In light of looming state revenue cuts, the Orion Township Board of Trustees decided last year not to include a budget for special elections.
“Wouldn’t you know it,” said clerk Jill Bastian, “That this year there is a special election.”
Oakland County has mandated that Orion Township must hold a special election to fill a vacancy left on the county commission, left by the resignation of District 3 County Commissioner Larry Obrecht, who has since moved on to be Director of Oakland County Animal Control.
Bastian said money would need to be allocated for a primary and a general election, which she said seemed most likely. She proposed the board amend the 2003 budget to increase the elections budget to $86,000 ($43,000 per election for a primary and general election), with funds coming from the General Capital Improvement Fund.
“We’re spending $86,000 on a $27,000 a year job,” said trustee Richard Tomczak. “I just have a concern that perhaps the school board (has been doing their elections) for less. Why can’t we?”
Bastian said she already planned to hirer fewer election workers for this upcoming special election, but that she would need a minimum of three workers at each precinct.
“I also have to decide how many ballots to order,” she added. “Believe me, we will be scrutinizing this.”
“Since we’ve heard the gloom and doom of revenue cuts, everything that’s come before this board has been scrutinized,” said supervisor Jerry Dywasuk. “I’d say the number of people showing up (at this special election) will be relatively small.”
Bastian said it was her duty as township clerk to represent everyone. “I have to follow the law, and it is very specific about procedures.”
Bastian said that if some regular election practices, such as advertising, were not carried out for this special election, some people might accuse the township of trying to hold a “stealth” election.
“I can assure you this won’t be a stealth election,” said trustee Eric Wilson, who has already announced his intention to run as a candidate for the county commission seat. “There will be lots of advertising.
“You’re always better government to give people notice…the more notice the better,” he said, in regards to sending out absentee ballots.
According to Bastian, it has been the township’s policy to send out applications for absentee ballots to all registered voters. Dywasuk suggested that for this special election, perhaps only senior citizens need be sent an application.
“The problem you risk if you only send to certain people, and someone wins, then the other side might feel they’ve been treated unfairly,” Bastian responded.
Wilson suggested asking the county to help with funding the special election, since they were mandating it.
“You have to ask,” he said.
The board agreed to amend the 2003 budget to include $70,000 for elections, to be taken from the General Capital Improvement Fund.
“Hopefully it doesn’t cost this amount of money, but it gives the clerk ample money to do what she needs to do,” trustee Michael Gingell said
The board also adopted a resolution requesting that an interim District 3 county commissioner be appointed as soon as possible so that Orion Township, the Village of Lake Orion and Oakland Township would have representation on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.