Michigan’s unemployment rate for October stood at 12.8 percent, a decline from the 13 percent in September. It marks the first time the rate was below 13 percent in the past 19 months.

Governor Granholm said that more than 180,000 Michigan residents could lose their unemployment benefits by the end of November if congress does not pass an extension of benefits.

Ms. Granholm said she has written to the congressional leadership, telling them that now is “not the time to pull the rug out from those who need assistance to provide for their families.”

She said the state has more than 336,000 people on unemployment and more than half of them could see their benefits end on December 1 if Congress does not extend the time period for benefits.

The national unemployment rate for October remained at 9.6 percent.