Michigan Lawsuit Seeks Special Election for Vacant 35th Senate Seat

A lawsuit filed in Michigan's Court of Claims seeks to compel Governor Gretchen Whitmer to call a special election to fill the vacant 35th State Senate district seat, which has been unrepresented since January 2025. The district, covering parts of Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties, includes approximately 270,000 residents who have lacked representation since former Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet assumed a U.S. Congressional seat. Plaintiffs, represented by attorney Philip L. Ellison of Outside Legal Counsel PLC, argue that under the Michigan Constitution, the governor is mandated to issue writs of election to fill such vacancies and that failing to do so disenfranchises the district's citizens. The lawsuit requests a writ of mandamus ordering Whitmer to act and an injunction requiring the scheduling of the special election promptly. The issue has drawn bipartisan concern, with both Republicans and some Democrats urging the governor to fulfill her constitutional duty. Governor Whitmer's office has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter.