LP of Michigan November Election Highlights

Libertarian Party of Michigan general election candidates ran their strongest races in many years. We contested all statewide races (Supreme Court, educational boards, US Senate) and Congressional races (15), plus about one third of the state representative races (32) and many county-level races, for a total of 85 candidates. Here are the highlights (unofficial vote totals):

Barr/Root received 23,740 votes, 0.4% and slightly more than would have been needed to preserve ballot access if Barr were the only statewide candidate, and third best historically, behind Clark (1980) and Browne (1996), with no state advertising and only one state visit.

Nonpartisan Supreme Court candidate (nominated in convention by the LPM) Bob Roddis received 421,091 votes, 11% and greater than the difference between the winning Democrat and defeated (a surprise!) Republican Chief Justice (never before has a Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice been defeated in a re-election bid).

US Senate candidate Scotty Boman received 76,379 votes, 1.6% and the best showing since Jon Coon's race in 1994, and many more votes than the other 3 third party candidates. He focused considerable effort to draw the votes of Ron Paul supporters.

Our Congressional candidates drew from 0.8% to 4.4% of the vote, eclipsing the previous high water mark in 1996.
Statewide educational board races (8) ranged from a high of 147,736 votes received (Nicole Michalak – Wayne State Univ. Bd. Of Governors) to a low of 91,765 votes received, comparable to the last high water mark, in 1996.

Candidates in the 32 State Representative races drew percentages 50% to 100% higher than in recent elections, ranging from 1.3% to 4.5% in three-way races. On average, they did slightly better on a percentage basis than the most recent high water mark in 1996, if you don’t count Jon Coon’s 1996 State Representative showing of 15%.

Two candidates in County level two-way races took between 20% and 30% of the vote, while three took between 10% and 20% of the vote. John Stedman took the highest percentage, with 24.7% and 55,628 votes in a two-way race for Kent County Sheriff. Macomb County Commission candidate Erin Stahl drew 10.4% in a three-way race.

Two candidates (Tom Bagwell and Larry Johnson) were elected Ypsilanti Township Park Commissioners in uncontested races (except by write-in challengers).

Congratulations to all our candidates for a job well done!