Representative Erin Byrnes

Erin Byrnes is a Democratic state representative serving Michigan's 15th House District, which encompasses the west end of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, representing approximately 92,301 constituents. Born on September 27, 1985, in Detroit, she grew up in Dearborn as the daughter of a Detroit Public Works employee and a healthcare worker, experiences that shaped her commitment to labor rights and the middle class.

Byrnes is currently serving her second term in the Michigan House of Representatives, having been elected in November 2024 and sworn in on January 2, 2025. She is single and resides in Dearborn, Wayne County.

Education

Byrnes earned a Bachelor of Arts in Women's and Gender Studies from the University of Michigan-Dearborn . She later pursued graduate studies in New York City, obtaining a Master of Science in Education from the City University of New York-Brooklyn College , which she completed while working as a middle school special education teacher in the New York City Department of Education.

Political Experience

Before her election to the state house, Byrnes served on the Dearborn City Council from 2018 to 2023, where she held the position of President Pro Tem beginning in January 2022. During her city council tenure, she focused on neighborhood beautification, business district revitalization, public health initiatives including vaccine distribution to homebound seniors, environmental protection through a first-of-its-kind air quality ordinance, and economic development projects.

In the Michigan House, Byrnes serves on the Education and Workforce Committee and the Families and Veterans Committee. Her legislative priorities include ethics and transparency, protecting voting rights, defending reproductive rights, supporting education, and advancing pay equity.

Prior to elected office, Byrnes worked extensively in education and civic engagement. She served as Program Director of the America Reads Tutoring Corps at the University of Michigan , where she hired, trained, and supervised approximately 200 undergraduate and graduate students serving as literacy tutors in Detroit, Ypsilanti, and Ann Arbor public schools. She also worked as the Lead for Democratic Engagement and the Big Ten Voting Challenge at the University of Michigan , creating and managing nonpartisan student voting programs focused on education, registration, and voter turnout across the UM-Ann Arbor campus and Big Ten athletic conference. Additionally, she completed the Michigan Political Leadership Program at Michigan State University in 2015.