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| Michigan House of Representatives District 97 | ||
| Current incumbent | Jason Wentworth  | |
| Population | 88,640 | |
| Gender | 50.2% Male, 49.8% Female | |
| Race | 97.2% White, 1.3% Two or More Races, 0.7% Native American, 0.3% Black, 0.3% Other, 0.2% Asian | |
| Ethnicity | 98.5% Non-Hispanic, 1.5% Hispanic | |
Michigan's ninety-seventh state house district is held by Republican Representative Jason Wentworth.
As of the 2010 census, a total of 88,640 civilians reside within Michigan's ninety-seventh state house district. Michigan state representatives represent an average of 89,851 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 90,349 residents.
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.
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."
| State legislators | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $71,685/year | $10,800/year expense allowance for session and interim. Set by the compensation commission. |
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.
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 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.
Incumbent Jason Wentworth (R) defeated Celia Young-Wenkel (D) in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 97 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Jason Wentworth (R) |
67.8
|
22,476 |
|
|
Celia Young-Wenkel (D) |
32.2
|
10,652 | |
|
|
Total votes: 33,128 (100.00% precincts reporting) |
Celia Young-Wenkel defeated Bob Townsend in the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 97 on August 7, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Celia Young-Wenkel (D) |
50.1
|
2,652 |
|
|
Bob Townsend (D) |
49.9
|
2,642 | |
|
|
Total votes: 5,294 |
Incumbent Jason Wentworth advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 97 on August 7, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Jason Wentworth (R) |
100
|
9,682 |
|
|
Total votes: 9,682 |
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 Joel Johnson (R) did not seek re-election because of term-limits.
Jason Wentworth defeated Robert Townsend in the Michigan House of Representatives District 97 general election.Michigan House of Representatives, District 97 General Election, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Jason Wentworth |
64.85% | 24,124 | |
| Democratic | Robert Townsend | 35.15% | 13,074 | |
| Total Votes | 37,198 | |||
| Source: Michigan Secretary of State | ||||
Michigan House of Representatives, District 97 Democratic Primary, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robert Townsend |
59.50% | 1,729 | |
| Democratic | Robert Corbett | 40.50% | 1,177 | |
| Total Votes | 2,906 | |||
Michigan House of Representatives, District 97 Republican Primary, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jason Wentworth |
41.77% | 3,309 | |
| Republican | George Gilmore | 12.98% | 1,028 | |
| Republican | Brian Johnson | 8.17% | 647 | |
| Republican | Jacob Link | 23.74% | 1,881 | |
| Republican | Thomas Winarski | 13.34% | 1,057 | |
| Total Votes | 7,922 | |||
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. Mark Lightfoot was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Incumbent Joel Johnson was unopposed in the Republican primary. Johnson defeated Lightfoot in the general election.
Michigan House of Representatives, District 97 General Election, 2014
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joel Johnson Incumbent |
63.1% | 16,570 | |
| Democratic | Mark Lightfoot | 36.9% | 9,688 | |
| Total Votes | 26,258 | |||
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. Incumbent Joel Johnson (R) defeated Chris Breznau (D) in the general election. Both candidates were unopposed in the August 7 primary elections.
Michigan House of Representatives, District 97, General Election, 2012
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joel Johnson Incumbent |
61.8% | 23,295 | |
| Democratic | Chris Breznau | 38.2% | 14,387 | |
| Total Votes | 37,682 | |||
From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Michigan House of Representatives District 97 raised a total of $1,434,931. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $44,842 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.
Campaign contributions, Michigan House of Representatives District 97
| Year | Amount | Candidates | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $161,225 | 7 | $23,032 |
| 2014 | $82,113 | 2 | $41,057 |
| 2012 | $127,307 | 2 | $63,654 |
| 2010 | $147,226 | 8 | $18,403 |
| 2008 | $115,756 | 2 | $57,878 |
| 2006 | $162,604 | 2 | $81,302 |
| 2004 | $497,887 | 2 | $248,944 |
| 2002 | $109,151 | 5 | $21,830 |
| 2000 | $31,662 | 2 | $15,831 |
| Total | $1,434,931 | 32 | $44,842 |
