Friday, December 28, 2012
A political expert said Michigan could be “ground zero for a recall vote” against Snyder in 2013.
Could the sudden passage of the highly controversial right-to-work legislation lead to Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's name appearing on a statewide ballot for something other than his re-election campaign? One political expert thinks it's possible. Joshua Spivak, a senior fellow at Wagner College’s Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform, told Politico that Michigan could be “ground zero for a recall vote” against Snyder in 2013. “There doesn’t seem to be a specific goal of going after state legislatures or state governors in any significant way, though that might change in Michigan because of right-to-work (legislation),” Spivak said in the Politico story. Local recall elections, such as the one voters recently approved against Troy …
Monday, November 12, 2012
The Oakland County executive proved he's a stand-up guy during an Election Night appearance in Royal Oak.
As Democrats celebrated election victories Tuesday in Michigan and across the country, the mood at the Emagine Royal Oak theater complex, where more than 200 Oakland County Republicans gathered, was a mixed bag. That is, until L. Brooks Patterson, 73, changed the energy of room. “He gave some remarks and then he told us he had a surprise for us – and then he stood up on his own,” said former Royal Oak Mayor Dennis Cowan. “Everyone burst into applause.” Patterson, elected to his sixth term as Oakland County Executive on Nov. 6, was injured in a crash in August that left him hospitalized at McLaren Oakland Hospital in Pontiac for five weeks after suffering almost a dozen broken bones. He returned to work in October using a wheelchair and …
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
A majority of Troy residents voted to remove embattled Troy Mayor Janice Daniels from office Tuesday.
The people of Troy voted 52 percent to 48 percent to recall Mayor Janice Daniels on Tuesday. The votes were 20,763 to 18,993, according to unofficial results from the Oakland County Clerk, with all precincts reporting. The recall effort drew support from Southeastern Oakland County where County Commissioner Craig Covey, who currently represents the southern part of Royal Oak, helped raise funds for the recall effort against Daniels. Covey got involved in part because of homophobic remarks to made Troy high school students, reporters, and on Facebook. Daniels comments hurt the entire region, Covey said. It all started with a Facebook status update containing a gay slur that then-private citizen Daniels posted on her wall in June of 2011. …
The final results are in and 67 percent of voters say 'yes' to the public safety millage.
Voters in Royal Oak went to the polls Tuesday to choose a judge to serve them in the 44th District Court as well as decide on a public safety millage and a school district building and site sinking fund tax proposal. Voters also chose representatives to serve them on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners and in the Michigan House. The races are in addition to the presidential contest and a slew of state ballot proposals and decisions on federal, state and county-level offices. 10:30 p.m. – At the Royal Oak Elks Lodge, Derek Meinecke celebrated with more than 100 supporters, including Judge Terence Brennan and retiring Judge Daniel Sawicki. Of 24,542 votes cast in the the 44th District Court race for Sawicki's seat, 13,358 were for …
Five of the six statewide ballot proposals were defeated, according to early results.
Voters throughout Michigan chose Barack Obama over Mitt Romney for president, according to early results, and voted no on at least five of the six state proposals. Michiganders also chose incumbent Democrat Debbie Stabenow over Republican challenger Pete Hoekstra for Senate, according to early results. Voter turnout was reported to be high across the state. In 2008, 66.2 percent of Michigan's registered voters cast ballots, the highest number since 1968 when voter turnout was 66.8 percent. On Tuesday, many precincts were still taking ballots well after 8 p.m. to accommodate voters. 1:32 AM: U.S. Rep. John Dingell claimed victory and a record-breaking 30th term in Congress. 12:46 AM: Results are trickling in. Dexter Patch reports Gretchen …
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Exit polls show voters backing Barack Obama; national media give the state's 16 electoral votes to the president.
The polls have not been closed long, but based on exit polls results several media organizations have declared President Barack Obama the winner of Michigan's 16 electoral votes on Tuesday, defeating Republican and native son Mitt Romney. NBC, NPR, CNN, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post all have declared Obama the winner. Media outlets also have called the overall race for Obama. In the 2008 presidential election, the state voted for the Democratic candidate, and in recent elections has voted for the overall winner of the presidential race 3 out of 5 times. Romney and Obama did not campaign aggressively in Michigan. The state has typically been a Democratic stronghold in recent presidential elections. The economy was a key …
Michigan's voting goes until 8 p.m., but some polls elsewhere close earlier.
Michigan voters have until 8 p.m. Eastern to cast their Election 2012 ballots, but voting in other key swing states ends as much as an hour earlier, and exit polling could provide an early clue whether President Obama or Mitt Romney is closer to the White House. The earliest key state to watch is Virginia, where polls close at 7 p.m. Eastern. Voting ends 30 minutes later in the swing states of Ohio and North Carolina. As Michigan's polls close, the swing states of Florida, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire close their polls, too. Nevada and Iowa, two other swing states that could prove pivotal in this year's presidential election, close voting at 10 p.m. Eastern. Check here as Patch updates Election 2012 results as they come in.
Friday, November 2, 2012
As the 2012 presidential election campaign winds to a close, reflect with us on the past year-plus of political cartoons on Patch.
The candidates have made their closing statements, and now it's your turn. Let everyone know who you're voting for and why you like your guy — but you can't go negative or attack the other guy. Please note, only positive comments will be published. We've had enough mud slinging.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Watch the candidates forum for the 9th Congressional District. The forum was co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters Oakland Area and Patch.
The League of Women Voters Oakland Area and Patch co-sponsored a candidates forum for Michigan’s 9th Congressional District on Oct. 9 at Madison Heights City Hall. Democrat Sander Levin, Republican challenger Don Volaric, Green Party candidate Julia Williams, Libertarian candidate Jim Fulner and U.S. Taxpayers candidate Les Townsend participated in the forum. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government. The League never supports or opposes a candidate or political party. It influences public policy through education and advocacy, according to its website. To become a member of the League of Women Voters, click here. To contribute to the …
Monday, October 22, 2012
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney debated for the third and final time on Monday night? How do you think they did? Let us know by voting in the poll and leaving a comment.
The fourth and final debate heading up to the Nov. 6 presidential election was held Monday night, broadcast live from Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL. In their third meeting of campaign season, President Barack Obama and Republican contender Gov. Mitt Romney went head to head on issues of foreign policy. Who do you think won the debate? Weigh in on our poll alongside other Michigan Patch readers, and tell us in the comments why you think Obama or Romney came out on top. There were three prior presidential and vice presidential debates.
Steve Losey
4:24 pm on Sunday, January 13, 2013
Like I said Lee. Dream the dream. Good luck to you, god help us all. more ›