Shared research study link
Michigan 2026 Working Class Voter Priorities
Understand Michigan working class voter priorities and what union/labor messaging resonates
Study Overview
Updated Jan 28, 2026
Research question: Understand Michigan working‑class voter priorities and what union/labor messaging resonates-specifically, which economic issues drive votes, how union support factors in, and what messages land versus miss heading into 2026.
Group: Six Michigan participants ages ~25–45 across rural communities, Grand Rapids, and metro Detroit (warehouse operator, small healthcare employer, software/logistics professional, stay‑at‑home parent, office manager, plus one non‑citizen observer embedded in local networks).
What they said (economy): Votes are driven by the monthly “nut,” led by healthcare premiums and out‑of‑pocket volatility, wages lagging essentials, Michigan‑specific auto insurance and winter utility costs, childcare capacity/cost, and job security in the auto/manufacturing transition; retirement matters but is usually secondary.
What they said (unions): Broadly pro‑worker and conditionally pro‑union-collective bargaining is valued in large/high‑risk sectors (healthcare, manufacturing, logistics), but rigidity, politicized dues, and small‑business harm are concerns, so “pro‑union” only helps when paired with competence, details, and fiscal accountability.
Main insights on messaging: Ditch symbolism and culture‑war detours; deliver concrete, dollarized, time‑bound plans with enforcement-two numbers, a few dates, local maps/milestones, and visible accountability (clawbacks, staffing ratios, outage credits), with low‑friction and bilingual access.
Additional signals: prioritize apprenticeships tied to 12‑month placement/wage outcomes, portable benefits and wage‑theft enforcement, right‑to‑repair/anti‑subscription protections, and segment messages by metro/auto‑adjacent vs service‑sector/rural audiences.
Takeaways: Lead with a “dollars‑and‑dates” one‑pager and a household savings calculator focused on healthcare, auto insurance, and utilities; launch an apprenticeship‑to‑placement pledge with transparent metrics; expand shift‑fit childcare; and publish a monthly savings/progress dashboard.
Avoid photo‑ops and one‑off checks, state tradeoffs and timelines, and hold a balanced pro‑worker posture-support collective bargaining, safety enforcement, and transparency while preserving small‑business flexibility-to win trust by cutting a recurring bill within a year.
Group: Six Michigan participants ages ~25–45 across rural communities, Grand Rapids, and metro Detroit (warehouse operator, small healthcare employer, software/logistics professional, stay‑at‑home parent, office manager, plus one non‑citizen observer embedded in local networks).
What they said (economy): Votes are driven by the monthly “nut,” led by healthcare premiums and out‑of‑pocket volatility, wages lagging essentials, Michigan‑specific auto insurance and winter utility costs, childcare capacity/cost, and job security in the auto/manufacturing transition; retirement matters but is usually secondary.
What they said (unions): Broadly pro‑worker and conditionally pro‑union-collective bargaining is valued in large/high‑risk sectors (healthcare, manufacturing, logistics), but rigidity, politicized dues, and small‑business harm are concerns, so “pro‑union” only helps when paired with competence, details, and fiscal accountability.
Main insights on messaging: Ditch symbolism and culture‑war detours; deliver concrete, dollarized, time‑bound plans with enforcement-two numbers, a few dates, local maps/milestones, and visible accountability (clawbacks, staffing ratios, outage credits), with low‑friction and bilingual access.
Additional signals: prioritize apprenticeships tied to 12‑month placement/wage outcomes, portable benefits and wage‑theft enforcement, right‑to‑repair/anti‑subscription protections, and segment messages by metro/auto‑adjacent vs service‑sector/rural audiences.
Takeaways: Lead with a “dollars‑and‑dates” one‑pager and a household savings calculator focused on healthcare, auto insurance, and utilities; launch an apprenticeship‑to‑placement pledge with transparent metrics; expand shift‑fit childcare; and publish a monthly savings/progress dashboard.
Avoid photo‑ops and one‑off checks, state tradeoffs and timelines, and hold a balanced pro‑worker posture-support collective bargaining, safety enforcement, and transparency while preserving small‑business flexibility-to win trust by cutting a recurring bill within a year.
