{{Short description|American politician (born 1981)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Matt Koleszar | honorific_suffix = | image = | alt = | office = Member of the Michigan House of Representatives | term_start = January 1, 2019 | term_end = | predecessor = Redistricted (District 22), Jeff Noble (District 20) | successor = | constituency = <br>22nd district (2023–present) 20th district (2019–2022) | birth_date = {{birth date and age|September 21, 1981}} | birth_place = Royal Oak, Michigan, U.S. | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|Month DD, YYYY|Month DD, YYYY}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | birth_name = | party = Democratic | spouse = Kimberly Bush-Koleszar | children = | education = Saginaw Valley State University (BA)<br />Eastern Michigan University (MA) | occupation = Teacher | website = [https://www.mattformichigan.org/ Matt for Michigan] | footnotes = }}
'''Matt Koleszar''' (born September 21, 1981) is an American politician serving as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives since 2019, currently representing the 22nd district. He is a member of the Democratic Party.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.legislature.mi.gov/publications/CitizensGuide.pdf |title=Michigan Citizen's Guide to State Government, 2025-2026, 103rd Legislature |publisher=Michigan Legislature |year=2025 |location=Lansing, Michigan |language=en}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Koleszar was born in Royal Oak. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary education with a focus on social studies and English from Saginaw Valley State University in 2006, and a Master of Arts degree in English studies for teachers from Eastern Michigan University in 2011.<ref name=Gongwer>{{Cite web |title=Rep. Matt Koleszar |website=Gongwer News Service—Michigan |url=https://www.gongwer.com/directories/bio.cfm?nameid=487401 |access-date=2023-09-06 }}</ref>
== Career == Before his election as a state representative, Koleszar had taught middle school and high school social studies and English for 12 years in the Airport Community School District in Carleton, coached cross country and baseball,<ref name="house_koleszar">{{cite web|url=https://housedems.com/koleszar|title=Meet Matt Koleszar|publisher=housedems.com|access-date=November 8, 2019}}</ref> and served as president of the Airport Education Association.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.monroenews.com/news/20181108/election-recap-airport-teacher-elected-to-michigan-house|title=Election recap: Airport teacher elected to Michigan House|last=Taylor|first=Caitlin|website=Monroe News|location=Monroe, Michigan |access-date=2019-11-22}}</ref>
=== Michigan House of Representatives === Koleszar served as assistant Democratic leader in 2019 and 2020, and as Democratic whip in 2021 and 2022.<ref name=Gongwer/> He has introduced legislation on issues ranging from air quality to school libraries, as well as tuition assistance for the children of fallen Police Officers and Firefighters.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(xmfuzbj1zy3ynvgpqewpmtze))/milegprint.aspx?page=ExecuteSearch&query=list|title=Michigan Legislature|website=www.legislature.mi.gov|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> He has served on the House committees for education, higher education, health policy, education policy, elections and ethics, labor, and school aid.
Following redistricting, Koleszar ran in the 22nd district in 2022, winning reelection.<ref name="mich-2022-general-results">{{cite web |title=2022 Michigan Election Results - General |url=https://mielections.us/election/results/2022GEN_CENR.html |publisher=Michigan Secretary of State |access-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129162327/https://mielections.us/election/results/2022GEN_CENR.html |archive-date=November 29, 2022 |date=November 28, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> After the Democrats won control of the state legislature in the 2022 elections, he was appointed chair of the education committee.<ref>{{cite news |first=Tracie |last=Mauriello |url=https://www.bridgemi.com/talent-education/michigan-teachers-say-theyre-ignored-lansing-now-theyre-charge |title=Michigan teachers say they're ignored in Lansing. Now, they're in charge |website=Bridge Michigan |date=January 13, 2023 |access-date=September 7, 2023 }}</ref>
Koleszar was reelected in 2024.<ref name="mich-2024-general-results">{{cite web|title=2024 Michigan Election Results|url=https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/votehistory/Index?type=C&electionDate=11-5-2024|publisher=Michigan Secretary of State|access-date=November 24, 2024|date=November 22, 2024|url-status=live|archive-date=November 24, 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20241124174348/https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/votehistory/Index?type=C&electionDate=11-5-2024}}</ref>
== Electoral history ==
{| class="wikitable" |+Election 2018<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.waynecounty.com/documents/clerk/final_nov2018.pdf|title=2018 Final Election Results|last=Garrett|first=Cathy|date=November 6, 2018|website=WayneCounty.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hometownlife.com/story/news/local/plymouth/2018/11/07/plymouth-midterm-election-2018-state-house-20th-district/1899880002/|title=Democrat Koleszar flips state House 20th District|website=HometownLife|date=2018-11-07|access-date=2019-11-22}}</ref> !Party !Candidate !Vote !Percentage |- |'''Democratic''' |'''Matt Koleszar''' |'''24,797''' |'''51.41%''' |- |Republican |Jeff Noble (Incumbent) |23,430 |48.6% |}
{| class="wikitable" |+Election 2020<ref>{{Cite web|last=Garrett|first=Cathy|date=November 3, 2020|title=2020 Final Election Results|url=https://www.waynecounty.com/documents/clerk/!electionsum_11032020.pdf|website=WayneCounty.com}}</ref> !Party !Candidate !Vote !Percentage |- |'''Democratic''' |'''Matt Koleszar (Incumbent)''' |'''33,034''' |'''55.1%''' |- |Republican |John Lacny |26,931 |44.9% |}
{| class="wikitable" |+Election 2022<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Garrett |first=Cathy |date=November 22, 2022 |title=2022 Final Election Results |url=https://www.waynecounty.com/documents/clerk/official_summary_11822.pdf |website=WayneCounty.com}}</ref> !Party !Candidate !Vote !Percentage |- |'''Democratic''' |'''Matt Koleszar (Incumbent)''' |'''28,051''' |'''54.18%''' |- |Republican |Cathryn Neracher |23,360 |45.7% |}
== Personal life == Koleszar is married to Kimberly Bush-Koleszar.<ref name=Gongwer/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://housedems.com/koleszar Matt Koleszar at gophouse.org] * [https://ballotpedia.org/Matt_Koleszar Matt Koleszar at ballotpedia.org] * [https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/182748/matt-koleszar Matt Koleszar at votesmart.org]
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{succession box | title= Michigan Representatives<br/>20th District | before= Jeff Noble| | after=Incumbent| years=2019–present }} {{s-end}}
{{Michigan House of Representatives}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koleszar, Matt}} Category:Living people Category:Saginaw Valley State University alumni Category:Eastern Michigan University alumni Category:Democratic Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives Category:People from Royal Oak, Michigan Category:1981 births Category:21st-century members of the Michigan Legislature