2009 Detroit mayoral special election

2009 Detroit mayoral special election

←  2005 May 5, 2009 2009  →

Candidate Dave Bing Ken Cockrel Jr. Popular vote 49,054 44,772 Percentage 51.74% 47.22%

Mayor before election Ken Cockrel Jr. (acting) Nonpartisan Elected mayor Dave Bing Nonpartisan

The 2009 Detroit mayoral special election took place on May 5, 2009, following a primary on February 24, 2009. Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who was elected in 2005, resigned after being indicted for obstruction of justice in 2008, elevating City Council President Kenneth Cockrel Jr. as acting Mayor. Cockrel ran in the special election, and faced a crowded field of competitors, including businessman and former professional basketball player Dave Bing, former Deputy Mayor and 2005 mayoral candidate Freman Hendrix, Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans, State Representative Coleman Young II, and former City Councilwoman Sharon McPhail.

Cockrel placed second in the primary, winning 27 percent of the vote to Bing's 29 percent, and both advanced to the general election. Bing narrowly defeated Cockrel, 52–47 percent. He was elected to a full term in the regular election later that year.

Primary election

Candidates

• Dave Bing, businessman, former professional basketball player ^[1]
• Ken Cockrel Jr., incumbent Mayor ^[2]
• Freman Hendrix, former Deputy Mayor, 2005 candidate for Mayor ^[3]
• Warren Evans, Wayne County Sheriff ^[4]
• Coleman Young II, State Representative, son of former Mayor Coleman Young ^[5]
• Sharon McPhail, former general counsel to Mayor Kipatrick, former City Councilwoman, 1993 and 2005 candidate for Mayor ^[6]
• Nicholas Hood III, former City Councilman ^[7]
• Jerroll Sanders, business consultant ^[8]
• D. Etta Wilcoxon, publisher ^[8]
• Brenda K. Sanders, district court judge ^[9]
• Donald R. Bradley, obstetrician and gynecologist ^[10]
• Dianne Montgomery, engineer ^[8]
• Stanley Michael Christmas, community activist ^[8]
• Joseph W. Holt, former high school teacher ^[8]
• Frances D. Culver, city schools employee ^[10]

Results

2009 Detroit mayoral special primary election ^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Dave Bing	26,337	28.82%
	Nonpartisan	Ken Cockrel Jr. (inc.)	24,677	27.00%
	Nonpartisan	Freman Hendrix	21,208	23.21%
	Nonpartisan	Warren Evans	9,193	10.06%
	Nonpartisan	Coleman Young II	3,744	4.10%
	Nonpartisan	Sharon McPhail	2,565	2.81%
	Nonpartisan	Nicholas Hood III	2,077	2.27%
	Nonpartisan	Jerroll Sanders	336	0.37%
	Nonpartisan	D. Etta Wilcoxon	309	0.34%
	Nonpartisan	Brenda K. Sanders	199	0.22%
	Nonpartisan	Donald R. Bradley	157	0.17%
	Nonpartisan	Duanne Montgomery	152	0.17%
	Nonpartisan	Stanley Michael Christmas	103	0.11%
	Nonpartisan	Joseph W. Holt	101	0.11%
	Nonpartisan	Frances D. Culver	87	0.10%
	Write-in		136	0.15%
Total votes			91,381	100.00%

General election

Results

2009 Detroit mayoral special general election results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Dave Bing	49,054	51.74%
	Nonpartisan	Ken Cockrel Jr. (inc.)	44,772	47.22%
	Write-in		987	1.04%
Total votes			94,813	100.00%

References

1. Riley, Rochelle (September 19, 2008). "Bing says he will run for mayor". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 1B. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
2. Gorchow, Zachary (September 10, 2008). "Cockrel: I'll run to finish term". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 6A. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
3. Hunt, Amber (October 13, 2008). "Hendrix to make 2nd run for mayor". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 1A. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
4. Schmitt, Ben (November 13, 2008). "Sheriff launches mayoral campaign". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 1B. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
5. Gorchow, Zachary (September 30, 2008). "Famous name enters mayor race". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 3A. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
6. Gorchow, Zachary (September 24, 2008). "McPhail: I'm running for Detroit mayor". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 1B. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
7. Gorchow, Zachary (October 14, 2008). "Hood enters race". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 3A. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
8. Schmitt, Ben; Patton, Naomi R. (December 12, 2008). "More than 250 come to see what sets candidates apart". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 1B. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
9. Schmitt, Ben; Patton, Naomi R. (November 19, 2008). "Candidates await ruling: Panel may kick 2 off Detroit mayoral ballot". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. p. 5B. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
10. "The remaining mayoral field". Detroit Free Press . Detroit, Michigan. February 20, 2009. p. 3B. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
11. "City of Detroit, Wayne County - February 24, 2009 - Special Election" (PDF). 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 24, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
12. "City of Detroit - Elections - May 5, 2009 Special General - Official Summary Report" (PDF). May 11, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 8, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2025.