The Bloomfield Hills School Board "2" Election and How It Came to Be.

If you haven't heard any thing about the November 6th School Board Election in the last week or so you are not alone. It seems everyone in the words of one observer was "waiting for the outcome of the "2 election." drama. How dramatic was it ? Dramatic enough to give the election a name.
"2"  may indicate the number of  years  the winner will serve if elected or it may indicate the fact that two incumbent school members are running against each other. The name also address the fact that  on November 6th  voters residing in the Bloomfield Hills School District will vote in two elections.

Why exactly, is a good question because it should be very simple.Six candidates seek three seats on the school board. In theory there could be one election and the top three voter getters would be elected. Voters could choose between three incumbent board members, three challengers, or a combination of both.

Instead it is rather complicated and you can blame the Governor of the State of Michigan. Trying to determine what specific Governor further complicates the matter.The fine art of election consolidating which attempts to save money by eliminating elections goes back eight years or more. If elections can not be eliminated by combining, then the need for them can be lessened by prolonging the term of office. Or so  the theory goes. Recently the Governor of Michigan or ghosts of Governors past mandated six year terms for all state school board members. Public outcry (as a rule school systems with no power battles Lansing better than municipalities which have more power) prompted a revision in the mandate. School Boards could decide for themselves whether they want six or four year terms of office. By a voter of 4 to 2 with one abstention  the Bloomfield Hills voted recently for 4 year terms for future elections

In the first and as yet unnamed election  residents will vote for two of of three candidates seeking a six year term.The winners of this election to will the be first and last to serve a six year term in the Bloomfield Hills School District. Those candidates are Howard Baron, Ingrid Day, and W.F. Moigis. The reason voters cast two votes in this election is because two seats are vacant. Ingrid Day seeks re-election for hers and Rob Herner  "leaves"  his seat to be a challenger  for the interim seat (created when Kate Pettersen resigned) currently held by  Joan Berndt (pronounced Bear Ant) in the "2" election.

All three "2" candidates could have run for the longer term which will last until November 2018 but chose not to do so. The lengthy time requirements  is considered to be a factor in all three of the candidates decision.

That fact brings us back to the moniker given to the "2" election. There are more than a pair who would prefer to see two not three candidates running in the "2" election.










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