State Rep. Ann Bollin, R-Brighton Township, today issued the following statement after Gov. Whitmer scheduled two rushed special elections outside of the election days already on the books for early 2024:

“Gov. Whitmer’s decision to call for separate special elections on Jan. 30 and April 16 to fill vacant House seats is highly questionable and fails to prioritize the interests of taxpayers and voters. The accelerated and unnecessary time frame will needlessly burden candidates, clerks, and voters. What is really behind this time frame? Democracy? Accessibility? Restoring voter confidence? Voter representation at the Capitol? NOPE – just more politics and confusion that disenfranchises voters and places added stress on local clerks and poll workers. By choosing dates outside of the already scheduled February and May elections, the governor needlessly burdens taxpayers with increased costs for separate elections and causes unnecessary confusion for voters.

“This move should raise some eyebrows, especially given the precedent of scheduling elections differently based on what way these districts swing along party lines. When three Republican House seats were vacant in late 2021, the governor scheduled those special elections for March and May of 2022. Why the sudden rush to fill the latest vacancies?

“The governor’s choice to depart from established election dates shows a complete disregard for the financial and logistical strain it places on local communities like Warren, Westland and Detroit. The people of Michigan deserve a fair and transparent electoral process that maximizes voter participation and minimizes costs and confusion. This decision unfortunately fails to achieve that.”

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