Michigan's 5th Senate district

Michigan's 5th Senate district is one of 38 districts in the Michigan Senate. It has been represented by Democrat Dayna Polehanki since 2023, following her primary defeat of fellow Democrat Betty Jean Alexander.^[2][3]

Michigan's 5th State Senate district
Senator	Dayna Polehanki D–Livonia
Demographics	40% White 54% Black 3% Hispanic 1% Asian 2% Other
Population (2018)	258,011^[1]

Geography

District 5 encompasses part of Wayne County.^[4]

2011 Apportionment Plan

District 5, as dictated by the 2011 Apportionment Plan, was based in central Wayne County, covering parts of western Detroit as well as the surrounding communities of Dearborn Heights, Garden City, Inkster, and Redford.^[5]

The district was largely located within Michigan's 13th congressional district, also extending into the 12th and 14th districts. It overlapped with the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 13th districts of the Michigan House of Representatives.^[6]

Recent election results

2018

2018 Michigan Senate election, District 5^[7]

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Betty Jean Alexander	18,928	54.5
	Democratic	David Knezek (incumbent)	15,803	45.5
Total votes			34,731	100
General election
	Democratic	Betty Jean Alexander	70,010	77.4
	Republican	DeShawn Wilkins	16,479	18.2
	Working Class	Larry Betts	3,944	4.4
Total votes			90,433	100
	Democratic hold

2014

2014 Michigan Senate election, District 5^[7]

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	David Knezek	8,470	32.2
	Democratic	Shanelle Jackson	6,317	24.0
	Democratic	David Nathan	5,526	21.0
	Democratic	Thomas Stallworth III	4,301	16.3
	Democratic	Carrie O'Connor	1,189	4.5
	Democratic	Frank Tomcsik	507	1.9
Total votes			26,310	100
General election
	Democratic	David Knezek	59,680	81.8
	Republican	Jennifer Rynicki	13,286	18.2
Total votes			72,966	100
	Democratic hold

Federal and statewide results

Year	Office	Results^[8]
2020	President	Biden 77.4 – 21.3%
2018	Senate	Stabenow 78.7 – 19.3%
	Governor	Whitmer 79.7 – 17.9%
2016	President	Clinton 76.1 – 20.7%
2014	Senate	Peters 81.1 – 15.9%
	Governor	Schauer 75.3 – 23.2%
2012	President	Obama 81.1 – 18.3%
	Senate	Stabenow 83.2 – 14.1%

Historical district boundaries

Map	Description	Apportionment Plan	Notes
	Wayne County (part) Detroit (part) Ecorse River Rouge	1964 Apportionment Plan	^[9]
	Wayne County (part) Detroit (part)	1972 Apportionment Plan	^[10]
	Wayne County (part) Detroit (part)	1982 Apportionment Plan	^[11]
	Wayne County (part) Detroit (part)	1992 Apportionment Plan	^[12]
	Wayne County (part) Dearborn Heights Detroit (part) Inkster	2001 Apportionment Plan	^[13]
	Wayne County (part) Dearborn Heights Detroit (part) Garden City Inkster Redford Township	2011 Apportionment Plan	^[14]

References

1. "State Senate District 5, MI". Census Reporter. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
2. "Legislator Details - Dayna Polehanki". Library of Michigan. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
3. "Legislator Details - Betty Jean Alexander". Library of Michigan. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
4. "Linden_Senate". Michigan. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
5. "Michigan's 38 Senate Districts - 2011 Apportionment Plan" (PDF). Michigan Senate. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
6. David Jarman. "How do counties, House districts, and legislative districts all overlap?". Daily Kos. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
7. "Michigan State Senate District 5". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
8. "Daily Kos Elections Statewide Results by LD". Daily Kos. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
9. "Michigan Manual 1965/1966". Michigan Legislature. 1965. p. 376. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
10. "Michigan Manual 1975/1976". Michigan Legislature. 1975. p. 454. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
11. "SENATORIAL DISTRICTS" (PDF). Michigan Legislature. 1989. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
12. "SENATORIAL DISTRICTS" (PDF). Michigan Legislature. 1997. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
13. "SENATORIAL DISTRICTS" (PDF). Michigan Legislature. 2001. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
14. (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 23, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2022.