Candidate Kerry Bentivolio Won't Seek Action Against Plymouth Township

Kerry Bentivolio no longer will seek action against to extend its deadline for accepting absentee ballots from overseas military personnel, his campaign said today.

Bentivolio issued an email Monday urging Plymouth Township and Clawson to extend their deadlines after reportedly missing the 45-day deadline ahead of the Aug. 7 primary for mailing absentee ballots to overseas members of the military. Under state election law, all absentee ballots must be received by the Aug. 7 election date.

Plymouth Township Clerk said the missed June 22 deadline affected one voter, whose ballot was held over a weekend for verification. He said the rest of the ballots were mailed in time.

"I spoke with the one voter that is in question; she received her ballot on June 25, 2012," Bridgman said in a statement. "This was due to a name change that had to be clarified with the State Bureau of Election before emailing the ballot."

Bridgman said that voter had indicated to him today that she wasn't intending to vote in the Aug. 7 primary election.

In his email Monday, Bentivolio, himself a veteran, noted the importance of preventing what he said was the "disenfranchisement of our veterans from the political process."

Dindoffer said today he felt the township was proactive in dealing with the missed deadline for the voter and said Bentivolio will take no further action against the township.

"We appreciate them working with us and working with their own voters," Dindoffer said. 

He said Bentivolio's campaign still is working with Clawson city officials to resolve deadline issues there. He said he spoke with Clawson's city attorney today.

"I am certain something can be worked out, but we're not taking any options off the table until we know there is a proactive plan in place," Dindoffer said of Clawson. 

Bentivolio is the lone Republican candidate on the ballot to succeed former U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, who . A also will be held to fill the rest of his term. Both elections will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot. In the race for the full term, Bentivolio is facing write-in opposition from Nancy Cassis of Novi and Drexel Morton from Canton. In the Democrats' race, Canton Township Trustee Syed Taj faces Bill Roberts of Redford, a member of the ' national slate of candidates.