Updates About Elections

On June 13, U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith denied disqualified GOP gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson’s efforts to halt the ballot printing process in hopes of gaining a spot on the ballot for the August primary election.

Johnson had claimed in his suit, Johnson v. Board of State Canvassers, that the Bureau of Elections did not follow their normal procedures when identifying fraudulent signatures, and if all fraudulent signatures were compared to the Qualified Voter File, Johnson could prove that there were enough legitimate signatures to keep him on the ballot. Judge Goldsmith sided with the Bureau of Elections, finding their report to be sufficient in identifying fraudulent signatures and petition circulators.

In other related news, disqualified GOP gubernatorial candidate James Craig announced his write-in campaign for the August 2 primary. Craig filed with the Bureau of Elections on Tuesday, June 14, kicking off his campaign.

Craig also recently filed suit against In Field Strategies and eighteen petition circulators in Kent Circuit Court. Craig, et al v. In Field Strategies claims that the fraudulent signatures resulting in Craig’s disqualification from the ballot were unbeknownst to Vanguard Field Strategies and himself, also noting that circulators signed affidavits falsely swearing to collect legitimate signatures. Craig is seeking recovery of damages for breach of contract.

Following the submission of signatures by the Republican gubernatorial candidates hoping to face off against incumbent Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the Bureau of Elections recommended to the Board of State Canvassers that they remove five of the ten GOP candidates.

Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, businessman Perry Johnson, Department of State Police Captain Michael Brown, Michael Markey, and Donna Brandenburg were all disqualified from the ballot due to evidence of fraudulent signature gathering. Evidence found in one or more of the candidate’s petitions include: identical sheets, signatures of voters who are deceased or have not lived at their given address for some time, misspelled names or common abbreviations, consistent misspellings with distinctive flourishes across signatures, full sheets written in the same handwriting, and round-tabling where a group of people pass around sheets to vary the handwriting styles. The bureau found that between 36 different circulators, there were at least 68,000 invalid signatures.

James Craig, Perry Johnson, Michael Markey, and Donna Brandenburg appealed this decision by the bureau to the Michigan Supreme Court, however the majority ruled they would not hear the cases because the arguments were ultimately deficient. As of this writing, Johnson and Craig announced they would continue to fight. So far, Johnson has filed a complaint with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

At this time, it is anticipated that Tudor Dixon, Kevin Rinke, Garrett Soldano, Ryan Kelly, and Ralph Rebandt will all appear on the ballot for the August 2 primary.

New members have officially been sworn into the Michigan State House of Representatives following the May 3 Special Election in House Districts 15, 36, 43, and 74. New members respectively include Representatives Jeffrey Pepper (D-Dearborn), Terence Mekoski (R-Shelby Township), Mike Harris (R-Clarkston), and Carol Glanville (D-Walker). This leaves the House Republicans with a majority of 57-53.

Committee shuffling ensued during session on May 10. Rep. Pepper was added to the following committees: Families, Children, Seniors, replacing Rep. Darrin Camilleri (D-Brownstown Township), Agriculture replacing Rep. Sarah Cambensy (D-Marquette), and Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR), replacing Rep. Kyra Harris Bolden (D-Southfield).

Rep. Glanville will sit on the Insurance Committee, replacing Rep. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), and on the Commerce and Tourism Committee, replacing Rep. Mari Manoogian (D-Birmingham).

Rep. Mekoski was added to the House Judiciary, Local Government, and Regulatory Reform committees while Rep. Harris was added to Energy, Insurance, and Transportation Committees. Both new members replaced seats formerly held by Rep. Ryan Berman (R-Commerce Township) after he requested to be removed from his assignments.

Rep. Matt Hall (R-Comstock Township) was removed from the committee on Regulatory Reform and Rep. Beau LaFave (R-Iron Mountain) was appointed vice-chair of the House Insurance Committee, replacing Rep. Berman.