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Michigan, State Representative, District 109

Michigan House of Representatives District 109
Current incumbentSara Cambensy Democratic Party
Population90,978
Gender51.3% Male, 48.7% Female
Race91.4% White, 2.9% Native American, 2.7% Black, 2.3% Two or More Races, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% Other
Ethnicity98.9% Non-Hispanic, 1.1% Hispanic

Michigan's hundred and ninth state house district is held by Democratic Representative Sara Cambensy.

As of the 2010 census, a total of 90,978 civilians reside within Michigan's hundred and ninth state house district. Michigan state representatives represent an average of 89,851 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 90,349 residents.

About the office

Members of the Michigan House of Representatives serve two-year terms with term limits. Michigan legislators assume office the at noon on first day of January.

Qualifications

Section 7 of Article 4 of the Michigan Constitution states, "Each senator and representative must be a citizen of the United States, at least 21 years of age, and an elector of the district he represents. The removal of his domicile from the district shall be deemed a vacation of the office. No person who has been convicted of subversion or who has within the preceding 20 years been convicted of a felony involving a breach of public trust shall be eligible for either house of the legislature."

Salaries

State legislators
SalaryPer diem
$71,685/year$10,800/year expense allowance for session and interim. Set by the compensation commission.

Term limits

The Michigan legislature is one of 15 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the Michigan Term Limits Act in 1992. That initiative said that Michigan representatives are subject to term limits of no more than three two-year terms, or a total of six years.

The first year that the term limits enacted in 1992 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 2002.

Vacancies

Whenever a vacancy occurs in the house, it is up to the Governor to call for a special election. A special election must be held during the next scheduled general election. If the vacancy happened after the statewide primary, leaders of the respective party organizations within the Senate district can submit a list of nominees to be voted on by party leadership. A vote must be held no later than 21 days after the vacancy.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Michigan House of Representatives will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for August 4, 2020. The filing deadline is April 21, 2020.

2018

General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 109

Incumbent Sara Cambensy (D) defeated Melody Wagner (R) in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 109 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Sara Cambensy (D)
58.1
21,669

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png

Melody Wagner (R)
41.9
15,631

Total votes: 37,300
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 109

Incumbent Sara Cambensy advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 109 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Sara Cambensy (D)
100
9,987

Total votes: 9,987
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 109

Melody Wagner advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 109 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png

Melody Wagner (R)
100
5,961

Total votes: 5,961

2017

A special election for the position of Michigan House of Representatives District 109 took place on November 7, 2017. A primary election took place on August 8, 2017. The filing deadline was June 6, 2017.

The seat became vacant on May 9, 2017, when John Kivela (D) committed suicide following his second drunk driving incident.

Sara Cambensy defeated Tom Curry, Joe Derocha, and Jeremy Hosking in the Democratic primary. Rich Rossway was unopposed in the Republican primary. Cambensy defeated Rossway and Wade Roberts (Green Party) in the special election.

Michigan House of Representatives, District 109, Special Election, 2017

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngSara Cambensy 56.7% 11,721
Republican Rich Rossway 42% 8,690
Green Wade Roberts 1.3% 276
Total Votes 20,687
Source: Michigan Department of State

Michigan House of Representatives, District 109 Democratic Primary, 2017

2016

Elections for the Michigan House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on August 2, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 19, 2016.

Incumbent John Kivela defeated Kevin Pfister and Wade Roberts in the Michigan House of Representatives District 109 general election.

Michigan House of Representatives, District 109 General Election, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png John Kivela Incumbent 62.31% 25,380
Republican Kevin Pfister 34.11% 13,892
Green Wade Roberts 3.58% 1,457
Total Votes 40,729
Source: Michigan Secretary of State

Incumbent John Kivela defeated Sara Cambensy in the Michigan House of Representatives District 109 Democratic primary.

Michigan House of Representatives, District 109 Democratic Primary, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png John Kivela Incumbent 63.64% 7,168
Democratic Sara Cambensy 36.36% 4,095
Total Votes 11,263

Kevin Pfister defeated Melody Wagner Patterson in the Michigan House of Representatives District 109 Republican primary.

Michigan House of Representatives, District 109 Republican Primary, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Kevin Pfister 58.01% 2,600
Republican Melody Wagner Patterson 41.99% 1,882
Total Votes 4,482

2014

Elections for the Michigan House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election was held on August 5, 2014, and a general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was April 22, 2014. Incumbent John Kivela was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Pete Mackin was unopposed in the Republican primary. Kivela then defeated Mackin in the general election.

Michigan House of Representatives, District 109 General Election, 2014

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Kivela Incumbent 65.7% 18,373
Republican Pete Mackin 34.3% 9,606
Total Votes 27,979

2012

Elections for the office of Michigan House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on August 7, 2012 and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature-filing deadline for major party candidates wishing to run in this election was May 15, 2012. The deadline for independent candidates was July 19, 2012. The deadline for write-in candidates was July 27, 2012. John Kivela (D) defeated Jack Hubbard (R) in the general election. Kivela defeated Tony Retaskie in the Democratic primary. Hubbard defeated Jim Hafeman (D) in the Republican primary.

Michigan House of Representatives, District 109, General Election, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Kivela 58.3% 23,250
Republican Jack Hubbard 41.7% 16,655
Total Votes 39,905

Michigan House of Representatives, District 109 Democratic Primary, 2012

Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Kivela 51.1% 4,512
Tony Retaskie 48.9% 4,316
Total Votes 8,828

Michigan House of Representatives, District 109 Republican Primary, 2012

Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngJack Hubbard 72.1% 3,365
Jim Hafeman 27.9% 1,299
Total Votes 4,664

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Michigan House of Representatives District 109 raised a total of $676,267. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $25,047 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Michigan House of Representatives District 109

Year Amount Candidates Average
2016 $42,306 5 $8,461
2014 $20,005 2 $10,003
2012 $203,059 3 $67,686
2010 $50,160 2 $25,080
2008 $51,457 3 $17,152
2006 $159,820 5 $31,964
2004 $54,675 2 $27,338
2002 $30,626 2 $15,313
2000 $64,159 3 $21,386
Total $676,267 27 $25,047