A resolution to call on the Governor to call a special election to fill the vacancy in the Thirty-fifth Senate District.
Summary
House Resolution 139 is a nonbinding resolution urging the Governor to issue a special election call to fill the vacancy in Michigan’s 35th Senate District. The resolution recites constitutional and statutory provisions governing vacancies in the Legislature, including the Governor’s authority to call a special election under the Michigan Constitution and the Michigan Election Law, and argues that the Governor has delayed too long in acting after Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet resigned effective January 3, 2025.
The resolution emphasizes that the district has been without representation for nearly five months and contrasts that delay with the Governor’s quicker action in 2023 to fill House vacancies created by the elections of Lori Stone and Kevin Coleman to local office. It frames the issue as one of equal representation and democratic rights for the residents of the 35th Senate District and asks that copies of the resolution be transmitted to the Governor.
Impact
Because this is a House resolution rather than a bill, it does not amend the Michigan Constitution or the Michigan Election Law. Its practical effect is limited to expressing the House’s position and formally pressuring the Governor to call a special election under existing vacancy-filling procedures in MCL 168.178 and MCL 168.634. The resolution’s target is the executive branch’s timing and use of existing authority, not the underlying statutes themselves.
Sentiment
The resolution reflects strong partisan and procedural frustration among its sponsors over the lack of a special election in the 35th Senate District. The tone is critical of the Governor’s inaction and presents the delay as inconsistent with prior practice. No committee testimony or recorded votes were provided, so the available context shows only the sponsors’ position and no documented opposition or compromise language.
Contention
The main point of contention is whether the Governor has an obligation to call a special election immediately, or whether the timing remains within executive discretion under the election statutes. Supporters argue the delay denies representation to district residents and departs from past practice, while the implicit counterpoint is that the law says the Governor “may” call a special election or wait until the next general election. The resolution also raises a broader political dispute over equal representation and whether the vacancy has been left open too long.