Updates About People

On Monday, September 12, Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget McCormack announced that she would be retiring from the bench at the end of the year after 10 years of service.

Michigan Supreme Court justices are listed on the ballot under the non-partisan section, but they are nominated by the parties. As they serve eight-year terms, McCormack was two years into her second term, with six years remaining.

Democrat-nominated justices currently hold a 4 to 3 majority. McCormack’s retirement paves the way for Governor Gretchen Whitmer to appoint her first justice since taking office and allows Democrats to retain the majority on the court regardless of the outcome of the November election.

On Friday, August 19, Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon announced her choice of former state representative Shane Hernandez as her running mate. The announcement was made ahead of the August 27th Michigan Republican Party Convention, which was held to nominate statewide candidates for the November election.

Hernandez, who was nominated by attorney general candidate, Matt DePerno, at the convention, overwhelmingly won the nomination as Dixon’s running mate via a secret, paper ballot. Hernandez amassed approximately 80 percent of the vote, despite concerns that the Macomb County delegation and allies might attempt to thwart the nomination.

In related news, Dixon and Governor Gretchen Whitmer will have two televised debates prior to the November 8 election. The first will be hosted in Grand Rapids on October 13, while the second will be hosted in Detroit on October 25.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has asked the Prosecuting Attorneys Coordination Council for a special prosecuting attorney to review charges against nine individuals in an investigation into vote tabulators from the 2020 general election.

This investigation stems from a request by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson who, back in February, asked Nessel to investigate third-party access to vote tabulators. Individuals involved in this investigation were allegedly trying to provide evidence that then-President Donald Trump had the election stolen from him.

Notable individuals included in this investigation are Republican attorney general candidate Matthew DePerno, Representative Daire Rendon (R-Lake City), and Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf. Charges in this case include conspiracy, using a computer system to commit a crime, willfully damaging a voting machine, malicious destruction of property, fraudulent access to a computer, and false pretenses.