Participant Snapshots
6 profiles
Renisha Pereira
Renisha Pereira, 28, is a married homeowner in suburban Ann Arbor, MI, working as an office manager/client services lead at a landscape design firm. Budget-conscious and mobile-only online, she’s bilingual (Spanish/English), with an Etsy side hustle, and pu…
Brian Miranda
Brian Miranda, 41, is a married Senior Product Manager in Grand Rapids, MI. Owns a 1920s Craftsman, earns $100k–$149k, keeps a low-tech home (no broadband), values durability, privacy, clear pricing, and enjoys running, gardening, and Detroit sports.
Nicholas Hernandez
26-year-old married founder in rural Michigan running a mobile diagnostics and logistics firm. ROI-driven, practical, and community-minded. Prioritizes reliability, modular tools, and transparent terms. Outdoorsy weekends, tight routines, and clear, proof-f…
Jason Rice
Jason Rice is a rural Michigan warehouse operations supervisor, married with two kids. Pragmatic, safety- and value-focused. Prefers proven tools, clear pricing, local service, and road-trip family time. Moderate conservative, community-minded, checklist-dr…
Skyler Chang
Skyler is a Korean, 25, in Farmington Hills on a work pause due to immigration timing. Frugal, structured, church-involved. Studying AWS/data skills, privacy-conscious, favors reliable tools, short commitments, and transparent costs. Lives with cousins; ren…
Shavone Porter
Shavone Porter is a Grand Rapids mother of two, financially stable with a paid-off home. Not in the labor force; active in a Black Protestant church and local schools. Values reliability, transparency, and community impact; skeptical of hype and hidden costs.
Renisha Pereira
Renisha Pereira, 28, is a married homeowner in suburban Ann Arbor, MI, working as an office manager/client services lead at a landscape design firm. Budget-conscious and mobile-only online, she’s bilingual (Spanish/English), with an Etsy side hustle, and pu…
Brian Miranda
Brian Miranda, 41, is a married Senior Product Manager in Grand Rapids, MI. Owns a 1920s Craftsman, earns $100k–$149k, keeps a low-tech home (no broadband), values durability, privacy, clear pricing, and enjoys running, gardening, and Detroit sports.
Nicholas Hernandez
26-year-old married founder in rural Michigan running a mobile diagnostics and logistics firm. ROI-driven, practical, and community-minded. Prioritizes reliability, modular tools, and transparent terms. Outdoorsy weekends, tight routines, and clear, proof-f…
Jason Rice
Jason Rice is a rural Michigan warehouse operations supervisor, married with two kids. Pragmatic, safety- and value-focused. Prefers proven tools, clear pricing, local service, and road-trip family time. Moderate conservative, community-minded, checklist-dr…
Skyler Chang
Skyler is a Korean, 25, in Farmington Hills on a work pause due to immigration timing. Frugal, structured, church-involved. Studying AWS/data skills, privacy-conscious, favors reliable tools, short commitments, and transparent costs. Lives with cousins; ren…
Shavone Porter
Shavone Porter is a Grand Rapids mother of two, financially stable with a paid-off home. Not in the labor force; active in a Black Protestant church and local schools. Values reliability, transparency, and community impact; skeptical of hype and hidden costs.
Overview
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Demographic Overview
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Participant Incomes
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 ACS 1-year (Table B19001; >$200k evenly distributed for comparison)
Media Ingestion
Connections appear when personas follow many of the same sources, highlighting overlapping media diets.
Questions and Responses
3 questions
Response Summaries
3 questions
Word Cloud
Question Summary
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Summary
Themes
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Persona Correlations
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Overview
Working-class Michigan respondents coalesce around acute cost-of-living pressures - healthcare affordability and predictability, auto-related expenses and infrastructure, utilities/energy, and housing - with wages and job security tightly linked. Support for unions and labor policy is broadly pragmatic and conditional: respondents favor measures that deliver safety, bargaining power, apprenticeship-to-placement pipelines, portable benefits and anti-retaliation protections, but reject performative politics, vague long-term promises, and one-size-fits-all mandates that increase costs or bureaucratic burden for small employers. Messaging that works is hyper-local, time-bound, and tangible (monthly dollar impacts, named accountable actors, ZIP-level specifics, short timelines, and mobile-friendly one-pagers). Culture-war framing, photo-op optics, complex enrollment flows, and abstract rhetoric consistently repel them.
