PONTIAC, Mich. – Mayor Deirdre Waterman’s campaign has filed a lawsuit to keep her on the ballot after the head of the Oakland County Elections Division said she would not appear because of outstanding campaign finance reports.
“He’s overstepped by telling the city clerk what he can and cannot do and he’s just wrong in his position,” attorney Trachelle Young said.
UPDATE: County judge rules Pontiac mayor’s name will remain off August primary ballot
Young maintains the courts have ruled limiting ballot access for candidates is not the correct remedy. She has asked for emergency consideration from the Oakland County Circuit Court.
If the lawsuit is not successful it means Waterman will have to run as a write-in candidate.
One of Waterman’s top challengers also has had a challenge to his candidacy filed. Tim Greimel is a longtime democrat politician in Oakland County. He has run for and won several seats, including county commissioner.
In a campaign finance filing from January in his old county commission fund, he lists Auburn Hills and not Pontiac as his residence.
Greimel said he’s not concerned about the challenge because the address issue is a clerical error. He’s registered to vote in Pontiac and has lived in the city since last July.
The Pontiac Election Commission meets next week to determine who will be on the ballot.
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