Elections

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   A state Attorney General candidate has filed a complaint against his opponent.

Democrat Pat Miles says fellow Democrat Dana Nessel violated the Michigan Campaign Finance Act.

“Michigan has some of the weakest campaign finance laws in the first place. And if you can’t even follow that law, then what kind of Attorney General would you be?” Miles said.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   The race to be Michigan Democrats' nominee for attorney general is a fight not only among a diverse field of candidates but also a reflection of pent-up tension within a party anxious to score victories amid Republican dominance at the ballot box. 

LANSING, MI (AP)--   Michigan is ramping up security for midterm elections, but experts aren't satisfied.

Michigan Secretary of State spokesman Fred Woodhams says the state will hand-count ballots in all precincts chosen in the post-election audit for the first time during the May and November races.

Cybersecurity experts aren't fully reassured, however. They say the state should instead promise to audit elections before certifying the results and codify these post-election procedures into state law.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   Republican businessman Sandy Pensler has given $5 million to start his campaign for U.S. Senate in Michigan. 

Spokesman Tom Shields confirmed the contribution Wednesday, saying Republicans "now have an impressive candidate with real business experience and the resources" to challenge Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow.

The development follows Republican Bob Young's exit from the race last week.

Pensler, whose company owns four manufacturing plants, had previously said he planned to spend millions of his money on the campaign.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   A union-led petition drive will launch Tuesday to protect the state’s prevailing wage law from a different petition drive. 

That could lead to dueling ballot questions next November.

The skilled trade unions are trying to make sure contractors continue to pay union-level wages on state-funded construction projects. A petition drive to ban prevailing wage turned in its signatures last month to put the question to the Legislature.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   Organizers of a ballot drive to make Michigan's Legislature meet part-time are pushing for more signatures by mail and through advertising.  

The Clean Michigan Government ballot committee announced the plan Monday. Spokesman John Yob says the group is two-thirds toward collecting the 315,000 valid signatures needed, which includes an extra cushion to allow for duplicates and flaws.

DETROIT, MI (AP)--   Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder will call a special election to fill out John Conyers' term in the U.S. House after the lawmaker retired amid sexual harassment allegations by former staff members.

Spokeswoman Anna Heaton says Snyder's office will look at a timetable for that process once it receives a letter of resignation that officially creates the vacancy.

She says the Republican governor has wide discretion as to the timing of the special election.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   Lt. Gov. Brian Calley will seek a promotion to governor next year. 

The Republican launched his long-expected candidacy Tuesday while vowing to continue an economic rebound that has resulted in the addition of more than a half million jobs in Michigan.

Calley touts the Michigan unemployment rate at a 17-year low this year and says the state leads the Midwest in job creation, ranks sixth nationally and is first in new manufacturing jobs.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   An all-volunteer group of activists has defied the odds by collecting hundreds of thousands of voter signatures for a 2018 initiative to overhaul redistricting in Michigan — without having to pay a dime for a signature. 

It's a rarity in state politics outside of anti-abortion ballot drives, which have had a large base of support within churches.

YPSILANTI, MI--   On Tuesday the issue of Michigan's direction on legalized and medical marijuana will be the topic of discussion between five candidates for state Governor in the 2018 election. 

The forum-style discussion is being hosted by the Sidetrack restaurant in Ypsilanti's historic Depot Town. The event is slated to run from 6:30 - 8:30, but attendees are welcome to gather earlier, organizers said.

Participating in the event will be candidates Gretchen Whitmer, Abdul El-Sayed, Shri Thanedar, Bill Cobbs, and Evan Space.