Whitmer Calls For 3 Special Elections To Fill MI House Vacancies

MICHIGAN — Governor Gretchen Whitmer called for a special election Tuesday to fill three vacant seats in the Michigan House of Representatives, according to a news release.

Michigan's 36th and 74th district house seats are vacant due to representatives Douglas Wozniak and Mark Huizenga's election to the Michigan Senate. The 43rd district seat is vacant due to the death of Rep. Andrea Schroeder, who died in October from stomach cancer.

Whitmer called for a special primary election to fill the vacancies to be held on March 1, 2022, and the general election to be held on May 3, 2022.

The 36th district seat includes Bruce Township, Washington Township and part of Shelby Charter Township in Macomb County. The 74th district seat includes several cities and townships in Kent County, while the 43rd represents Lake Angelus, Clarkston, Independence Township and part of Waterford Township in Oakland County.

"As a state, it is critical that we take the appropriate steps to ensure that all Michiganders are fairly, justly, and equitably represented at all levels of government," Whitmer said. "By calling a special election, we can ensure that those vacant seats are filled and that the constituents of 36th, 43rd, and 74th districts have a democratically elected representative working for their best interests in Lansing."

Although Whitmer did not address the expected vacancy in the 15th district seat of the Michigan House due to Representative Abdullah Hammoud's election as mayor of Dearborn, she is expected to issue a separate call for a special election with this same timeline to fill that vacancy once Hammoud resigns from his seat, according to the news release.