Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has set dates to fill the seat in the state House of Representatives left vacant by Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley, who resigned from the House after being elected mayor.
A special primary election will be held on Jan. 7, 2020 and the general election will be held on March 10, 2020 – the day of Michigan’s presidential primary.
“It is important that residents in the 34th House District have a representative in the legislature advocating on their behalf, while also providing voters with enough time to research and learn about the candidates who may decide to run for office,” Whitmer said in a statement.
Candidates have until Nov. 19 to file to be on the ballot in January.
Flint City Councilman Santino Guerra told Flint Beat that he plans to file paperwork today to run in the special election.
Guerra previously announced that he would run for a full term in the seat in November 2020. Neeley would have been ineligible to seek re-election to the seat due to Michigan’s term limits.
Cynthia Neeley, the wife of Sheldon Neeley, has also filed to run in the special election, The Flint Journal reported Wednesday.