Sarah Lightner
Michigan State Representative, District 45 since 2018. Ran in 4 elections between 2018 and 2024, winning 4. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 7 yrs
- Since 2018
- Bills became law
- 3
- 41 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.0%
- Chamber median 0.0%
- With party
- 99%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +31.5
- Won 2026
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Judiciary · chair
- Oversight · alternate
- State and Local Public Assistance Programs · alternate
- Weaponization of State Government · alternate
- Agriculture
- Finance
- Insurance
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Property: conveyance of state property · Became law Oct 2026
Juveniles: juvenile justice services · Became law Jul 2026
Law enforcement: other · Became law Dec 2025
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Lightner sits in the Michigan House of Representatives
Lightner is closer to the center than 72% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: Dave Prestin, Greg Markkanen, Ken Borton
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:53 PM ET
With Lightner’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans99%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills20%
Black tick: the average of Republicans in the Michigan House of Representatives.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Lightner’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.
| Date | Bill | Lightner | Rep. majority | Dem. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25, 2026 | SB 1013: Insurance: no-fault; price optimization use in determining insurance rates; prohibit.… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 97–7 |
| Aug 25, 2026 | SB 569: Health: funding; various fees under the public health code; transfer and deposit into the… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 98–6 |
| Jul 3, 2026 | SB 616: Civil procedure: civil actions; civil actions against certain opioid litigation settlement… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 102–6 |
| Jul 3, 2026 | HB 4063: Public employees and officers: ethics; certain former officers of the executive branch of… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 92–15 |
| Jul 3, 2026 | HB 4350: Natural resources: other; wildlife feeding; allow under certain conditions. Amends sec.… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 76–32 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Lightner was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Michigan House of Representatives, District 45 | Won | R+31.5 | R+35.1 | −3.6 |
| 2024 | Michigan House of Representatives, District 45 | Won | R+39.2 | R+35.1 | +4.1 |
| 2022 | Michigan House of Representatives, District 45 | Won | R+35.2 | — | — |
| 2020 | Michigan House of Representatives, District 65 | Won | R+29.5 | — | — |
| 2018 | Michigan House of Representatives, District 65 | Won | R+21.3 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $55.6K
- Spent
- $36.7K
- Cash
- $36.8K
Source: Michigan Bureau of Elections filings through Oct 18, 2026Updated Oct 31, 2026, 3:38 PM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| COMMITTEE TO ELECT SARAH LIGHTNER State | Active |
Source: Michigan Bureau of Elections filings through Oct 18, 2026Updated Oct 31, 2026, 3:38 PM ET
Seats Lightner has held
- Michigan House of Representatives, District 45 · since 2022
- Michigan House of Representatives, District 65 · since 2018
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Lightner has run against
- Randy Davis (D) · 2026 election, won
- Doug Murch (D) · 2024 election, won
- Ron Hawkins (D) · 2022 election, won
- Nancy Smith (D) · 2020 election, won
- Terri McKinnon (D) · 2018 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)
How we know Lightner
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/ef5b60a6-d301-4433-8e85-6c14ba254011
- Wikidata Q75184843
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET