Absentee Returns Vary in Special Election to Fill McCotter's Seat

Despite public outcry over a to temporarily fill former Rep. Thaddeus McCotter's seat, at least one local township has seen high returns of absentee ballots, according to the Canton Observer.

Clerk Terry Bennett told the Observer 4,754 absentee ballots have been mailed out, which about 32 percent already returned. She told the Observer, however, that she expected a low turnout on Sept. 5.

Five Republicans are vying for the temporary seat: Kerry Bentivolio of Milford, Nancy Cassis of Novi, Carolyn Kavanagh of Livonia, Kenneth Crider of Livonia and Steve King — of fame — of Livonia. The winner will face Democrat David Curson of Belleville on Nov. 6, the same day voters will elect either Bentivolio or Democrat Syed Taj of Canton for a full two-year term.

The special election will cost taxpayers a total of about $650,000 — including tens of thousands of dollars for Plymouth Township and Canton Township — for a seat that will only be held for just a couple of months. McCotter in July amid an . 

In Plymouth and Plymouth Township, the cost of the special election and brevity of the winner's term might be weighing more heavily on voters. 

Plymouth Township Clerk Joe Bridgman told the Plymouth Observer only about 1,600 absentee ballots had been returned for the election while in the City of Plymouth, Clerk Linda Langmesser told the Observer fewer than 400 ballots have come back. Both clerks also projected low turnouts, the Observer reported.