Michigan voters surveyed report trust in local newspapers, local newspaper websites to publish public notices on government action
A recent statewide poll shows Michigan voters trust local newspapers and their digital platforms to provide them with accurate information about the actions of elected officials.
The poll of likely November 2026 voters commissioned by EPIC-MRA showed that Michigan voters continue to view local newspapers and their digital platforms as the most trusted and effective source for public notices and information about government actions.
Nearly 60% of survey respondents said they trust a local newspaper or a local newspaper and its website over a government website when it comes to publishing public notices and information on local government budgets, information on spending by elected officials and details about zoning and taxation issues and more.
“The findings underscore the important role newspapers play in promoting transparency, informing Michiganders and ensuring public notices are broadly accessible to the communities they serve,” said Lisa McGraw, public policy manager for the Michigan Press Association (MPA). “Residents across the state want our lawmakers to prioritize transparency and keep these accountability measures in place.”
The MPA continues to call on Michigan’s House leadership to halt ongoing efforts that could remove requirements for governments and other public institutions to publish important information about decision making in newspapers through public notices.
Along with the Freedom of Information Act and the Open Meetings Act, requirements in Michigan for public notices to be published in newspapers help hold government officials accountable to the people they are elected to serve. They play a critical role in helping Michigan citizens learn about and weigh in on important tax proposals, zoning changes, new ordinances and proposed property developments that may impact them and their families.
Public notices are available in local newspapers and on their websites, as well as on a statewide database, mipublicnotices.com, which is managed by the MPA.
The results of the 2026 survey are consistent with a 2019 EPIC-MRA survey, in which the majority of respondents said they trust their local newspaper and newspaper’s website the most to find public notices of government activities, and that their local newspaper would be most effective in making government activities known to the public.
Shifting notices solely to government-controlled websites would make it harder for Michigan residents to access critical information and monitor, evaluate and weigh in on the decisions, policies and actions of elected officials.
“Publishing notices in local newspapers and their digital platforms provides a permanent, third-party record of government activity that can’t be removed, edited or lost on a government website,” said Jim Tarrant, executive director of the Public Notice Resource Center. “We continue to urge Michigan lawmakers to protect these foundational transparency measures.”
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