No decision from Allegan Election Commission on Storey

ALLEGAN — Officials on the Allegan County Election Commission held off making any decisions Wednesday on current County Board Chair Jim Storey’s status on the August ballot.

The commission is composed of Probate Judge Mike Buck, Clerk Bob Genetski and Treasurer Sally Brooks. They all agreed to recess Wednesday to further review information and seek additional legal guidance.

Attorney Adam Tountas represented Storey on Wednesday. This first question before the commission, he said, was reviewing if they, in fact, had authority to rule whether Storey should be on the ballot.

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

Tountas argued Storey’s withdrawal wasn’t “effective” in the first place, as state election law doesn't outline specific withdrawal procedures for county commissioners, despite outlining such procedures for other candidates.

Tountas also said the Secretary of State’s Office’s opinion on Storey being removed from the ballot is non-binding and the election commission has authority to overrule that decision. He admitted Storey owes a report from a previous campaign.

“I understand the Secretary of State’s position is that Chairman Storey, because he owes one report in one instance for an unrelated committee, may not run for any other office,” Tountas said. “I don’t think their interpretation is binding, I don’t think it matters.”

Allegan County Administrator Rob Sarro also spoke at the meeting, saying he was concerned about due process. He offered the county’s legal counsel to the commission for guidance.

Buck, the chair of the commission, proposed the group not vote Wednesday, and instead take time to review new information. Genetski and Brooks agreed. It wasn't immediately known when the board will meet again.

Tuesday’s meeting was called in response to a letter sent to the commission from Storey on April 29.

Storey filed for re-election April 23, but withdrew his candidacy April 26 after being told, by Genetski, the state had directed he be disqualified from the ballot. On April 29, Storey sent a letter to the commission requesting to retract his withdrawal and be reinstated to the ballot for the August primary.

Genetski said he was told to disqualify Storey due to unfiled campaign finance reports from his 2015 run for state representative. After he was informed, Storey withdrew, but now says he did so "under duress" due to the timeline he was given — 48 hours.

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Storey is seeking re-election in District 1 for the Allegan County Board of Commissioners. He was elected to the board in 2012 and has been re-elected five times.

There is one other candidate for the seat. Craig Van Beek, a pastor and president of the Hamilton Board of Education, is running as a Republican.

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: No decision from Allegan Election Commission on Storey