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Events from the year 1982 in Michigan.
The Associated Press (AP) selected the state's top news stories as follows:
- The election of James Blanchard as Governor, the first Democrat elected to the office in 20 years;
- Unemployment in Michigan with 732,000 Michiganders out of work and a record unemployment rate of 17.2%;
- Mass homicides, including the Rock Road massacre, the murder of a five members of the Paulson family near Allendale on March 13, and the murder of Bette Giuliani and her four adopted daughters in St. Clair County on April 7;
- Four rounds of cuts in the state budget totaling $778 million and resulting from the state's economic tailspin;
- New contracts between the United Auto Workers and the major automobile manufacturers;
- A continued slump in sales of American automobiles;
- Richard Headlee's nomination as the Republican candidate for Governor, defeating Gov. Milliken's chosen successor, James H. Brickley with Headlee losing to Blanchard in the general election as Milliken remained on the sidelines;
- Cold weather and heavy snow through the winter of 1982;
- Fraud charges brought by the Canadian government against Amway and four of its executives for allegedly using dummy invoices showing lower values to reduce customs duties paid for goods shipped to Canada;
- (tie for 10th) The February birth of a baby to a 12-year-old rape victim in Kalamazoo who was denied an abortion after an unsuccessful court battle; and
- (tie for 10th) Super Bowl XVI between the Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers held at the Pontiac Silverdome, the first Super Bowl held in the snow belt.