Dear Northville School Families, Staff and Community Members,
The purpose of this communication is to provide an update to my November 23, 2020 letter regarding the official results of the November 3, 2020 Board of Education election. As you may remember, the fourth Board of Education position was tied between candidates James Mazurek and Kimberly Campbell-Voytal, each receiving 7856 votes.
On November 25, 2020, the Wayne County Board of County Canvassers held a tie-vote ceremony, with Mr. Mazurek selected as the “elected” candidate through a random-draw process. Ms. Campbell-Voytal requested a recount to the Board of County Canvassers that same day. A three-day hand recount conducted in the following weeks also resulted in a tie vote. The Wayne County Board of Canvassers voted 2-2 on December 22, not to initiate a second random-draw process, sought by Ms. Campbell-Voytal. The Board of County Canvassers also declined to second a motion to accept the result of the original tie-vote ceremony.
Under Michigan law, the Board of County Canvassers is in charge of canvassing votes and certifying the winner in a school board election. Around December 22, Mr. Mazurek presented the Secretary of the Board with a certificate of election issued by the Wayne County Clerk. The Northville School Board has no authority or discretion to reject a certificate as untimely or invalid, absent a court order to the contrary. Mr. Mazurek is the only candidate who presented a certificate of election for the fourth vacancy, prior to the start date of the term of office. As such, the District received the Acceptance of Office Form submitted by Mr. Mazurek, and administered the oath of office as required by state law on or before January 1, 2021.
In the event of litigation, and/or further action by the Wayne Board of County Canvassers to complete their statutory duties, the Northville Public Schools Board of Education and District welcomes a definitive outcome to the election, and are prepared to welcome and work with either of the two candidates, each of whom have equally strong community support given the results of the election.
The 2020 election serves as a reminder of the importance and value of every vote. Northville Public Schools is fortunate to be led and guided by a dedicated Board of Education, and to have a strong candidate pool of individuals willing to serve in this capacity. We are grateful for the strong support of our school community as we partner together to meet the needs of our students and our families.
Sincerely,
Mary Kay Gallagher
Superintendent
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11/23/2020 Communication
The official results of the Tuesday, November 3, 2020 election, as certified by the Wayne County Board of Canvassers as of November 18, 2020 to fill four open seats on the Northville Public Schools Board of Education are as follows:
Total |
|
---|---|
Sarah Prescott |
11378 |
Lisa McIntyre |
8831 |
Lindsey Wilson |
7951 |
James Mazurek |
7856* |
Kimberly Campbell-Voytal |
7856* |
Sherrie Winfield |
7729 |
Blake A. Mathie |
5110 |
Harihar Kulkarni |
3445 |
Douglas Miller |
2911 |
Jonathan Edison (Write-in) |
62 |