The elections board in Washtenaw County has rejected a recall petition drive aimed at local school board members. It’s one of the first such actions since the Legislature passed a law making it harder to recall elected officials. The Washtenaw County Elections Commission ruled the petition was not sufficiently clear on why six members of the Ann Arbor Board of Education should be removed by voters.
The board did not rule on whether the petitions were factual. That’s also required under the new law. Washtenaw County Clerk Lawrence Kestenbaum says he thinks that would violate the Michigan Constitution.
“For us to make those kinds of determinations flies in the face of what the Constitution provides that the sufficiency of reasons for a recall is a political question, not a judicial question. It’s a political question... means it’s up to the people.”
Kestenbaum says he expects the recall law will eventually face a court challenge.
