9 through December 31.
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See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography" accessed October 9, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Michigan Secretary of State Office, "Biography" accessed October 9, 2012
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Senator Ruth Johnson, "Meet Senator Johnson," accessed May 6, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Ruth Johnson," accessed May 6, 2023
- ↑ Governing, Michigan Governor Announces Re-election Bid, Despite Controversies, February 4, 2014
- ↑ Crain's Detroit Business, "Oakland County Clerk Ruth Johnson joins secretary of state field" 23 April, 2010
- ↑ Michigan Department of State - 2010 General Election Results
- ↑ Oakland County Clerk - 2008 Primary Election Results
- ↑ Oakland County Clerk - 2008 General Election Results
- ↑ Oakland County Clerk - 2004 Primary Election Results
- ↑ Oakland County Clerk - 2004 General Election Results
- ↑ Department of State - 2002 Primary Election Results
- ↑ Department of State - 2002 General Election Results
- ↑ Department of State - 2000 Primary Election Results
- ↑ Department of State - 2000 General Election Results
- ↑ Department of State - 1998 Primary Election Results
- ↑ Department of State - 1998 General Election Results
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Detroit Free Press, "Michigan to comply partly with presidential request for voter data," July 3, 2017
- ↑ MLive Secretary of State Ruth Johnson won't appeal citizenship ruling in time for November election, October 10, 2012
- ↑ Michigan Radio Federal judge orders removal of citizenship checkbox on Michigan ballot, October 5, 2012
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Tom Barrett (R) |
Michigan State Senate District 24 2023-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Michigan State Senate District 14 2019-2023 |
Succeeded by Sue Shink (D) |
| Preceded by Terri Lynn Land (R) |
Michigan Secretary of State 2011-2019 |
Succeeded by Jocelyn Benson (D) |
| Preceded by - |
Michigan House of Representatives 1999-2004 |
Succeeded by - |
