Makled, Brown Win University of Michigan Regent Seats
Democrats Amir Makled and Paul Brown are set to join the University of Michigan Board of Regents for eight-year terms.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Democrat Amir Makled secured a seat on the University of Michigan Board of Regents early Wednesday morning, while Democratic incumbent Paul Brown won reelection, defeating Republican nominees Michael Schostak and Lena Epstein. As of 10:15 a.m. on Nov. 4, Makled and Brown had received 26.3% and 25.7%, respectively, with 94% of votes counted.
Why it matters
The outcome places a first-time candidate and an incumbent on the governing board of a major Michigan public university. Makled ran on affordability and publicly disavowed the Trump administration and the university's planned data center with Los Alamos National Laboratory in Ypsilanti Township.
The figures are an unofficial tally showing Makled at 26.3% and Brown at 25.7% with 94% of votes counted. The remaining ballots and final certification were not yet reported.
The players
Amir Makled
A Democrat and civil rights attorney who is a first-time candidate and University of Michigan Dearborn alumnus, known for his affordability platform.
Paul Brown
A Democratic incumbent first elected to the University of Michigan Board of Regents in 2018, known for supporting labor unions on campus.
The details
Makled is a civil rights attorney and University of Michigan Dearborn alumnus who ran on affordability and disavowed the planned data center partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory. Brown, first elected to the Board in 2018, has supported labor unions' presence on campus.
Timeline
2018: Brown was first elected to the Board of Regents.
Nov. 4, 2026: Vote count showed Makled at 26.3% and Brown at 25.7%.
Jan. 1, 2027: Makled and Brown begin eight-year terms.
Political Context
Makled publicly disavowed the University of Michigan's planned data center with Los Alamos National Laboratory in Ypsilanti Township, a project that has drawn scrutiny from candidates seeking the regent seats. His stance signals that the partnership is a live political issue within the university's governance debate.
The regents set policy for the University of Michigan, so the decisions of these two members will shape university governance, including labor relations and the data center partnership, for the next eight years. Readers following campus policy should track how the board votes on those issues beginning in 2027.
The takeaway
Voters chose a first-time challenger and a veteran incumbent for the University of Michigan Board of Regents, a result that will shape campus governance from 2027 onward. Following board votes on labor and research partnerships will show how the new composition operates.
What happens next
Makled and Brown will begin their eight-year terms on Jan. 1, 2027.
Further reading
For more on the state's races, see Michigan Elections coverage.
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