Downtown Birmingham Bloomfield Magazine reported in late Friday's electronic on line edition that two prospective candidates have already submitted petitions. The Magazine also quoted one potential candidate as erroneously saying 35 signatures are required. Actually only 25 signatures are needed to place one's name on the ballot. Those that sign must be residents of the City of Bloomfield Hills and registered voters.
Those who are asked to sign need only provide their John Hancock, their printed name, address, zip code and the date. Signing does not commit or obligate one in any way.
Because three commission seats will be contested registered voters can sign petitions for up to three candidates.
The candidate by submitting the 25 or more valid signatures then gets his or her name placed on the ballot.
If persons A,B,C,D and E submit verified petitions their names will appear on the Ballot in rotating alphabetical order for the various Precincts.
The City of Bloomfield Hills has two in person voting precinct and (we believe) the absentee ballots are also treated as a precinct. If so the rotation might be Candidates A, B, C, D, E for Precinct One (City Hall Fire Station ). Then B, C, D, E, A for Precinct 2 (Congressional Church Cranbrook Rd and Woodward) and finally C, D, E, A, B for the absentee ballots.
Signing the nominating petitions is an important part of the democratic process and candidates appreciate your assistance. It gives them a chance to meet you and you to meet them.
Other communities with larger populations offer payment of a $100 fee as alternative to getting signatures. It is has been said that closing time on deadline day in those communities often resembles the crowd at a casino. Players gauge who is in and out before plopping down five twenties or reaching for the check book, or credit card.
With our system candidates are free to inquire about who is in or out which is public information but the effort required to obtain the necessary signatures precludes a "Will I Won't I " aura of frivolity.
Candidates who submit the required number of verifiable signatures by 4pm Tuesday August 13th will still have a two day grace period in which they may withdraw without penalty of a fine. Late in the day on August 13th and August 14th is also the date the news media traditionally announces candidate list since rarely does a candidates withdraw after filing.
As of last Friday two have filed and it is said that an equal or greater number have requested petition kits. It has also been said that requesting kits and not filing is a fairly common occurrence.
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