Commissioner (Dist. 3)
Commissioner Martha G. Scott (D-Highland Park) was first elected to the Wayne County Commission in November 2010 and is currently serving her sixth term representing District 3.
She is chair of the Committee on Health and Human Services and serves on the Committee on Ways and Means. She also serves on the Special Committee on Behavioral Health.
Commissioner Scott began her public service career in 1972 as a precinct delegate. In 1977, she was appointed to the Wayne County Board of Commissioners and served until 1980, when she joined the Wayne County Civil Service Commission, where she served as vice-chair. From 1984 to 1987, she was president of the Highland Park City Council, and in 1988, she was elected as her hometown’s first female mayor—also becoming the first African American woman elected mayor of a Michigan city.
In 1994, she was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives and was re-elected twice. She later served in the Michigan Senate, first elected in 2000 and re-elected in 2002 and 2006. During her tenure, she was a sponsor of Michigan Senate Bill No. 384 (93rd Legislature, 2005), landmark legislation that officially designated the third Saturday in June as Juneteenth National Freedom Day and established November 26 as Sojourner Truth Day. The law commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and honors the legacy of Sojourner Truth, recognizing both the historical struggle for freedom and Michigan’s role in advancing civil rights and social justice.
In 2025, the City of Highland Park honored her decades of service and leadership with the announcement of the Honorable Martha G. Scott street renaming at the corner of Rhode Island and Woodward, recognizing her lasting impact on the community she has long served.
Commissioner Scott is known to her constituents as an elected official who is accessible and responsive, consistently listening to their concerns. She has been a steadfast advocate for fair and affordable insurance rates, increased funding for public schools, and strong protections for vulnerable residents.
Map
View District 3 Map(PDF, 1MB)