2009 Detroit mayoral election

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2009 Detroit mayoral election
Flag of Detroit.svg
  2009 (special) November 3, 2009 2013  
  David Bing 3928ded5aacd10b21cded561668a0444 (1).jpg 3x4.svg
Candidate Dave Bing Tom Barrow
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
Popular vote70,16650,785
Percentage56.22%40.69%

Mayor before election

Dave Bing
Nonpartisan

Elected mayor

Dave Bing
Nonpartisan

The 2009 Detroit mayoral election took place on November 3, 2009, following a primary on August 12, 2009. Incumbent Mayor Dave Bing, who was elected Mayor in a May special election, ran for a full term. Bing placed first in the primary by a wide margin, winning 74 percent of the vote. Accoutnant Tom Barrow, a 1989 candidate for Mayor, narrowly beat out business consultant Jerroll Sanders for second place, 11–10 percent, and advanced to the general election against Bing. Despite Bing's landslide victory in the primary, he defeated Barrow in the general election by a considerably reduced margin, winning 56 percent of the vote to Barrow's 41 percent. Barrow subsequently filed a legal challenge to the results, but the claims were ultimately dismissed. [1]

Contents

Primary election

Candidates

Results

2009 Detroit mayoral primary election [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Dave Bing (inc.) 68,754 73.90%
Nonpartisan Tom Barrow 10,321 11.09%
Nonpartisan Jerroll Sanders9,33710.04%
Nonpartisan Duane Montgomery1,9162.06%
Nonpartisan Dartagnan M. Collier1,2681.36%
Nonpartisan Bob Allman8740.94%
Write-in 5660.61%
Total votes93,036 100.00%

General election

Results

2009 Detroit mayoral general election results [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Dave Bing (inc.) 70,166 56.22%
Nonpartisan Tom Barrow50,78540.69%
Write-in 3,8513.09%
Total votes124,802 100.00%

Aftermath

Despite originally conceding the race to Bing, [7] Barrow sought a recount of the election and then formally contested the results, arguing that "there are too many things wrong here" in the administration of the election. [8] Barrow's legal challenge was dismissed by the trial court in 2010, and he subsequently appealed to the Michigan Court of Appeals. On November 9, 2010, the Court of Appeals unanimously dismissed the challenge, [1] holding that Barrow's allegations were "conclusory" and his lawsuit lacked "specific, precise, definite or clear and positive factual allegations." [9]

References

  1. 1 2 "Barrow loses appeal in '09 mayoral loss". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. November 11, 2010. p. 6A. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  2. Patton, Naomi R.; Schmitt, Ben (May 7, 2009). "Coleman Young's rival could join race". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 4A. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Gorchow, Zachary (May 13, 2009). "Bing likely set for next win". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 5A. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  4. 1 2 Hackney, Suzette (August 5, 2009). "Bing and Barrow headed for Nov. 3 face-off". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 4A. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  5. "City of Detroit - Elections - August 4, 2009 - Primary Election" (PDF). August 12, 2009. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  6. "City of Detroit, Michigan - City General Election - November 3, 2009" (PDF). 2009. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  7. Wisely, John; Hackney, Suzette; Angel, Cecil (November 4, 2009). "'We can now put Detroit back on the right path,' Bing says". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 3A. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  8. Patton, Naomi R. (December 24, 2009). "Barrow to challenge Detroit mayoral recount". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 5A. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  9. Barrow v. Detroit Mayor, 802N.W.2d658 , 669(Mich. Ct. App.2010).