President Joe Biden (D) withdrew from the 2024 presidential election. Click here to learn more.

Ruth Johnson

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Ruth Johnson
Image of Ruth Johnson
Michigan State Senate District 24
Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

1

Predecessor
Prior offices
Michigan House of Representatives

Michigan Secretary of State
Successor: Jocelyn Benson
Predecessor: Terri Lynn Land

Michigan State Senate District 14
Successor: Sue Shink

Compensation

Base salary

$71,685/year

Per diem

No per diem is paid. Legislators receive an expense allowance of $10,800/year for session and interim.

Elections and appointments
Last elected

November 8, 2022

Education

High school

Waterford Township High School

Associate

Oakland Community College

Bachelor's

Oakland University

Graduate

Wayne State University

Contact

Ruth Johnson (Republican Party) is a member of the Michigan State Senate, representing District 24. She assumed office on January 1, 2023. Her current term ends on January 1, 2027.

Johnson (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Michigan State Senate to represent District 24. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Johnson was the Republican secretary of state for Michigan from 2011 to 2019. Johnson also represented District 46 in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1999 to 2002.[1][2]

Biography

Ruth Johnson lives in Oakland County, Michigan. Johnson graduated from Waterford Township High School.[3] She earned an associate degree from Oakland Community College, a bachelor's degree in history and social science from Oakland University, and a master's degree from Wayne State University.[3][4] Johnson's career experience includes owning a business. She served on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners and has been affiliated with the Holly Area Optimists, the American Business Women's Association, the Lake Louise and Tipsico Lake Improvement Board, and the Oakland County Republican Party.[2][3]

Committee assignments

2023-2024

Johnson was assigned to the following committees:

2021-2022

Johnson was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Johnson was assigned to the following committees:


The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2022

See also: Michigan State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Michigan State Senate District 24

Incumbent Ruth Johnson defeated Theresa Fougnie in the general election for Michigan State Senate District 24 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Ruth-Johnson.png
Ruth Johnson (R)
 
65.8
 
87,171
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/TheresaFougnie.jpg
Theresa Fougnie (D) Candidate Connection
 
34.2
 
45,316

Total votes: 132,487
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 24

Theresa Fougnie advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 24 on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/TheresaFougnie.jpg
Theresa Fougnie Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
17,777

Total votes: 17,777
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Michigan State Senate District 24

Incumbent Ruth Johnson advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan State Senate District 24 on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Ruth-Johnson.png
Ruth Johnson
 
100.0
 
36,231

Total votes: 36,231
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Campaign finance

2018

See also: Michigan State Senate elections, 2018

General election

General election for Michigan State Senate District 14

Ruth Johnson defeated Renee Watson and Jessicia Smith in the general election for Michigan State Senate District 14 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Ruth-Johnson.png
Ruth Johnson (R)
 
55.7
 
64,253
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/reneewatson1-1.jpeg
Renee Watson (D)
 
42.1
 
48,578
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/jess.jpg
Jessicia Smith (G) Candidate Connection
 
2.2
 
2,580

Total votes: 115,411
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 14

Renee Watson defeated Cris Rariden and Jason Waisanen in the Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 14 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/reneewatson1-1.jpeg
Renee Watson
 
71.3
 
16,569
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Cris Rariden
 
18.4
 
4,269
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Jason Waisanen
 
10.4
 
2,408

Total votes: 23,246
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Michigan State Senate District 14

Ruth Johnson defeated Katherine Houston in the Republican primary for Michigan State Senate District 14 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Ruth-Johnson.png
Ruth Johnson
 
76.6
 
20,958
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Katherine Houston
 
23.4
 
6,398

Total votes: 27,356
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2014

See also: Michigan secretary of state election, 2014

Johnson ran for re-election in 2014.[5] She was uncontested in the primary and faced Democrat Godfrey Dillard and three minor party challengers in the general election. The general election took place on November 4, 2014.

Results

Secretary of State of Michigan, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngRuth Johnson Incumbent 53.5% 1,649,047
     Democratic Godfrey Dillard 42.9% 1,323,004
     Libertarian James Lewis 2% 61,112
     U.S. Taxpayer Robert Gale 1.1% 34,447
     Natural Law Jason Gatties 0.4% 13,185
Total Votes 3,080,795
Election results via Michigan Department of State

2010

See also: Michigan Secretary of State election, 2010

Johnson was elected Secretary of State in 2010. She announced her candidacy for on April 23, 2010. The seat was being vacated by Terri Lynn Land, who was barred by state term limit laws from running for a third consecutive term in office.[6]

2010 Race for Secretary of State- General Election[7]
Party Candidate Vote Percentage
     Republican Party Approveda Ruth Johnson 50.7%
     Democratic Party Jocelyn Benson 45.2%
     Libertarian Party Scotty Boman 1.8%
     U.S. Taxpayers Robert Gale 1.3%
     Green Party John A. La Pietra 1.0%
Total Votes 3,173,248

2008

2008 Race for Oakland County Clerk - General Election[9]
Candidates Percentage
Green check mark.jpg Ruth Johnson (R) 50.3%
Sheila Smith (D) 49.3%
Write In 0.4%
Total votes 626,430

