A lawsuit was filed against Governor Gretchen Whitmer because she hasn’t called for a special election in the 35th Michigan Senate District. The seat was left open after former Democratic Michigan Senator and now U.S. Representative Kristen McDonald Rivet resigned in January following her election to Congress.
Key Points:
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- The lawsuit was filed in the Michigan Court of Claims.
- The plaintiffs are asking the courts to force the governor to call for a special election to fill the seat.
- Under the Michigan Constitution, it’s up to the governor to call a special election when a seat becomes vacant mid-term.
- A deadline of August 22 was set by the Judge for the governor to respond.
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- The district includes portions of Midland, Bay, and Saginaw counties.
- During the 2022 election cycle (the last time the Senate was up for election), the district had a 53% Democratic base.
- Currently, the Democratic Party has a 20-18 majority in the Senate. If a special election were held and the Republican Party picked up the open seat, there would be an even 19-19 split majority in the chamber.
