LANSING, STATE CAPITOL:
Another unintended consequence of Coronavirus, and nobody is paying attention.
Surely, there must be a bill in the legislative hopper to allow candidates for Congress and the judiciary to qualify to run this year by paying a filing fee instead of collecting signatures, right?
If not, somebody must have tipped off some of the candidates that help is on the way. Otherwise, they would be screaming for action.But, so far, crickets.
Under Michigan law, the only candidates who cannot get on the ballot by paying a filing fee are:
- Governor
- US Senate
- Congress
- Judicial offices (other than incumbents in any office, and candidates for Supreme Court)
But, obviously, right now, in the midst of a pandemic statewide lockdown, it’s IMPOSSIBLE to collect signatures. So how can anybody run for Court of Appeals (6,200 signatures minimum)? Or Congress?
Except for people who have already collected theirs (mainly incumbents), there’s no path forward to April 21.
Even for relatively low-level judicial candidates (district court et al.) who need just a few hundred, it is turning into a nightmare. Political observers keep telling the hapless would-be judges that the Legislature is bound to act to correct an obvious injustice, but it would be a lot more convincing if anyone, anywhere could cite a bill number.
Perhaps Gov. Gretchen Whitmer could issue another of her executive orders for which she is becoming increasingly well-known. Or the state’s top election official, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, could step in. Both women are lawyers, but there is no sign yet that either one is aware of the looming debacle.
Something also will have to be done for third parties and independent candidates, or else certainly the federal courts will be brought into action.
Stay tuned!
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Good point Bill!
YIKES ! How about not filling the positions for 1 Year ? Except by appointment ?
Now you’re talking . Great point Bill.
Spot-on as always!
Excellent point. And the same challenge faces ballot proposal committees. Gathering 500,000 or more signatures in 180 days to get on the ballot is incredibly challenging even under the most favorable circumstances. The Legislature which, admittedly, is not fond of direct democracy should 1) expand the 180-day limit and 2) make provisions for signing petitions online.
During this extraordinary time, Mr. Ballenger makes an important point regarding upcoming elections, but his statement, “Under Michigan law, the only candidates who cannot get on the ballot by paying a filing fee are Governor, U.S. Senate, Congress and some Judicial offices,” is not exactly true. According to Act 116 of 1954. CHAPTER XIV. SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE ELECTIONS, “(8) Instead of filing nominating petitions, a candidate for school board member may pay a nonrefundable filing fee of $100.00 to the school district filing official. If this fee is paid by the due date for a nominating petition, the payment has the same effect under this section as the filing of a nominating petition.”
The positions Mr. Ballenger noted ONLY have the choice to file petitions. Most all other candidates have the option to pay a filing fee instead, just like the candidates/section you referenced.
For judicial candidates, HB5609 was submitted earlier this month to allow those judicial candidates to pay a non-refundable filing fee in lieu of filing nominating petitions.
Glad I am already filed and on ballot 54 state house. Mi house and senate can fill with filling fee same with county commissioner for washtenaw county.