Total responses: 18
Key Segments
| Segment | Attributes | Insight | Supporting Agents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Younger urban bilingual / lower-mid income |
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Prioritizes immediate monthly bill relief (utilities, deductibles, auto insurance) and pragmatic worker protections. Highly skeptical of vague or politicized union messaging; receptive to union/labor framing when tied to concrete safety standards, portable benefits, and clear dollar impacts. Prefers mobile-first one-pagers and short timelines. | Renisha Pereira, Skyler Chang |
| Mid-career suburban professionals |
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Values measurable policy outcomes and implementation detail over slogans. Prioritizes healthcare cost predictability, job training tied to employers, and retirement/pension stability. Generally pro-worker but skeptical of performative unionism - wants receipts, metrics, and accountable timelines for labor reforms. | Brian Miranda |
| Rural operations / trades / warehousing |
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Everyday pain centers on auto insurance and vehicle repairs, road maintenance, energy reliability, and rural broadband. Views unions pragmatically - useful for safety and standardizing large employers, wary of mandates that reduce flexibility for small rural operators. Apprenticeship and placement metrics resonate if tied to local employers. | Jason Rice, Nicholas Hernandez |
| Stay-at-home / higher-income suburban parents |
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Approaches labor issues through child- and school-centered public services. Pro-worker for teachers, nurses and other essential public-sector roles when negotiations are transparent, budgeted, and tied to staffing retention. Supports collective bargaining when it demonstrably secures consistent public services. | Shavone Porter |
| Small-business owners / service entrepreneurs |
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Sympathetic to worker leverage and portable benefits but resists blanket union mandates that raise compliance costs or eliminate flexible scheduling. Responds to policy options framed as low-friction, pooled or portable benefits and simple enrollment that limit administrative burden on small shops. | Nicholas Hernandez |
| Non-citizen / immigrant-adjacent observers |
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Although ineligible to vote, they closely track local labor and economic policy because of family stakes. They amplify concerns about healthcare, anti-retaliation, and portable benefits and respond to concrete protections and accessible enrollment mechanisms. | Skyler Chang |
Shared Mindsets
| Trait | Signal | Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare affordability & predictability is primary | Across ages, locales and incomes, respondents name healthcare deductibles, premiums, surprise billing and out-of-pocket caps as top vote-driving issues. They want ZIP-level network transparency and limits on surprise charges. | Renisha Pereira, Brian Miranda, Nicholas Hernandez, Jason Rice, Shavone Porter, Skyler Chang |
| Pragmatic support for union functions, conditional on design | Respondents broadly accept unions for safety, anti-retaliation, apprenticeship pipelines and bargaining that yields measurable placement/wage outcomes, but oppose blanket mandates or opaque dues structures that penalize small employers or reduce scheduling flexibility. | Renisha Pereira, Brian Miranda, Jason Rice, Nicholas Hernandez, Shavone Porter, Skyler Chang |
| Rejection of performative or vague politics | Photo ops, culture-war framing, vague 5–10 year promises and complex sign-up processes are off-putting. Voters demand immediate, verifiable impacts and named accountable officials. | Brian Miranda, Jason Rice, Renisha Pereira, Shavone Porter, Nicholas Hernandez |
| Demand for hyper-local, time-bound, dollarized messaging | Materials that show monthly dollar impacts, specific timelines, local maps, and single-page mobile formats perform best; respondents frequently ask 'how much will this change my monthly budget?' | Renisha Pereira, Brian Miranda, Skyler Chang, Jason Rice, Nicholas Hernandez, Shavone Porter |
| Auto costs & infrastructure shape daily ballot calculus | Auto insurance premiums, repair parts costs, potholes and winter road reliability are recurring, tangible pains that influence trust in candidates who address local infrastructure and insurance reform. | Renisha Pereira, Jason Rice, Nicholas Hernandez, Brian Miranda |
| Younger respondents prioritize present-day needs over retirement | Mid-20s and early-career respondents emphasize wages, housing affordability and childcare over retirement savings, making short-term financial relief more persuasive than long-term pension promises. | Renisha Pereira, Skyler Chang |
Divergences
