Arbor Update

Was that lame? OK, I’m lame.

My son worked at a polling place. When he got home, I asked how many voters had come in. His response: “8! We exceeded all expectations!”

I voted. I walked into my polling place at 9:30AM. I was the first voter there.

Pretty sad.

We have gotten a lot of questions about the “race” for the 2-year term on the Ann Arbor school board.

Adam Hollier, who had announced his withdrawal from the race, but was still on the ballot, defeated actual candidate Ravi Nigam, 1063 to 894.

Mr. Hollier won the election, so he can be a school board member if he chooses. If not, there will be a vacancy, and the school board will appoint someone to fill the seat until the next election.

Note that “withdrawing” only counts until 3 days after the filing deadline. After that, you can say you aren’t interested, but legally, you are still a candidate.

This is an astounding result! Larry, when is the last time you can remember that a candidate who announced s/he was withdrawing won the race?

I don’t know of a case in Ann Arbor, but it happened in the Democratic primary for Ingham County Treasurer in the 1980s.

The primary winner, who had announced her withdrawal, accepted the nomination but did not prevail against the Republican incumbent.

I admit to being a Hollier voter. I was underwhelmed by Mr. Nigam’s performance during the LWV forum. I thought that Mr. Hollier was a decent candidate when he ran last time, and decided to vote for him this time. I did so knowing full well that he had declared that he was no longer interested in the position. I saw my vote as a protest vote. I certainly did not expect that there would be so many of us protesting the available choices that Mr. Hollier would win. Presuming that Mr. Hollier does not take the seat, I hope that the Board will find a thoughtful and dynamic replacement.

Only 2.6% of registered voters cast ballots in the Hollier/Nigam race.

I agree with Post#2 that the poor turnout was a sad commentary on the apathy of the electorate.

I do not know if Mr. Hollier will change his mind and accept his seat, but the board should consider Mr. Nigam as an appointee since 45% of the voters chose him for the seat.

So, I voted yesterday (#3 at my polling location), but only because I happened to see the polling place sign as I dropped my child off to school. I consider myself a fairly well informed voter, in that I read the local papers (and various online papers/blogs), try to keep up on local issues, and try to always vote.

Did I just miss it or was there basically ZERO publicity for this election?

There were the usual legal notices in the newspaper, but hardly an ounce of campaigning took place.

It’s easy just to remember that school board elections and millages are traditionally the first Tuesday in May.

I voted because of Mark’s post reminding us of the election. I was voter #28 at the WISD at about 5:30 pm.

Why is it a sad turnout? There was nothing to vote on. An uncontested race that ends up contested by a fluke? Where’s my lack of civic duty in not increasing my carbon footprint on the planet to drive to the polls to pull the trigger on this farce? I’m feeling no guilt on passing this one up. Wake me in 2010.

Did Adam Hollier ever resign his seat?

If so, who did the Board pick as a replacement?

I’m not guilting anybody. I knew it was a pointless election from a results standpoint, but since I got my citizenship four years ago, I promised to myself that I would vote during civic elections. My kids like the stickers too.

Adam signed the papers accepting his seat. He did state in the AA News that he would hold the seat until a replacement was found. But that doesn’t compute since he actually doesn’t take the oath until July 1. Not sure what will happen but for now he is the newest Board of Ed member come July 1.

Can anyone explain the Board’s replacement process?

Will Ravi Nigam be considered for an appointment?

Adam Hollier has been assigned a school district e-mail address and has his telephone number and address listed on a Ann Arbor School Board webpage on Arbornet.

His swearing in as a board member does not occur until July 1st.

Is the district board actively looking for a replacement for Mr. Hollier or has he changed his mind and will keep his seat?