The district was first created during the reapportionment and redistricting after the 1890 census. From 2003 to 2013, it was located in Detroit's inner suburbs to the north, along the Interstate 696 corridor in Macomb and Oakland counties, and a portion of Macomb north of the corridor. District boundaries were redrawn in 1993 and 2003 due to reapportionment following the censuses of 1990 and 2000.[3] After Michigan's congressional map was redrawn in 2022, the 12th lost Ann Arbor and most of its suburbs and was re-centered around the cities of Detroit and Dearborn.[4]
Due to a mistake in how the name of William J. MacDonald appeared on the ballot in Ontonagon County some votes were not included in the official count by the state board of canvassers, even though their inclusion in unofficial returns showed MacDonald had won. Subsequently, the United States House Committee on Elections unanimously reported a resolution to the full house awarding the seat to MacDonald.
^"The changes to Michigan's congressional map, district by district". Michigan Radio. February 15, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
^12th District Congressional Page
^Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present Archived 2010-04-23 at the Wayback Machine
^U.S. Representatives 1837-2009. (2009). In The Michigan Legislature. Michigan Legislative Service Bureau. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
^John Dingell was originally elected from the 15th district in 1955 via a special election, then redistricted to serve the 16th district from 1964 until its elimination in 2002. The 15th district itself would be dissolved in 2012 with Dingell as its last elected representative.
^"2012 Michigan House Results".
^"2014 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/04/2014".
^"2016 Michigan Election Results - Official Results". Michigan Department of State. November 8, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
^Johnson, Cheryl L. (February 28, 2019). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 2018". Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
^"2020 Michigan Election Results Official". Michigan Secretary of State. Retrieved November 23, 2020.