| Segment | Contrast | Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Younger urban bilingual vs Mid-career suburban professionals | Younger bilinguals demand mobile-first, ultra-simplified, dollarized messages and prioritize immediate bill relief; mid-career professionals want detailed implementation metrics, longer-term predictability and verification (receipts) even if less simplified. | Renisha Pereira, Skyler Chang, Brian Miranda |
| Small-business owners / entrepreneurs vs Public-sector / stay-at-home parents | Small employers resist blanket union mandates that increase compliance costs or reduce scheduling flexibility; stay-at-home parents support collective bargaining for public-sector roles when it protects staffing and service continuity, showing tension between protecting workers and protecting small-business operational flexibility. | Nicholas Hernandez, Shavone Porter |
| Rural operations / trades vs Younger metro workers | Rural respondents place greater weight on auto/infrastructure and local employer practices (road maintenance, parts availability, local employer stability), while younger metro workers emphasize utilities, healthcare premiums and housing costs in tight rental markets. | Jason Rice, Nicholas Hernandez, Renisha Pereira, Skyler Chang |
| High-income household managers vs Lower-income front-line workers | Higher-income stay-at-home household managers frame labor priorities through service continuity (schools, childcare) and are willing to back transparent bargaining; lower-income front-line workers prioritize immediate wage increases, predictable healthcare and flexible scheduling to meet daily demands. | Shavone Porter, Renisha Pereira, Jason Rice |
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Recommendations & Next Steps
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Overview
Focus-group synthesis for Michigan working families: voters prioritize the immediate monthly “nut” over abstract promises. Top drivers: healthcare out-of-pocket and premium predictability, auto insurance and car-related costs, winter utilities/reliability, wages vs. prices, childcare that matches shift work, and job security through the auto/manufacturing transition. Retirement matters but is secondary to today’s bills. On labor, voters are pro-worker with conditional support for unions: strong in large/high-risk sectors (healthcare, manufacturing, logistics), cautious about rigid rules that hurt small employers. Messaging that wins: dollars-and-dates on a phone-friendly one-pager, local specificity (maps, miles, ZIPs), and visible accountability (clawbacks, staffing ratios, outage credits). Messaging that fails: culture-war detours, photo ops, ten-year visions with no checkpoints, one-off checks instead of recurring fixes, and maze-like enrollment.
Quick Wins (next 2–4 weeks)
| # | Action | Why | Owner | Effort | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Launch 1-page “Dollars & Dates” policy cards (ZIP-targeted) | Matches the voter demand for 1 page, 5 bullets, 3 dates, 2 dollar amounts and a way to track impact in a household budget. | Comms + Policy | Low | High |
| 2 | Michigan Household Savings Calculator (healthcare + auto + utilities) | Converts abstract plans into monthly bill changes families can see in Month 1/6/12; builds credibility and emails for follow-up. | Digital + Policy | Med | High |
| 3 | Balanced Pro-Worker & Union Support statement | Signals pro-worker stance with sector nuance (safety, apprenticeships, wage-theft enforcement; small-biz flexibility), avoiding performative politics. | Policy + Comms | Low | High |
| 4 | Auto insurance pain explainer + reform options with timelines | Auto insurance is a Michigan-specific pain point; clear reforms with dates and homeowner/driver examples earn trust quickly. | Policy | Med | High |
| 5 | Spanish + low-tech access (full bilingual pages, SMS and staffed hotline) | Responds to calls for real bilingual support and low-friction enrollment beyond apps; improves equity and reach. | Digital + Field | Low | Med |
| 6 | Shift-fit childcare directory + provider outreach | Childcare is a gate to work; listing early drop-off/late pickup and partnering for extended hours shows immediate utility. | Partnerships + Policy | Med | High |
Initiatives (30–90 days)
| # | Initiative | Description | Owner | Timeline | Dependencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monthly Nut Dashboard & Accountability Site | Public dashboard that tracks promised dollars saved and dates delivered by ZIP (healthcare OOP, auto insurance changes, outage credits, road miles repaved). Includes a simple before/after household budget and a map view. | Data + Comms | MVP in 90 days; monthly updates thereafter | State DOT and county road data feeds, Utility outage/credit data sharing, Policy team estimates and third-party validation, Web analytics and CMS support |
| 2 | Apprenticeship-to-Placement Pipeline (12-month outcomes pledge) | MOUs with unions, community colleges, and employers to deliver paid training with guaranteed interviews and a public 12-month placement & wage report. Includes clawbacks for subsidized firms that miss hiring targets. | Workforce Partnerships + Policy | Pilot in 120 days; scale statewide within 9 months | Employer and union partners, Community college capacity, Funding for stipends/tools, Data-sharing for outcomes |
