ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – One member of the Delta County Board of Canvassers is calling for the removal of Canvasser Bonnie Hakkola from the board.
On May 7, Republican Delta County Commissioners David Moyle, Bob Barron, and Robert Petersen were recalled by voters in favor of challengers Kelli Van Ginhoven (Democrat), no-party candidate Myra Croasdell, and no-party candidate Matt Jensen, respectively.
When the County Board of Canvassers met to certify the election results, two Republican canvassers voted against it—one being Hakkola. Delta County Clerk Nancy Przewrocki says their decision was based on the ratio of votes, which is not one of the criteria for canvassers to consider. The failure to certify the results delayed the new commissioners’ oaths of office.
At a final canvassers meeting on Friday, May 17, Hakkola abstained from voting for or against certification. She did sign the paperwork, but she said she was “being coerced” into doing so.
On Tuesday’s Delta County Commission meeting—the first with the new commissioners on the board—Canvasser John Myers approached the podium during the public comment portion of the meeting. He requested that Hakkola be removed from the County Board of Canvassers.
“I’m not doing it to be vindictive,” he said. “I feel that she didn’t serve her oath, didn’t do her job. It caused a lot of chaos in our county… I’ve got two concerns—the primary coming up and the general election in November. I feel it would be a real problem if it happens again, especially the November election.”
The Board of Commissioners could not take action on Myers’ request, as it was made during public comment and not on the agenda.
Click here for more on the new commissioners’ first County Board meeting.
