Michigan’s 2010 General
Elections
By Roger Martin, APR
Nov. 2 will decide…
•• New
Lieutenant
TwoGovernor
Supreme &
Court
justicesGovernor
•• Attorney
General
& Secretary
of State
Two statewide
ballot
questions
•• All
148Appeals
Legislators
State
Court
•• Michigan’s
(for
now) commission
members of seats
the U.S.
More than15
700
county
House
of local
Representatives
and 200
judicial offices
Governor & Lt. Governor
Virg Bernero
“Angriest Mayor”
Rick Snyder
“One Tough Nerd”
Mayor of Lansing
Former Gateway
President
Running mate:
Brenda Lawrence,
Mayor of Southfield
Running mate:
Brian Calley,
State Rep. of Portland
Attorney General
David Leyton
Bill Schuette
Genesee County
Prosecutor
Former member of
Congress,
State Senator,
State Agriculture
Department director,
Appeals Court judge
Secretary of State
Jocelyn Benson
Ruth Johnson
Highly regarded assistant
law professor at
Wayne State University
Oakland County Clerk,
Former State Rep.,
Dick DeVos’ running
mate for Lt. Gov. in 2006
Michigan Legislature
•All 148 state lawmakers face voters — 38 in state
Senate; 110 in House.
•29 of 38 state Senators are term limited
•34 of 100 state House members are term limited
State Supreme Court
•Millions will be spent on both sides of what is
supposed to be a “nonpartisan” office.
•Big prize is majority control of the court and the
ultimate decision on “reapportionment”
•Republican nominees are incumbent Justice Robert
Young, and Wayne County Circuit Judge Mary Beth Kelly
•Democratic nominees are Appeals Court Judge Alton
Thomas Davis and Oakland County Circuit Court Judge
Langford Morris
Young and Kelly
Justice Robert Young
Mary Beth Kelly
• Former general counsel • Former commercial
of AAA Michigan
litigation at Dickinson
Wright
• Appointed by Engler in • Appointed by Engler
1999, elected in 2002
• Conservative Incumbent
Davis and Morris
Alton Thomas Davis
Langford Morris
• Current Appeals Court
Judge
• Incumbent appointed
after Justice Elizabeth
Weaver resigned
• Oakland County Circuit
Court Judge since 1992
• Appointed by Engler and
won three times
State Supreme Court
Justice Robert
Young
Alton Thomas Davis
Langford Morris
Mary Beth Kelly
?
U.S. House of Representatives
• We will elect all 15 (for now) of Michigan’s
members in the U.S. House
• Likely to lose seat after reapportionment
• Michigan’s current delegation includes
8 Democrats, 7 Republicans
• Three competitive races
1st Congressional District
Upper Peninsula/Part of Northern MI
Gary McDowell
Dan Benishek
Current State Rep.
from Rudyard
Tea Party Activist
Surgeon from Crystal
Falls
7st Congressional District
South-Central Lower Michigan
Mark Schauer
Tim Walberg
First-term U.S. Rep.
from Battle Creek
U.S. Rep
from Tipton
9st Congressional District
Part of Oakland County
Gary Peters
Rocky Raczkowski
First-term U.S. Rep.
from Bloomfield Hills
Former state House
Rep. from
Farmington Hills
U.S. House of Representatives
• Incumbents will win the 12 other seats
• Democrats control:
– U.S. House: 255-178 with 2 vacancies
– U.S. Senate: 57-41, 2 independents holding seats
• GOP must:
– win 39 seats held by Democrats to gain control
of U.S. House.
– win 10 seats held by Democrats to gain control of
the U.S. Senate.
Two Statewide Ballot Questions
Prop
10-1
•Con-con?
Prop
10-2
•No felons in
office
Two Statewide Ballot Questions
Proposal 1
•
Every 16 years MI voters are asked if
the state should hold a constitutional
convention.
– If passes, 148 convention delegates
would be elected in a statewide
election held by May 3, 2011.
– Delegates would meet in Lansing by
Oct. 4, 2011.
– Convention would be unlimited in
scope and content — delegates
could write a new constitution or
offer any amendment.
– If an amendment or a new
constitution is approved, it must be
presented to all MI voters within 90
days
Proposal 2
• Would prohibit certain
felons from holding elected
office in Michigan.
Objective & Useful Information
www.MIVote.org
• Non-partisan guide to candidates and issues
Secretary of State- http://bit.ly/7cJZSH
• Elections in Michigan website
www.MichiganTruthSquad.com
• Non-partisan website providing analyses of campaign ads and
literature from candidates for Gov., state Legislature and
Congress
Thank you.
Roger Martin, APR
@AdvocateMan
rmartin@mwadvocacy.com