| 3 | Healthcare Predictability Package | Policy package for network transparency by ZIP, faster surprise-billing resolution, caps for common procedures, and a plan-selection guide that reduces OOP volatility. Includes a patient ombuds line. | Policy | Draft in 30 days; advocacy window 6–12 months | Regulatory counsel, Payer/provider data access, Consumer-protection allies, Communications explainer build |
| 4 | Utility Reliability & Winterization Plan | Set and publicize utility SLAs for outage duration, tree-trimming cadence, and automatic credits. Tie to a winter operations calendar and neighborhood-level progress tracker. | Policy + Gov Affairs | Policy design in 60 days; phased rollout over 12 months | Public Service Commission engagement, Utility data and compliance mechanisms, Local public works coordination, Legal review |
| 5 | Segmented Message Testing & Creative System | A/B test dollars-and-dates creatives across segments (metro/auto-adjacent vs. service; rural vs. urban; English/Spanish). Optimize for recall of 2 amounts + 1 date and intent lift on cost-of-living. | Research + Digital | Initial tests live in 45 days; ongoing optimization | Panel access and ad budget, Creative production bandwidth, Survey instrumentation, Analytics pipeline |
| 6 | Right-to-Repair & Anti-Subscription Consumer Protections | Policy and comms package targeting junk fees, feature-lock subscriptions (e.g., heated seats), and repair restrictions. Connects to monthly household savings and rural accessibility. | Policy + Comms | Policy brief in 60 days; stakeholder outreach in 90 days | Legislative counsel, Consumer advocacy partners, OEM and dealer stakeholder mapping |
KPIs to Track
| # | KPI | Definition | Target | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plan Recall (Dollars & Dates) | Share of target voters who can correctly recall 2 specific dollar amounts and 1 delivery date from our plan after exposure. | ≥60% recall in priority segments by Day 90 | Monthly |
| 2 | Cost-of-Living Trust Lift | Net trust that our agenda will reduce the monthly nut vs. baseline (survey-based). | +12 point lift among working-class targets by end of Quarter 2 | Quarterly |
| 3 | Calculator Engagement & Projected Savings | Unique completed sessions on the Household Savings Calculator and the average projected monthly savings shown. | ≥15,000 completions in first 60 days; ≥$75/mo average projected savings | Weekly |
| 4 | Spanish Access Uptake & Satisfaction | Share of traffic to Spanish pages, hotline connection rate, and CSAT for Spanish-language support. | ≥15% Spanish page share; ≥85% hotline connection; ≥4.5/5 CSAT | Monthly |
| 5 | Apprenticeship 12-Month Placement | Percent of program participants placed within 12 months and median wage achieved. | ≥70% placement; ≥$23/hr median wage | Quarterly |
| 6 | Auto Insurance Plan Understanding & Support | Share of voters who report understanding and supporting our auto insurance reforms after seeing the explainer. | ≥65% understanding; ≥55% support in target segments | Bi-monthly |
Risks & Mitigations
| # | Risk | Mitigation | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overpromising savings or timelines leading to credibility hits if external actors slip (utilities, insurers, road crews). | Use conservative ranges, cite independent validators, publish dependencies and fallback steps if milestones slip. | Policy + Comms |
| 2 | Union posture misread as either anti-union or anti-small-business. | Lead with pro-safety and apprenticeship framing; include small-biz flexibility and sector-specific carveouts; hold joint worker + small employer roundtables. | Comms + Labor Liaison |
| 3 | Data privacy concerns from calculators and budget tools. | No PII by default, opt-in only capture, minimal data retention, clear privacy notice, security review and third-party audits. | Digital + Legal |
| 4 | Bilingual offering seen as token if quality or staffing is weak. | Native-language QA, staffed hotline with SLAs, community partner review cycles, regular CSAT checks. | Field + Comms |
| 5 | Policy complexity creates enrollment friction (people give up). | Design low-friction flows: SMS entry points, paper options, assisted enrollment pop-ups; measure drop-off and fix monthly. | Digital + Operations |
Timeline
0–30 days: Ship 1-page Dollars & Dates cards, Balanced Pro-Worker statement, Spanish pages + hotline; draft auto insurance explainer.
30–60 days: Launch Household Savings Calculator; begin segmented A/B tests; publish first road/utility timelines; stakeholder outreach on healthcare/utility packages.
60–90 days: Go live with Monthly Nut Dashboard (MVP); finalize MOUs for apprenticeship pilot; iterate creatives based on recall metrics.
90–180 days: Scale apprenticeship placements; publish quarterly outcomes (placement, wages); advance healthcare and utility packages with regulators; expand childcare shift-fit partnerships.
