Ruth Johnson
| Ruth Johnson | |
|---|---|
| 42nd Michigan Secretary of State | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2011 |
|
| Governor | Rick Snyder |
| Preceded by | Terri Lynn Land |
| County Clerk/Register of Deeds for Oakland County | |
| In office 2005–2011 |
|
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 46th district |
|
| In office 1999–2003 |
|
| Governor | John Engler, Jennifer Granholm |
| County Commissioner for Oakland County | |
| In office 1988–1998 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 8, 1955 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Don Nanney |
| Alma mater | Oakland University, Wayne State University |
| Website | Official website |
Ruth Johnson (born January 8, 1955[1]) is the current Secretary of State of Michigan. She is a former member of the Michigan House of Representatives and the 2006 Republican candidate for lieutenant governor as the running mate of Dick DeVos.
Contents |
[edit] Background
Johnson, of Holly, a former public school teacher and small business owner, was clerk and register of deeds of Oakland County, a suburban area immediately north of Detroit with a population of more than one million, prior to her election as secretary of state in November 2010.[2][3] She was elected clerk in 2004 after defeating long-time incumbent William "Doc" Caddell in the Republican primary, and was the first woman clerk in Oakland County's 176-year history. From 1988 to 1998, she was a member of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.
Johnson was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 1998, and re-elected in 2000 and 2002; term limits made her ineligible for a fourth term. While in the House, she served as chairman of the Republican Policy Committee and as assistant majority whip.[1]
In 2010, she won the Republican nomination for secretary of state at the party's state convention. Her opponents were Paul Scott, Michelle McManus, Anne Norlander and Cameron Brown.
[edit] 2012 Controversy
In the 2012 election cycle, Johnson added a checkbox to ballot application forms requiring that voters indicate whether or not they are a citizen.[4] Voters must complete an application to vote on election day before they can receive a ballot; Michigan requires photo identification.[5]
In making this requirement, Johnson claimed that 4,000 non-citizens vote in Michigan elections. A state analysis suggested that 54 ineligible voters, out of a sample of 58,000, had voted. Reportedly, four of the 1.2 million people voting in the GOP primary may not have been citizens.[6] However, Johnson has provided details about only two ineligible voters.[7]
In July, Governor Rick Snyder (R) vetoed a law which would have mandated the citizenship checkbox.[8] [9] [10] Nevertheless, Johnson included the checkbox as part of the August primary ballot application form. Post-primary news reports suggested 4-in-10 calls to voter election hotlines were related to the citizenship box.[11] Other news reports indicated that citizens had been turned away from the polls or were confused.[12] [13]
A voting rights coalition filed suit in federal court on September 17, 2012, charging that the citizenship check box was "unconstitutional and a violation of federal and state law." The complaint noted that the Johnson's office was forced to issue a directive on the primary election day that clarified "that the box was unenforceable."[14] A hearing has been set for Friday, October 5.[15]
Several municipalities have publicly stated that they will not include this question in the November election.[16] [17] [18]
[edit] Title
As secretary of state, Johnson is entitled to the courtesy title of the Honorable (abbreviated to Hon. or Hon'ble) for life. However, this was a title that she already received through her election as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Michigan Manual 2001-2002, p. 232
- ^ "Michigan Live, Nov. 2011"
- ^ "2012 Official Michigan Election Results"
- ^ "Michigan Live, Aug 2012"
- ^ "Michigan Secretary of State Guide to Voter Identification at the Polls"
- ^ "Detroit News, Sept. 19, 2012"
- ^ "Detroit Free Press, Sept. 23, 2012"
- ^ "Vote Smart, Michigan SB 803"
- ^ "Michigan Live, July 2012"
- ^ "NY Times, July 4, 2012"
- ^ "Detroit News, Sept. 9, 2012"
- ^ "CBS Detroit, Aug. 7, 2012"
- ^ "Detroit Free Press, Aug. 7, 2012"
- ^ "ACLU Complaint, Sept. 17, 2012"
- ^ "CBS Detroit, Sept. 29, 2012"
- ^ "CBS Detroit, Sept. 15, 2012"
- ^ "Michigan Live, Sept. 2012"
- ^ "Detroit News, Sept. 14, 2012"
[edit] External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Terri Lynn Land |
Secretary of State of Michigan 2011-Present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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