Report: U.S. Rep. John Conyers Filed Only 600 Valid Signatures
DETROIT (WWJ) - Wayne County Clerk's Office staffers have determined longtime Congressman John Conyers does not have enough valid signatures to have his name put on the August Primary ballot.
A document released Friday afternoon shows Conyers has nearly 600 valid signatures. To appear on the primary ballot, a candidate had to submit petitions with 1,000 valid signatures by 4 p.m. on April 22, according to the office of Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson.
An attorney for the 84-year-old Detroit Democrat has said he's confident Conyer's name will be on the August primary ballot.
Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett will reportedly make a final decision on the issue next week.
This latest comes just hours after the Michigan Department of Corrections announced that a petition collector hired by Rep. Conyers' campaign is wanted by police.
Corrections department spokesman Russ Marlan said Daniel Pennington did not complete his probation sentence in a 2012 home invasion case out of Battle Creek. In addition, the 23-year-old Pennington has an outstanding warrant for an assault charge in Lansing.
Election officials believe Pennington and another campaign worker were not registered voters when they circulated petitions for the congressman.
Hearing of the issue, the staff of challenger Rev. Horace Sheffield III, a Democrat, filed a challenge with the clerk's office Tuesday.
Conyers is seeking a 26th term after hanging onto his seat in 2012 with 82 percent of the vote.
MORE: US Rep. Conyers' Nominating Petitions Challenged
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