30–60 days: Launch Household Savings Calculator; begin segmented A/B tests; publish first road/utility timelines; stakeholder outreach on healthcare/utility packages.
60–90 days: Go live with Monthly Nut Dashboard (MVP); finalize MOUs for apprenticeship pilot; iterate creatives based on recall metrics.
90–180 days: Scale apprenticeship placements; publish quarterly outcomes (placement, wages); advance healthcare and utility packages with regulators; expand childcare shift-fit partnerships.
Research Study Narrative
Michigan 2026 Working Class Voter Priorities: What Resonates and How to Act
Objective and context. We set out to understand Michigan working-class voter priorities and what union/labor messaging resonates. Across respondents, the throughline is the immediate monthly “nut” - recurring bills that must be paid - outranking abstract promises or culture-war appeals.
Cross-question learnings. Three economic pressures dominate vote choice: (1) Healthcare affordability and predictability - premiums, deductibles, and surprise bills are top-of-mind (“If you cannot tame premiums and deductibles… I do not care what party you are.” - Renisha Pereira). (2) Cost-of-living squeeze - wages lag groceries, utilities, housing, and insurance (“Wages are fine on paper, but groceries, utilities, auto insurance, and homeowner insurance have crept up faster.” - Brian Miranda). (3) Job security during the auto/manufacturing transition - retraining only counts if it delivers measurable placement and wages at 12 months (“Placement rate and wage at 12 months or it doesn’t count.” - Nicholas Hernandez). Michigan-specific pressure points intensify the squeeze: auto insurance pain, winter heating/utility reliability, and childcare availability/cost as a gate to work. Retirement matters but is typically deprioritized when budgets tighten.
Unions and labor. Voters are pro-worker with nuanced, conditional support for unions. They value collective bargaining in large/high-risk sectors (healthcare, manufacturing, logistics) for safety, staffing, and wage protections (“Collective bargaining is basic guardrail stuff.” - Brian Miranda) while worrying about rigid contracts and politicized leadership that can harm small employers or frontline service delivery (“A rigid contract would tank flexibility… and hurt patients.” - Nicholas Hernandez). Candidate support for unions influences votes as a tiebreaker when paired with competence, clear budgets, and implementation specifics (“If they pair worker rights with clear budgets and accountability, that’s a yes from me.” - Shavone Porter). Recurring asks: enforce safety standards and staffing ratios, invest in apprenticeships, ensure portable benefits, crack down on wage theft/retaliation, and require dues/contract transparency.
Messaging that works (and what fails). Respondents want concrete, cost- and time-bound plans that show near-term household impact - dollars saved, dates delivered, and local milestones with named owners (“1 page, 5 bullets, 3 dates, 2 dollar amounts, 1 way I can track it.” - Renisha). Credibility comes from enforcement (clawbacks, contractor accountability), low-friction delivery (mobile and low-tech options), and focus on everyday essentials (heat that stays on, roads that don’t wreck your car, childcare matching shift work). Performative optics, culture-war detours, and vague ten-year visions are broadly rejected. Additional signals: right-to-repair/anti-subscription fees resonate; pragmatic public-safety framing and segmenting metro auto-adjacent vs. service-sector families improve relevance.
Persona correlations
- Younger urban bilingual (mid-20s, metro): Prioritize healthcare predictability, auto insurance, utilities; want mobile-first one-pagers and month-one savings. Skeptical of politicized unionism; open to portable benefits and clear safety standards.
- Mid-career suburban professionals (~40–45): Demand implementation detail and outcomes (“receipts”); value apprenticeship-to-placement pipelines and retirement stability.
- Rural operations/trades: Auto/infrastructure costs, energy reliability, and broadband dominate; support unions for safety at scale but want small-shop flexibility.
- Stay-at-home higher-income suburban parents: Support collective bargaining when it demonstrably secures staffing continuity in schools/healthcare.
- Small-business owners: Favor worker protections that minimize admin burden (portable benefits, simple enrollment) over one-size-fits-all mandates.
Recommendations
- Publish “Dollars & Dates” one-pagers (ZIP-targeted): State two dollar amounts and three delivery dates per issue (healthcare OOP, auto insurance, utilities, roads).
- Launch a Household Savings Calculator: Show month 1/6/12 impacts on the monthly nut for healthcare, auto, and utilities; build trust via transparent assumptions.
