McCotter Special Election Expected to Cost Northville $32,000
If multiple candidates from various parties decide to run, a special September primary election for former U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter's vacated seat will be held.
Northville Township expects to pay $25,000 and the city expects to pay $7,000 for a special election to replace resigned U.S. congressman Thaddeus McCotter.
Earlier this month, McCotter resigned, prompting the state to call a special election at the expense of local governments in the newly redrawn 11th Congressional District. The district includes Northville, Plymouth, Canton, Novi and White Lake. In total, the communities in the 11th congressional district will pay about $650,000.
The winner of the special election, stipulated by law, will serve from November to January, when the general election winner is sworn in.
"I think it's a senseless election," said township Clerk Sue Hillebrand. "I would say it will be a very low (voter) turnout."
Hillebrand said that Gov. Rick Snyder has indicated a special primary will not be necessary if each party can agree to one candidate who will run. So far, that has not been an easy sell to the candidates vying for McCotter's seat. Republicans Kerry Bentivolio and Nancy Cassis have both expressed interest in the temporary seat and have accused the other of playing politics.
In the meantime, municipal clerks are preparing for the special election. Hillebrand said the township is cutting costs where it can to limit the expense to taxpayers.
For example, the state minimum on election workers is three. Usually, the township exceeds that in general elections and spends about $15,000. For the special election, the township will spend about half of that. The city will spend about $7,000 total, said city clerk Dianne Massa, on what she anticipates will be a lower than usual primary turnout.
Hillebrand is not happy about having to ask her township trustee peers for a special allocation to cover an election she did not budget for.
"In all my years as a clerk, I've never had this happen," she said. "It's absolutely ridiculous. Something should be changed."
McCotter has been the source of much political attention lately. Prior to his resignation, McCotter announced that he would run as a write-in candidate after his campaign failed to turn in 1,000 petitions it needed to get on the GOP primary ballot. Only 200 to 300 of the 2,000 total ballots submitted by the five-term congressman's campaign were valid, the Secretary of State's Office announced. A short time later, McCotter said he would not seek re-election.
Denise Nash
1:14 pm on Thursday, July 19, 2012
Mr. McCotter had, if I remember correctly, nearly $200k left in his campaign treasure chest. He chose to donate it to St. Jude's Children's Hospital. I think that is a fine organization, but perhaps it could have been more appropriately used to finance this unplanned election. Or, barring that, he could have donated to a charity in Michigan, probably where most of this money originated.
Michigan Voter
10:25 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
I agree. A nice check to Northville, Plymouth, etc to cover the cost of this debacle would help take the sting out of this. 32k could have funded part of a Northville teacher's salary. Instead, a Congressional representative from the party of fiscal responsibility is making us waste our money on an unnecessary election.
Joseph McCauley
10:34 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
What a surprise, a politician only thinking of himself.
Denise Nash
11:43 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
I want to give a "thumbs up" to both of you! Patch needs to add that feature!
Bill P
5:04 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
McCotter impressed me over the years by how frequently he would show up at a City Council meeting to report on issues affecting the community or just to provide researched answers to questions he had been asked. That he purportedly decided to donate some "$200K" remaining in his campaign fund to St. Jude's Children's Hospital neither surprises nor disappoints me in the least. The 'local greed' of the previous 3 posters aside - McCotter gave good representation to our community. I hope none of you ever have need of the services St. Jude's provides. Perhaps Patch should also add a 'Thumbs Down' feature for your selfish narrow mindedness.
Paul Armstrong
6:21 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012
Mr. McCotter would have impressed me more if he had checked the fraudulent signatures his staff submitted before he signed off on them.
Denise Nash
11:32 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
Because I disagree with you, I'm selfish and narrow minded. Got it.
Bill P
1:09 am on Saturday, July 21, 2012
While there are thousands of ways McCotter could have disposed of his remaining political funds his choice of St. Jude's Children's Hospital is unique, non-political and one way or another serves us all.
No, Ms. Nash. It is not because you disagree with me that you might be considered selfish and narrow minded. It is because your comments make you sound that way that I disagree with you.