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Michigan

Steele Wins State Senate 23rd District Seat

Republican Donni Steele defeats Democrat Greg Hill in Oakland and Lapeer counties, while Lake Orion voters approve a $115 million school bond.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

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Republican Donni Steele defeated Democrat Greg Hill for Michigan's 23rd District state Senate seat on November 3, winning 57.67 percent of Oakland County votes. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Rep. Donni Steele won the Michigan State Senate 23rd District seat over Democrat Greg Hill in the November 3, 2026 general election. Steele took 57.67 percent of Oakland County votes, while voters in Lake Orion approved a $115 million school improvement bond.

Why it matters

Steele's win gives her a four-year term in the Michigan State Senate, shaping representation for the 23rd District across Oakland and Lapeer counties. Local voters also approved multiple bonds and millages that will fund schools, a library and public services in Lake Orion and Orion Township.

Steele received 73,982 votes (57.67%) in Oakland County against Hill's 54,139 (42.2%), on 675,069 ballots cast from 1,057,150 registered voters. The source reports only unofficial results, and the extraction does not indicate whether any race or measure faces certification or recount.

The players

Donni Steele

Donni Steele is a Michigan Republican state representative who won the State Senate 23rd District seat.

Greg Hill

Greg Hill is a Michigan Democrat who ran for the State Senate 23rd District seat and lost to Steele.

The details

Steele also led in Lapeer County, 8,139 votes to 3,713 for Hill. In the 54th District state House race, Sarah Pounds won with 52.81 percent. Oakland County voters approved a zoo millage renewal with 70.71 percent support and a historical museum authority proposal with 53.26 percent support.

Timeline

  1. Nov. 3, 2026: General election held across Oakland County.

  2. Nov. 4, 2026: Unofficial results published.

Political Context

Steele's victory keeps the 23rd District seat in Republican hands for the next four-year term in the Michigan State Senate. The race was contested across Oakland and Lapeer counties, and the outcome sets the district's representation in the state legislature.

Steele will serve a four-year term in the Michigan State Senate, and Pounds will serve a two-year term in the state House. Lake Orion residents will see a $115 million school bond funded through local property taxes.

The takeaway

Local races and ballot measures often carry lasting effects on schools, libraries and public services, making down-ballot results worth following closely. Voters can track certified results once the county finalizes its count.

Further reading

For more on state-level contests, see Michigan Elections.

Source note: This article includes information reported by The Lake Orion Review -.

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Would you vote yes on a $115 million school improvement bond in your district?