2004

2004 Race for Oakland County Clerk - Republican Primary[10]
Candidates Percentage
Green check mark.jpg Ruth Johnson (R) 56.0%
G. William Caddell (R) 44.0%
Total votes 91,028
2004 Race for Oakland County Clerk - General Election[11]
Candidates Percentage
Green check mark.jpg Ruth Johnson (R) 53.5%
Jason Ellenburg (D) 43.2%
Joseph Server (Libertarian) 3.3%
Total votes 577,800

2002

2002 Race for State House, District 46 - Republican Primary[12]
Candidates Percentage
Green check mark.jpg Ruth Johnson (R) 69.0%
John Lauve (R) 31.0%
Total votes 5,559
2002 Race for State House, District 46 - General Election[13]
Candidates Percentage
Green check mark.jpg Ruth Johnson (R) 70.9%
Robert Reading (D) 29.1%
Total votes 30,448

2000

2000 Race for State House, District 46 - General Election[15]
Candidates Percentage
Green check mark.jpg Ruth Johnson (R) 64.5%
Patrick Doyon (D) 30.8%
Sean Sullivan (UST) 4.7%
Total votes 45,157

1998

1998 Race for State House, District 46 - Republican Primary[16]
Candidates Percentage
Green check mark.jpg Ruth Johnson (R) 40.7%
Jeff Gallant (R) 35.2%
Patricia Woods (R) 21.1%
John Lauve (R) 3.0%
Total votes 8,935
1998 Race for State House, District 46 - General Election[17]
Candidates Percentage
Green check mark.jpg Ruth Johnson (R) 67.5%
Roxanne La Montaine (D) 26.6%
Mark Carney (Libertarian) 5.9%
Total votes 32,186

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Ruth Johnson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary


Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.


Ruth Johnson campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2022Michigan State Senate District 24Won general$94,435 $0
2018Michigan State Senate District 14Won general$133,269 N/A**
2014Michigan Secretary of StateWon $416,742 N/A**
2010Michigan Secretary of StateWon $388,032 N/A**
2006Lieutenant Governor of MichiganLost $0 N/A**
2002Michigan State House District 46Won $107,589 N/A**
2000Michigan State House District 46Won $19,000 N/A**
1998Michigan State House District 46Won $83,447 N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only availabale data.

Noteworthy events

June 2017 request for voter rolls

See also: State government responses to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity

On June 29, 2017, the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, which had been created by President Donald Trump on May 11, requested information on registered voters from all 50 states dating back to 2006. The states were given until July 14 to respond. On July 3, Secretary Johnson announced that the state would provide only publicly available information to the commission.

As in most other states, Michigan law does provide for disclosure of some basic public voter information...Political parties, candidates and news organizations routinely request and receive this data. State law for decades has allowed anyone to review voter lists to ensure election integrity. As in Michigan, similar laws in almost all states make this basic voter information a public record. Michigan will certainly not go beyond what is legally required.[18]
—Johnson Spokesman Fred Woodhams[19]

Citizenship box on ballots

A check box on Michigan ballot applications re-confirming a voter's U.S. citizenship was added to the August 2012 primary ballots. Johnson asserted that adding the question to ballot applications at the polling places added extra security against potential non-citizens from casting a ballot.[20] A federal judge ruled that this question had to be removed from the November ballot applications, saying that the question would slow the voting process and was confusing to voters. Opponents of the checkbox asserted that the box violated the Equal Protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.[21]

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Michigan

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Michigan scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.


2023


2022


2021


2020


2019






See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. Project Vote Smart, "Biography" accessed October 9, 2012
  2. 2.0 2.1 Michigan Secretary of State Office, "Biography" accessed October 9, 2012
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Senator Ruth Johnson, "Meet Senator Johnson," accessed May 6, 2023
  4. LinkedIn, "Ruth Johnson," accessed May 6, 2023
  5. Governing, Michigan Governor Announces Re-election Bid, Despite Controversies, February 4, 2014
  6. Crain's Detroit Business, "Oakland County Clerk Ruth Johnson joins secretary of state field" 23 April, 2010
  7. Michigan Department of State - 2010 General Election Results
  8. Oakland County Clerk - 2008 Primary Election Results
  9. Oakland County Clerk - 2008 General Election Results
  10. Oakland County Clerk - 2004 Primary Election Results
  11. Oakland County Clerk - 2004 General Election Results
  12. Department of State - 2002 Primary Election Results
  13. Department of State - 2002 General Election Results
  14. Department of State - 2000 Primary Election Results
  15. Department of State - 2000 General Election Results
  16. Department of State - 1998 Primary Election Results
  17. Department of State - 1998 General Election Results
  18. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  19. Detroit Free Press, "Michigan to comply partly with presidential request for voter data," July 3, 2017
  20. MLive Secretary of State Ruth Johnson won't appeal citizenship ruling in time for November election, October 10, 2012
  21. Michigan Radio Federal judge orders removal of citizenship checkbox on Michigan ballot, October 5, 2012

Political offices
Preceded by
Tom Barrett (R)
Michigan State Senate District 24
2023-Present
Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
-
Michigan State Senate District 14
2019-2023
Succeeded by
Sue Shink (D)
Preceded by
Terri Lynn Land (R)
Michigan Secretary of State
2011-2019
Succeeded by
Jocelyn Benson (D)
Preceded by
-
Michigan House of Representatives
1999-2004
Succeeded by
-


Current members of the Michigan State Senate
Senators
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
Sue Shink (D)
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
Sam Singh (D)
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
Democratic Party (20)
Republican Party (18)