Jim Storey will continue re-election campaign as a write-in candidate

ALLEGAN COUNTY — The chairman of the Allegan County Board of Commissioners is continuing his re-election campaign as a write-in candidate.

Jim Storey announced in a weekly newsletter that he’s moving forward with a campaign to keep his seat in the primary Aug. 6.

Storey initially filed for re-election, but withdrew his candidacy days later. An effort to restore his name to the ballot was unsuccessful.

More: Commission: Jim Storey will need to find another way onto the ballot in August

More: Allegan Board Chair claims he withdrew 'under duress,' wants back on the ballot

Storey told The Sentinel on Wednesday, July 10, he hasn't yet filed as a write-in candidate, but has started campaigning as such. The deadline to file is 4 p.m. Friday, July 26.

The 12-year board member said running a write-in campaign will be “strenuous,” even with his incumbent status.

“It’s definitely a benefit that my name has been on the ballot,” Storey said. “Even with that … a write-in campaign is strenuous and requires a lot of attention to individual voters.”

He said he looks forward to it.

Support from local officials and a desire to continue work on various county projects are among the reasons Storey will continue to seek re-election, despite not being on the ballot.

“The county is experiencing a very positive period of growth and confidence. It’s important to continue that,” Storey said. “There are things I’ve been involved in that I want to continue to see through.”

That includes the county’s fiber internet installation, efforts to remedy a decades-old washout on Lakeshore Drive, ongoing water quality studies and improving cell service in the county.

Storey was first elected to the board in 2012 and has been re-elected five times.

He filed for re-election April 23, the deadline to appear on the ballot, but withdrew his candidacy days later after being told by Allegan County Clerk Bob Genetski he'd be disqualified due to unfiled campaign finance reports at the state level.

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The next week, Storey claimed he withdrew under duress and asked the county’s election commission, composed of Genetski, Probate Judge Mike Buck and Treasurer Sally Brooks, to restore his name to the ballot. After a pair of hearings, the commission unanimously agreed on May 16 it didn't have authority to act.

There's one other candidate running as a Republican for the District 1 seat — Hamilton School Board President Craig Van Beek.

Starting this election, commissioner terms will last four years instead of two, an initiative Storey helped champion through the Michigan Association of Counties.

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Allegan County's Jim Storey will run for re-election as a write-in