There was no change in the composition of the House as Republicans retained control, winning 63 seats compared to 47 seats for the Democrats.[2][3]
Members elected at the 2016 election served in the 99th Michigan Legislature which convened on January 11, 2017.
Background
Over one-third of the House could not seek re-election because of term limits, with the legislators who were elected in the 2010 mid-term elections, that saw the House Republican conference pick up 21 seats, the largest net gain for one party in an election since Michigan's newly constituted term limits went into effect in 1992.[4][5]
Term-limited members
Under the Michigan Constitution, members of the state Senate are able to serve only two four-year terms, and members of the House of Representatives are limited to three two-year terms. The following members were prevented by term limits from seeking re-election to the House in 2016.
The 1st District seat became vacant after Democratic state Rep. Brian Banks had to resign from the legislature as part of plea agreement with the office of Michigan Attorney GeneralBill Schuette. In exchange for his resignation from the House, the state would just drop multiple felony counts against Banks in which he was alleged to falsify documents to obtain a private loan before he was elected to the state House. Banks agreed to plead guilty to one misdemeanor and spend one day in the Wayne County Jail.[7]
The 109th District seat became vacant after state Rep. John Kivela committed suicide just hours after he was arrested for drunk driving for the second time during his time in the legislature.[10]
On November 7, 2017, term-limited Democratic state Rep. Andy Schor was elected mayor of Lansing, to succeed Virg Bernero. Schor was to take office on January 1, 2018.[13] After Schor formally resigned from the House, Gov. Rick Snyder was to call a special election to fill the remaining balance of Schor's term, which was set to expire January 1, 2019.