- Issue a balanced pro-worker/union statement: Lead with safety, apprenticeships, wage-theft enforcement, and small-biz flexibility; commit to dues/contract transparency.
- Auto insurance explainer with timelines: Name reforms, publish dates, and illustrate savings with Michigan driver archetypes.
- Low-friction access: Full Spanish pages, SMS flows, and a staffed hotline; paper options for enrollments.
- Accountability infrastructure: A public dashboard tracking dollars saved, dates delivered, miles repaved, outage credits; include clawbacks for missed targets.
Risks and guardrails
- Overpromising timelines/savings: Use conservative ranges, name dependencies, and publish fallback steps.
- Union posture misread: Pair pro-safety/apprenticeships with sector carveouts and worker–small employer roundtables.
- Data privacy and token bilingualism: Opt-in data only; native-language QA and hotline SLAs; regular CSAT checks.
- Enrollment friction: Design SMS + paper options; measure drop-off and fix monthly.
Next steps and measurement
- 0–30 days: Ship one-pagers; balanced labor statement; Spanish site + hotline; draft auto insurance explainer.
- 30–60 days: Launch calculator; start segmented A/B tests (metro auto-adjacent vs. service; rural vs. urban; English/Spanish); publish first road/utility timelines.
- 60–90 days: Go live with the accountability dashboard (MVP); finalize apprenticeship MOUs; iterate creatives using recall results.
- 90–180 days: Scale apprenticeship-to-placement; advance healthcare predictability and utility SLAs with regulators; expand shift-fit childcare partnerships.
- KPIs: Plan recall of 2 dollar amounts + 1 date (≥60% in targets by Day 90); cost-of-living trust lift (+12 pts by end of Q2); calculator completions (≥15,000/60 days; ≥$75/mo avg projected savings); Spanish access uptake (≥15% traffic, ≥85% hotline connection, ≥4.5/5 CSAT); apprenticeship 12-month outcomes (≥70% placement; ≥$23/hr median wage).
Recommended Follow-up Questions
Updated Jan 28, 2026
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Thinking about the next 12 months in Michigan, which of the following policies would do the most and least to improve your household’s finances? Select the Most helpful and Least helpful for each set: Cap annual out-of-pocket medical costs; Reduce auto insurance premiums through rate and fee reforms; Winter energy bill credits and shutoff protections; Expand affordable childcare availability and subsidies; Increase the state Earned Income Tax Credit; Guarantee paid sick leave statewide; Accelera...maxdiff Quantifies which pocketbook policies to foreground in the 2026 platform, ads, and door scripts.
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What is the minimum average monthly dollar amount in savings or additional pay that would make you more likely to support a candidate proposing it? Enter a dollar amount.numeric Establishes the tangible benefit threshold to move votes, guiding policy price tags and messaging specificity.
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If unions became stronger in Michigan over the next few years, how likely are the following outcomes? Rate each from Very unlikely to Very likely: Higher wages for non-union workers; Better workplace safety standards; More strikes disrupting services; Higher prices for consumers; Improved staffing levels in hospitals and care settings; Less flexibility for small employers; Greater job security in manufacturing; Increased political spending by unions; More apprenticeship and skills training oppor...matrix Surfaces perceived upsides and downsides to preempt objections and emphasize credible outcomes in union messaging.
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Rank the following messengers from most to least trusted when evaluating a candidate’s worker and union policies: Local nurses or healthcare workers; Auto assembly line workers; Skilled tradespeople (electricians, plumbers, welders); Local small business owners; Leaders of local union chapters; Non-union hourly workers; Economists at Michigan public universities; Your mayor or county executive; The Governor; Faith or community leaders.rank Identifies the most credible messengers and validators for Michigan-specific economic and labor outreach.
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In the auto and EV transition, which protections or priorities are most and least important to you? Select the Most important and Least important: Wage insurance to partially replace income after job loss; Plant retooling grants with clawbacks for missed local job targets; Expand apprenticeships aligned to EV and battery manufacturing; Domestic-content requirements tied to subsidies; Job placement timelines with public accountability; Childcare support for trainees and shift workers; Relocation...maxdiff Ranks transition protections to include in the jobs agenda, negotiating asks, and regional commitments.
