Michigan's 78th House of Representatives district

Michigan's 78th State House of Representatives district
Representative	Gina Johnsen R – Lake Odessa
Demographics	88%  White 3%  Black 5%  Hispanic 3%  Multiracial
Population (2022)	92,241
Notes	[1]

Michigan's 78th House of Representatives district (also referred to as Michigan's 78th House district) is a legislative district within the Michigan House of Representatives located in parts of Barry, Eaton, Ionia, and Kent counties. ^[2] The district was created in 1965, when the Michigan House of Representatives district naming scheme changed from a county-based system to a numerical one. ^[3]

List of representatives

Representative	Party		Dates	Residence	Notes
Roy L. Spencer		Republican	1965–1976	Attica	[4]
Larry E. Burkhalter		Democratic	1977–1980	Lapeer	[5]
John Gregory Strand		Republican	1981–1982	Lapeer	[6]
Keith Muxlow		Republican	1983–1992	Brown City	[7]
Carl Gnodtke		Republican	1993–1996	Sawyer	[8]
Ron Jelinek		Republican	1997–2002	Three Oaks	[9]
Neal Nitz		Republican	2003–2008	Baroda	[10]
Sharon Tyler		Republican	2009–2012	Niles	[11]
Dave Pagel		Republican	2013–2018	Berrien Springs	[12]
Brad Paquette		Republican	2019–2022	Niles	[13]
Gina Johnsen		Republican	2023–present	Lake Odessa	[14]

Recent elections

2024 Michigan House of Representatives election ^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Gina Johnsen	33,508	68.6
	Democratic	Christine Terpening	15,344	31.4
Total votes			48,852	100
	Republican hold

2022 Michigan House of Representatives election ^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Gina Johnsen	25,765	65.6
	Democratic	Leah Groves	13,533	34.4
Total votes			39,298	100
	Republican hold

2020 Michigan House of Representatives election ^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Brad Paquette	28,485	62.7
	Democratic	Dan VandenHeede	16,297	35.9
	Natural Law	Andrew Warner	638	1.4
Total votes			45,420	100
	Republican hold

2018 Michigan House of Representatives election ^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Brad Paquette	20,596	61.4
	Democratic	Dean E. Hill	12,978	38.7
Total votes			33,574	100
	Republican hold

2016 Michigan House of Representatives election ^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Dave Pagel	26,037	67.5
	Democratic	Dean Hill	12,529	32.5
Total votes			38,566	100
	Republican hold

2014 Michigan House of Representatives election ^[20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Dave Pagel	15,360	67.2
	Democratic	Cartier Shields	7,488	32.8
Total votes			22,848	100
	Republican hold

2012 Michigan House of Representatives election ^[21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Dave Pagel	23,227	61.1
	Democratic	Jack Arbanas	14,802	38.9
Total votes			38,029	100
	Republican hold

2010 Michigan House of Representatives election ^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Sharon Tyler	15,218	65.4
	Democratic	Cindy Ellis	8,070	34.7
Total votes			23,288	100
	Republican hold

2008 Michigan House of Representatives election ^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Sharon Tyler	20,226	52.1
	Democratic	Judy Truesdell	18,623	47.9
Total votes			38,849	100
	Republican hold

