This article reviews 2023 in Michigan, including the state's office holders, performance of sports teams, a chronology of the state's top news and sports stories, and a list of notable Michigan-related deaths.
Top stories The top news stories in Michigan included: The 2023 Michigan State University shooting on February 13 resulting in the deaths of three students and the shooter; The 2023 United Auto Workers strike from mid-September through the end of October, with the union targeting all three Detroit automakers at the same time, and including President Joe Biden's joining the picket line; Michigan prosecution of fake electors, 13 Republican officials who sought to award Michigan's Electoral College votes to Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election in Michigan; The guity plea and sentencing of Ethan Crumbley in the Oxford High School shooting and the rejection of motions to dismiss charges against his parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley; The killing of Samantha Woll, the president of a downtown Detroit synagogue, stabbed to death at her home; Smoke from the 2023 Canadian wildfires blanketed the state in June and July; and Litigation against Michigan State University in connection with the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal.
Top Michigan sports stories of 2023 included: The 2023 Michigan Wolverines football team going 15-0 and winning a national championship despite distractions from the University of Michigan football sign-stealing scandal and two suspensions of head coach Jim Harbaugh totaling six games; The 2023 Detroit Lions compiling a 12–5 record, winning the NFC North championship, and advancing to the NFC Championship Game where they lost to the San Francisco 49ers; The firing of Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker amid allegations that he sexually harassed a rape victim; Miguel Cabrera's last game in Major League Baseball after 16 seasons with the Detroit Tigers; and Dwane Casey stepping down as coach of the Detroit Pistons following a 17–65 season and the hiring of Monty Williams to replace him.
Notable Michigan-related deaths in 2023 included former Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Willie Hernández; singer Sixto Rodriguez; actor Tom Sizemore; former Michigan State football coach Denny Stolz; Unabomber and former University of Michigan student Ted Kaczynski; Motown singer Barrett Strong; actress and Detroit native Piper Laurie; former Pistons shooting guard Chris Ford; former Lions center Ed Flanagan; and catcher/sports journalist Jim Price.
Office holders State government Governor: Gretchen Whitmer (D) Lieutenant Governor of Michigan: Garlin Gilchrist (D) Michigan Attorney General: Dana Nessel (D) Michigan Secretary of State: Jocelyn Benson (D) Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives: Joe Tate (D) Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate: Winnie Brinks (R) Chief Justice, Michigan Supreme Court: Kyra Harris Bolden (D)
Mayors of major cities
Mayor of Detroit: Mike Duggan (Democrat) Mayor of Warren, Michigan: James R. Fouts/Lori Stone Mayor of Grand Rapids: Rosalynn Bliss Mayor of Sterling Heights, Michigan: Michael C. Taylor Mayor of Ann Arbor: Christopher Taylor (Democrat) Mayor of Dearborn: Abdullah Hammoud Mayor of Lansing: Andy Schor (Democrat) Mayor of Flint: Sheldon Neeley Mayor of Saginaw: Brenda Moore
Federal office holders
U.S. Senator from Michigan: Debbie Stabenow (Democrat) U.S. Senator from Michigan: Gary Peters (Democrat) House District 1: Jack Bergman (Republican) House District 2: John Moolenaar (Republican) House District 3: Hillary Scholten (Democrat) House District 4: Bill Huizenga (Republican) House District 5: Tim Walberg (Republican) House District 6: Debbie Dingell (Democrat) House District 7: Tom Barrett (Republican) House District 8: Dan Kildee (Democrat) House District 9: Lisa McClain (Republican) House District 10: John James (Republican) House District 11: Haley Stevens (Democrat) House District 12: Rashida Tlaib (Democrat) House District 13: Shri Thanedar (Democrat)
Sports Baseball 2023 Detroit Tigers season - Led by manager A. J. Hinch, the Tigers compiled a 78–84 (.481) and finished in second place in the AL Central. The team's statistical leaders included first baseman Spencer Torkelson (31 home runs, 94 RBIs), center fielder Riley Greene (.288 batting average), and Eduardo Rodriguez (13 wins). 2023 Michigan State Spartans baseball team - In their 14th season under head coach Jake Boss, the Spartans compiled a 33–22 record. 2023 Michigan Wolverines baseball team - In their first season under head coach Tracy Smith, the Wolverines compiled a 28–28 record. 2023 Michigan Wolverines softball team - In their first season under head coach Bonnie Tholl, the Wolverines compiled a 26–25 record.
American football 2023 Detroit Lions season - Led by head coach Dan Campbell, the Lions compiled a 12–5 and won the NFC North championship. 2023 Michigan Wolverines football team - In their ninth and final season under head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines compiled a 15–0 record and won the national championship. Michigan's statistical leaders included quarterback J. J. McCarthy with 2,991 passing yards and running back Blake Corum with 1,245 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns. 2023 Michigan State Spartans football team - In their final season under head coach Mel Tucker, the Spartans compiled an 0–8 record, as the Spartans' four wins were later vacated by the NCAA. 2023 Michigan Panthers season - The Panthers compiled a 4–6 record.
