Special election for Conyers seat to be held November 2018

The special election to replace former Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) will take place in November 2018, the Michigan governor announced Friday.

Gov. Rick Snyder (R) slated the election for Nov. 6 and primaries for Aug. 7, 2018.

This will leave the district without House representation for almost a full year.

Snyder explained his decision as allowing candidates more time to decide if they want to run and as a way to avoid spending money on a special election.

“Having ample time for candidates to make a decision about running for office and file their paperwork gives people more options as to who will next represent them in Congress,” Snyder said in a statement. 

{mosads}

Snyder said the dates, which are the same as other primary and federal elections, would ease the tax burden on the district’s constituents. Nov. 6 is federal election day.

This means that the seat would remain vacant until the winner of the special election is seated in January 2019.

Conyers stepped down this week over mounting accusations of sexual harassment and under pressure of fellow Democratic lawmakers. The 88-year-old said his resignation over the allegations would not tarnish his five-decade career in Congress. 

The elder congressman endorsed his eldest son, John Conyers III, for the safe Democratic 13th district, while Conyers’s grand-nephew, Ian Conyers, also said he will run for the seat.

The district is firmly Democrat. Hillary Clinton won the district by 60 points over Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.