Historical district boundaries

Map	Description	Apportionment Plan	Notes
	Huron County (part) Brookfield Township Fairhaven Township Grant Township Oliver Township Sebewaing Township Winsor Township Lapeer County Tuscola County (part) Almer Township Columbia Township Dayton Township Elkland Township Ellington Township Fremont Township Kingston Township Koylton Township Millington Township Novesta Township Watertown Township Wells Township	1964 Apportionment Plan	[24]
	Lapeer County (part) Excluding Burlington Township Burnside Township Goodland Township Rich Township Macomb County (part) Armada Township Bruce Township (part) Memphis (part) St. Clair County (part) Excluding Algonac Brockway Township Burtchville Township Casco Township China Township Clay Township Cottrellville Township East China Township Grant Township Ira Township Kimball Township (part) Lynn Township Marine City Marysville New Baltimore (part) Port Huron Port Huron Township St. Clair St. Clair Township Yale	1972 Apportionment Plan	[25]
	Sanilac County St. Clair County (part) Burtchville Township Clyde Township Fort Gratiot Township Port Huron	1982 Apportionment Plan	[26]
	Berrien County (part) Baroda Township Berrien Township Bertrand Township Bridgman Buchanan Buchanan Township Chikaming Township Galien Township Lake Charter Township New Buffalo New Buffalo Township Niles Niles Charter Township Oronoko Charter Township Pipestone Township Royalton Township Sodus Township Three Oaks Township Weesaw Township	1992 Apportionment Plan	[27]
	Berrien County (part) Baroda Township Berrien Township Bertrand Township Buchanan Buchanan Township Chikaming Township Galien Township New Buffalo New Buffalo Township Niles (part) Niles Charter Township Oronoko Charter Township Pipestone Township Three Oaks Township Weesaw Township Cass County Dowagiac Howard Township LaGrange Township (part) Niles (part) Silver Creek Township Wayne Township	2001 Apportionment Plan	[28]
	Berrien County (part) Baroda Township Berrien Township Bertrand Township Buchanan Buchanan Township Chikaming Township Galien Township New Buffalo New Buffalo Township Niles (part) Niles Charter Township Oronoko Charter Township Pipestone Township Sodus Township Three Oaks Township Weesaw Township Cass County Howard Township Milton Township Niles (part) Ontwa Township Silver Creek Township	2011 Apportionment Plan	[29]

References

1. "State House District 78, MI". Census Reporter.
2. "Hickory_House". Michigan . Retrieved September 8, 2022.
3. "Speakers Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives, 1835–2015" (PDF). Michigan Legislature. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
4. "Legislator Details - Roy L. Spencer". Library of Michigan . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
5. "Legislator Details - Larry E. Burkhalter". Library of Michigan . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
6. "Legislator Details - John Gregory Strand". Library of Michigan . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
7. "Legislator Details - Keith David Muxlow". Library of Michigan . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
8. "Legislator Details - Carl F. Gnodtke". Library of Michigan . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
9. "Legislator Details - Ron Jelinek". Library of Michigan . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
10. "Legislator Details - Neal Nitz". Library of Michigan . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
11. "Legislator Details - Sharon Tyler". Library of Michigan . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
12. "Legislator Details - Dave Pagel". Library of Michigan . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
13. "Legislator Details - Brad Paquette". Library of Michigan . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
14. "Legislator Details - Gina Johnsen". Library of Michigan . Retrieved January 1, 2023.
15. "2024 Michigan Election Results". Lansing: Michigan Department of State. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
16. "2022 Michigan Election Results". Lansing: Michigan Department of State. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
17. "2020 Michigan Election Results". Lansing: Michigan Department of State. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
18. "2018 Michigan Election Results". Lansing: Michigan Department of State. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
19. "2016 Michigan Election Results". Lansing: Michigan Department of State. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
20. "2014 Michigan Election Results". Lansing: Michigan Department of State. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
21. "2012 Michigan Election Results". Lansing: Michigan Department of State. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
22. "2010 Michigan Election Results". Lansing: Michigan Department of State. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
23. "2008 Michigan Election Results". Lansing: Michigan Department of State. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
24. "Michigan Manual 1965/1966". Michigan Legislature. 1965. p. 390. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
25. "Michigan Manual 1975/1976". Michigan Legislature. 1975. p. 471. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
26. "REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS" (PDF). Michigan Legislature. 1989. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
27. "REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS" (PDF). Michigan Legislature. 1995. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
28. "REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS" (PDF). Michigan Legislature. 2001. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
29. "MICHIGAN STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 78" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 15, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022.