DETROIT, Mich. — A new study by Bridge Michigan shows that at least 478 local government races across the state could go unfilled after the November 3 election because no one filed to run. That represents roughly one in ten of the more than 5,400 local positions on the ballot.
Where the gaps appear
The shortage spans school boards, village councils, library boards, township governments and other local bodies. School board seats account for the largest share, making up nearly a third of the identified vacancies.
Rural communities are feeling the pressure most acutely. In Seville Township, Gratiot County, Supervisor Tish Mallory spent the summer searching for a clerk candidate for a $12,960‑a‑year position, only to end up appointing someone after several residents declined.
Why candidates are scarce
Local officials point to low compensation, demanding workloads and growing hostility toward public servants as key factors. Many township trustees earn as little as $50 per meeting, and several school and library board seats are unpaid.
Stephanie Leiser, director of the University of Michigan’s Center for Local, State and Urban Policy, warned that national political hostility is spilling over into local government, making civic service less attractive. “Who wants to sign up for a low‑paying job where you’re officially working 12 hours a week but it feels like a full‑time job, especially when neighbors may hate you?” she said.
Specific communities hit hard
In Laingsburg (Shiawassee County) no one has filed to run for mayor, while Omer (Arenac County) lacks mayoral candidates and two city‑council seats. Fifteen of Michigan’s 252 villages have no candidates for village president, including New Lothrop, a community of about 565 residents.
New Lothrop’s longtime clerk Karen Maksimchuck explained that the village’s top elected post has been filled by her husband on an interim basis after the previous mayor moved away. The village president’s annual salary is $1,800.
Election administration suffers
Ten township clerk positions on the ballot have no candidates, including a spot in Bridgehampton Township (Sanilac County) that pays $11,000 a year. Supervisor Leo Sonck said recent constitutional changes that added extra voting days have increased the clerk’s workload, leading to turnover among veteran clerks.
Four townships also lack candidates for treasurer, a role that handles tax collection and banking. In Ingallston Township (Menominee County), Supervisor Dan Bartell described the treasurer job as potentially suitable for a retiree, but noted that dealing with demanding members of the public can deter applicants.
Community impact and possible solutions
Michael Siegrist, clerk of Canton Charter Township and president of the Michigan Municipal Clerk Association, said the decline in volunteerism—from service clubs to civic groups—has reduced the pool of people willing to serve.
State legislators have introduced bills that would allocate $3.5 million for shared administrative support in finance, human resources and information technology, aiming to ease the burden on small‑town clerks and treasurers. Another proposal would let townships hire an election‑certified individual from outside the community when a clerk vacancy occurs.
Some localities are already adapting by appointing deputy clerks and treasurers who are not required to reside within the township, or by converting elected clerk and treasurer posts to employee positions. When vacancies persist after the election, city, township and village boards may appoint replacements, or the seats will return to voters at the next regular election.
For towns like Seville Township, the search for candidates is already looking ahead to the 2028 election cycle, underscoring how this staffing crisis could affect Michigan communities well beyond this November’s ballots.
Original reporting: WOWO News/Talk (Fort Wayne) — read the source article.
