Special State House Elections Announced For Jan. 30, April 16, 2024
Question 1): Gov. Gretchen WHITMER two weeks ago called for a special election outside of the already scheduled 2024 election days to fill two now-vacant state House seats.
The dates, Jan. 30 for the primary and April 16 for the general election, will be held in addition to Michigan’s Feb. 27 early presidential primary, Aug. 6 primary and Nov. 5 general election. The candidate filing deadline was Monday, Nov. 27.
These special primary and election dates came as a surprise. It was expected that the vacancies, caused by Reps. Lori STONE (D-Warren) and Kevin COLEMAN winning their respective mayoral races, would be addressed through a Feb. 27 primary and special general election on May 7. (See “‘Legal Logistics’ Make Feb/May Special Elections Likely,” 11/8/23)
MIRS newsletter reported that predictions the later dates would be chosen were due to federal requirements that come with hosting an early presidential primary on Feb. 27, combined with new mandates from Proposal 2, which make it more difficult for clerks to make drop boxes available on time and meet retention requirements for voting machines.
In the city where Coleman won his mayoral race, Westland Clerk Richard LeBLANC, a former Democratic state legislator, also had urged the Governor to hold the special state House elections concurrent with the regularly scheduled presidential primary and August primary dates. He expressed concern about staff burnout from having more than three election dates in 2024.
Reacting to the new dates, which the Governor is legally allowed to establish, LeBlanc was livid.
“I’m pissed,” he said. “This is ridiculous. I don’t understand the urgency of this. What do they need to pass in the spring of 2024 that they can’t pass in the summer of 2024? . . . I’m tired of it . . .
“We’ll do it. With help from the state and the county, we’ll make it happen in Westland. It doesn’t mean this was the right thing to do.”
Overlooked is the extra cost to the taxpayers because of the governor”s call, whether they be local or state. It appears to be at least $325,000 and maybe much more.
So, what about this? Would any previous Michigan governor have done this?
Answer 1): Certainly William Milliken, Whitmer’s self-proclaimed role model as a great governor, would not have. John Engler? Maybe, depending on circumstances. Jennifer Granholm? James Blanchard? Possibly, but they were more cost-conscious than Whitmer. She just doesn’t really care.The optics of this are not good for Whitmer. She would get back the same 56-54 majority if she’d done nothing. But she wants to give her legislative Democrats three-weeks of extra time on the front end to work through her agenda, and she’s making the taxpayers pick up the tab. Bottom line: Richard LeBlanc is right.
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Leanne says
Several candidates have already filed for the Michigan House seat vacated by Lori Stone:
(A) Democrats:
(1) Mai Xiong – Macomb County Board of Commissioners member who lost a race for Warren City Clerk running on a slate with Lori Stone – only the second Hmong Laotian-American to be elected to public office in the U.S.;
(2) LaMar Lemmons – Detroit resident and former state representative;
(3) Suzanne Oshtosh – food pantry director;
(B) Republicans:
(1) Ronald Singer – engineer and former Michigan GOP State Committee member and longtime Republican activist;
(2) Curtiss Ostosh – a church pastor;
(3) Brandon Cumbee.
Expect Mai Xiong to get the Democratic nomination as an ally of Lori Stone.
Manuela Garza says
Mai Xiong – due to her left-wing progressive stances on the Board of Commissioners in Macomb County is opposed by many even in her own political party. Her sister is a longtime Michigan Democratic Party official. I expect the Michigan Dems political establishment to rally around Mai Xiong in the primary election.
it is clear that a Democrat will win the seat given the gerrymandering by the Redistricting Commission – however Mr. Lemmons has had his own checkered history in politics and it is unlikely that he will – as a Detroiter – receive significant voter support from City of Warren residents.
Suzanne Oshtosh is not expected to mount an expensive campaign.
Tim Sullivan says
Nice article, Bill. And absolutely correct.
Gov. Whitmer is pissing away hundreds of thousands of dollars that she does not need to do. No wonder the Westland City Clerk – who if memory serves – was in the legislature when she was is seriously pissed off. But of course, the alternative would have to require the Dems in the legislature to have been nice to a Republican or two in the house during the course of the past year. I guess she and the Dems figured the expenditure of those hundreds of thousands of dollars is a better course of action than being nice to a Republican or two. Once more, cue Mr. Mencken on democracy.
Royal says
Bill, a stellar topic again this week, thanks for the expose’,
1) It would seem that Whitmer’s calculus is $325,000 (of the taxpayers $) to obtain 2 Dem seat incumbents. I can see where that would appear to be a good deal – for her and the DNC. Cheap at twice the price. Why wouldn’t she do this? Republicans are not likely to raise much of a ruckus . . .
2) I admire how the Dems know how to take care of their own . . . Republicans would hurl epithets and threaten funding boycotts of each other if it happened on their watch . . .
3) Bill, is there any way to raise the ante? Why not a law suit or 2? Or a legislative block?
M lipton says
You have got to be kidding. Engler absolutely would have done this. It’s not even that much money – to have the elections and have representation for these communities.
And LeBlanc is basically a republican, so citing him is hardly evidence of Dem dissent. Come on bill, do better.
Cheryl L. Krapf-Haddock says
Cheryl L. Krapf-Haddock says
:(. I Disagree wholeheartedly M. Lipton!
Manuela Garza says
LeBlanc is a conservative Democrat.
A true American!
David L Richards says
It is fair to say that Whitmer is trading $300,000 of taxpayer money for three more weeks of Democratic control in the state house and criticize her for it. But to say that Engler might not have done the same thing? No way would he have given up the opportunity. As to just about any other Republican in the same position giving away the opportunity, that is highly doubtful also. Look at the late Brooks Patterson lobbying Lansing Republicans to take away Democratic redistricting power in Oakland County. He spent taxpayer time and money on that project, and if he had been governor in a similar situation to Whitmer he would have done the same thing as she did. As to any other Republican, based upon the way politics is done these days, not in Milliken’s day, it would have been no different; they would have grabbed the three weeks, right or wrong.
Jack Lessenberry says
I knew Governor Milliken very well. He almost certainly would not have, but all the others would have, including Snyder. . And Bill is basically right — but isn’t there also a May election?
Manuela Garza says
There is no May election, Jack.
John Stewart says
Overkill. The Presidential Primary is Feb 27-should have used it for the State Rep races. Plymouth Township is also spending a lot more for other facilities for 9 days in-person voting. Emphasis should be on ABSENTEE VOTING
Dan Murphy says
Mr. Le Blanc is right-on! Its politics first for the Governor and the Party ! So what if it will be costly to the Citizens!! It is the Progressive Ideologue Party of the elite, now .
Manuela Garza says
Michigan needs progressives. Yeah!