Governor Gretchen Whitmer has vetoed a bill that would set deadlines for calling special elections. Those elections replace lawmakers who resign, are removed, or die in office. The bill was sent to Whitmer with wide bipartisan support.
In her veto letter, Whitmer said she would not sign away her authority or the authority of future governors. Battles with Republicans over Whitmer's authority have been a constant in this session, especially her administration's use of executive power during the extended COVID-19 crisis.
This bill would have set a 30-day deadline for a governor to set a special election schedule. Governors have sometimes waited months to do that.
The bill was sponsored by the late Representative Andrea Schroeder, who died in office from cancer in October. Special elections to fill her seat as well as two other vacancies were held in May.