Basketball 2022–23 Detroit Pistons season 2022–23 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team 2022–23 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team
Hockey 2022–23 Detroit Red Wings season 2022–23 Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey season 2022–23 Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey season 2022–23 Western Michigan Broncos men's ice hockey season
Auto racing 2023 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix 2023 Dutch Boy 150 2023 FireKeepers Casino 400 2023 Henry Ford Health 200 2023 Herr's Snacks 200
Other 2023 Cranbrook Tennis Classic 2023 Detroit City FC season 2023 Dow Tennis Classic
Chronology January January 5 - Debbie Stabenow, first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000, announced that she would not run for a fifth term in 2024. January 6 - On the second anniversary of the January 6 United States Capitol attack, President Biden bestowed the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian award in the United States, on Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson for her work in protecting election integrity following the 2000 presidential election. January 20 - General Motors announced plans to invest $918 million in four US plants, including two in Michigan. January 20 - Michigan co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss was fired following an investigation of computer access crimes by university police. Weiss was later indicted on federal charges of unauthorized access to computers and identity theft. Weiss allegedly obtained unauthorized access to the student-athlete databases of over 100 schools as well as the social media, email, and/or cloud storage accounts of more than 2,000 individual student athletes. January 25 - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered her State of the State speech, calling for free preschool for all four-year-olds, gun safety laws, tax cuts for seniors and low-income workers, and legal protection for LGBTQ residents. January 31 - General Motors announced that its 42,300 hourly workers would receive profit-sharing checks of up to $12,750. The amount was a record for profit-sharing payouts in the automobile industry.
February February 12 - In the 2023 Lake Huron high-altitude object, the US military shot down an unidentified object over Lake Huron after it had been tracked flying at 20,000 feet across Michigan's Upper Peninsula. February 13 - Ford announced a deal with the state to build a $3.5 billion battery plant, known as the BlueOval Battery Park, in Marshall. February 13 - As part of a plea deal, former Michigan State basketball star Keith Appling pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the 2021 shooting of Clyde Edmonds in exchange for a sentence of 18 to 40 years in prison. February 13 – 2023 Michigan State University shooting: A 43-year-old man, Anthony Dwayne McRae, armed with two 9 mm handguns, went on a shooting rampage just after 8 p.m. at a classroom in Berkey Hall and at the MSU Union on the Michigan State campus. He killed three students, ages 19 and 20, and injured five others before taking his own life when he was stopped by police four miles from campus. Notes found on the assailant included a list of other places he wanted to visit, including a Meijer warehouse in Delta Township where he had worked and businesses that he had previously been asked to leave. February 22 - Stellantis announced profit-sharing payments of $14,760 for its union workers, the largest payouts in the industry. February 27 - Elissa Slotkin announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate.
March March 7 - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill reversing changes in tax law adopted in 2011 during the administration of Gov. Rick Snyder. March 9 - Randall Robert Berka II, a 30-year-old Sebewaing resident with a history of mental health problems, was arrested after making threats to kill FBI agents, members of the LGBTQ community, President Biden, and Governor Whitmer. His mother had purchased three long guns and a pistol for him during the prior year. He pleaded guilty in February 2024 to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was setneced to 32 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. His mother was sentenced to two years of probation for knowingly making false statements to the gun sellers. March 16 - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill into law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. March 23 - The Michigan Court of Appeals rejected an appeal by James and Jennifer Crumbley. A three-judge panel concluded that their son's actions in the Oxford High School shooting were "foreseeable" and there was sufficient evidence to send the matter to a jury. March 25 - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill into law repealing Michigan's right-to-work law. The bill also reinstated a law requiring contractors to pay union-level wages and benefits on state-funded construction projects. March 25 - Shawn Fain was declared the winner over incumbent Ray Curry in the election for presidency of the United Auto Workers (UAW).
April April - An outbreak of blastomycosis fungal infection at the Billerud paper mill in Delta County in the Upper Peninsula affected 104 workers, contractors and visitors, 13 requiring hospitalization and one dead. It was the largest known blastomycosis outbreak in US history. The mill returned to full operation on May 9. April 2 - Former Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Anthony Marrocco was sentenced to 450 days of home detention after pleading guilty to one count of extortion. April 5 - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill repealing Michigan's 1931 law banning abortions in the state. April 6 - Rick Johnson, former Michigan House Speaker and chairman of the state's medical marijuana licensing board, was charged in federal court with accepting bribes from individuals seeking licenses to operate medical marijuana businesses. April 9 - Dwane Casey stepped down as coach of the Detroit Pistons following the conclusion of the season with a 17–65 record. April 9 - A report from S&P Analytics showed that Ford led the auto industry with (i) eighty percent of vehicles sold in the US were assembled in the US, (ii) 57,000 hourly autoworkers in the US, and (iii) 260,000 US assembled vehicles exported to other countries. April 12 - Nandi Comer was named Michigan's poet laureate.