FeedsCandidate protests election
A former school board candidate is asking that the May 6 election be overturned because of alleged illegal activities by two other candidates.
In a letter sent to City Clerk Velida Gutierrez-Smith dated May 7, Norma McDaniel said campaign activities on school grounds and at a senior forum sponsored by Ruth Williams and Hardy Robb violated Michigan election laws.
The former candidate is asking that the election results not be certified by the clerk’s office, and that the election be investigated and overturned.
In the letter, McDaniel said Williams openly campaigned to maintain her seat at a senior appreciation luncheon on April 24.
She alleges Williams and members of her campaign committee passed out literature and placed information at each seat. She also said Robb, on the day of the election, passed out literature at Blanchette Middle School during classes, and impelled students to ask their parents to vote for him.
“Approximately 300 voting senior citizens attended (the luncheon), . . . . (Williams’) unlawful actions influenced the results of the School Board election,” McDaniel wrote.
The former candidate went on to say that she believed federal funds may have been used to pay for parts of the luncheon, though that could not be confirmed.
McDaniel was defeated by Williams, an incumbent, and former councilwoman DeArtriss Coleman-Richardson. Robb was not re-elected.
Gutierrez-Smith said the allegations about Williams surfaced after complaints about the campaign activities were called into her office. Also, the clerk did go to the site, where she observed Williams’ volunteers.
“I did not officially investigate it because nothing was given to me in writing,” she said. “There is a period where (McDaniel) can file a formal complaint with the state – it has to be filed within six days of the election, after it’s canvassed.”
Gutierrez-Smith said she was not informed of Robb’s activities until she received McDaniel’s letter on May 7.
“(McDaniel) said someone else told her Mr. Robb was in the building, and it’s just hearsay without the investigation,” she said.
There apparently was talk of Williams’ activities at city hall, however. Gutierrez-Smith said she believed that Williams had not done anything wrong.
The Michigan Department of Elections is not abundantly clear when it comes to campaigning on public property. An investigation by elections officials would have to commence to see whether any laws were violated.
If not illegal, apparently the campaign activities at the event offended participants.
“I thought the fact that (Board President Jean Fuller) wore a campaign T-shirt (supporting Williams) was wrong,” said Jessie Shelby, a community activist and former school board member.
If the election is overturned based on the allegations, the city or schools could be forced to do an expensive redo of the election, or hold another contest in August, the next time a statewide election can take place.
Williams denied that her activities were illegal or unethical, but would not address them directly.
Robb said he didn’t remember campaigning at Blanchette. “I don’t think I went there,” he said.
This isn’t the only election flap that’s making it’s way around the city – questions surrounding residency and eligibility for two city councilman to serve in public office within the city are still unanswered by authorities.
Only 20 votes separated McDaniel from Coleman-Richardson, who came in second place in the election. Williams received 294 votes – 75 more than McDaniel.