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Which changes to union policy or practice would most and least increase your support for candidates who back unions? Select the Most and Least: Annual plain-language reporting on how dues are spent; Option to opt in or out of political contributions separate from dues; Binding arbitration in critical services during labor disputes; Contract flexibility provisions for small employers; Expand joint union-employer apprenticeship funding; Faster resolution of unfair labor practice cases; Stronger pe...maxdiff Pinpoints reforms that increase support for pro-union candidates, informing policy planks and assurances.
These items quantify priorities, thresholds, messenger trust, perceived union impacts, and concrete policy levers specific to Michigan’s cost pressures and auto transition.
Study Overview
Updated Jan 28, 2026
Research question: Understand Michigan working‑class voter priorities and what union/labor messaging resonates-specifically, which economic issues drive votes, how union support factors in, and what messages land versus miss heading into 2026.
Group: Six Michigan participants ages ~25–45 across rural communities, Grand Rapids, and metro Detroit (warehouse operator, small healthcare employer, software/logistics professional, stay‑at‑home parent, office manager, plus one non‑citizen observer embedded in local networks).
What they said (economy): Votes are driven by the monthly “nut,” led by healthcare premiums and out‑of‑pocket volatility, wages lagging essentials, Michigan‑specific auto insurance and winter utility costs, childcare capacity/cost, and job security in the auto/manufacturing transition; retirement matters but is usually secondary.
What they said (unions): Broadly pro‑worker and conditionally pro‑union-collective bargaining is valued in large/high‑risk sectors (healthcare, manufacturing, logistics), but rigidity, politicized dues, and small‑business harm are concerns, so “pro‑union” only helps when paired with competence, details, and fiscal accountability.
Main insights on messaging: Ditch symbolism and culture‑war detours; deliver concrete, dollarized, time‑bound plans with enforcement-two numbers, a few dates, local maps/milestones, and visible accountability (clawbacks, staffing ratios, outage credits), with low‑friction and bilingual access.
Additional signals: prioritize apprenticeships tied to 12‑month placement/wage outcomes, portable benefits and wage‑theft enforcement, right‑to‑repair/anti‑subscription protections, and segment messages by metro/auto‑adjacent vs service‑sector/rural audiences.
Takeaways: Lead with a “dollars‑and‑dates” one‑pager and a household savings calculator focused on healthcare, auto insurance, and utilities; launch an apprenticeship‑to‑placement pledge with transparent metrics; expand shift‑fit childcare; and publish a monthly savings/progress dashboard.
Avoid photo‑ops and one‑off checks, state tradeoffs and timelines, and hold a balanced pro‑worker posture-support collective bargaining, safety enforcement, and transparency while preserving small‑business flexibility-to win trust by cutting a recurring bill within a year.
Group: Six Michigan participants ages ~25–45 across rural communities, Grand Rapids, and metro Detroit (warehouse operator, small healthcare employer, software/logistics professional, stay‑at‑home parent, office manager, plus one non‑citizen observer embedded in local networks).
What they said (economy): Votes are driven by the monthly “nut,” led by healthcare premiums and out‑of‑pocket volatility, wages lagging essentials, Michigan‑specific auto insurance and winter utility costs, childcare capacity/cost, and job security in the auto/manufacturing transition; retirement matters but is usually secondary.
What they said (unions): Broadly pro‑worker and conditionally pro‑union-collective bargaining is valued in large/high‑risk sectors (healthcare, manufacturing, logistics), but rigidity, politicized dues, and small‑business harm are concerns, so “pro‑union” only helps when paired with competence, details, and fiscal accountability.
Main insights on messaging: Ditch symbolism and culture‑war detours; deliver concrete, dollarized, time‑bound plans with enforcement-two numbers, a few dates, local maps/milestones, and visible accountability (clawbacks, staffing ratios, outage credits), with low‑friction and bilingual access.
Additional signals: prioritize apprenticeships tied to 12‑month placement/wage outcomes, portable benefits and wage‑theft enforcement, right‑to‑repair/anti‑subscription protections, and segment messages by metro/auto‑adjacent vs service‑sector/rural audiences.
Takeaways: Lead with a “dollars‑and‑dates” one‑pager and a household savings calculator focused on healthcare, auto insurance, and utilities; launch an apprenticeship‑to‑placement pledge with transparent metrics; expand shift‑fit childcare; and publish a monthly savings/progress dashboard.
Avoid photo‑ops and one‑off checks, state tradeoffs and timelines, and hold a balanced pro‑worker posture-support collective bargaining, safety enforcement, and transparency while preserving small‑business flexibility-to win trust by cutting a recurring bill within a year.
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