by Scott McClallen
The Michigan House will be deadlocked 54-54 after two Democratic House members won local mayoral races.
After Reps. Lori Stone (pictured above, left) of Warren and Kevin Coleman (pictured above, right) of Westland won their respective mayoral races, House Democrats will still craft legislative agendas but won’t have the votes required to enact legislation without Republican votes until a special session is called to fill those seats.
Bills require support from at least 56 votes out of 110, or require 90 days to become law.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office hasn’t responded to a request for comment asking about the possible date of a special election.
The winner of the mayoral race will be sworn in at a date determined when the county certifies the election, according to the Warren City Clerk’s office.
In Westland, the winner of the mayoral race will be sworn in Nov. 17 or a few days later, according to the city clerk’s office.
In 2023, voters gave Michigan Democrats a political trifecta for the first time in 40 years. Since then, the majority approved the repeal of the right-to-work, red flag, and gun storage laws, and passed a record $82 billion budget.
However, it appears Democrats won’t be able to finish their legislative priority list, including enacting a paid family leave program and a prescription drug board, among other goals, until those seats are filled.
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Scott McClallen is a staff writer covering Michigan and Minnesota for The Center Square. A graduate of Hillsdale College, his work has appeared on Forbes.com and FEE.org. Previously, he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi. In 2021, he published a book on technology and privacy. He co-hosts the weekly Michigan in Focus podcast.
Background Photo “Voting Booths” by Tim Evanson. CC BY-SA 2.0.
