Michigan voters just got another choice for attorney general candidates in the November election.
The Board of State Canvassers certified former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Graveline as a non-party candidate Friday.
“Both parties were going further to the right and further to the left, and I decided there was a running lane in the middle. And I’m running as a political moderate,” he says.
Graveline initially didn’t have enough signatures to be on the ballot. So he sued the state. He argued the number of signatures needed was too high – and he won.
A federal judge said if Graveline had 5,000 valid signatures, he could be on the ticket for attorney general.
Graveline had the 5,000 signatures, so the Board of State Canvassers put him on the ballot. But they weren’t happy about it.
Here’s what board member Julie Matuzak said just before the vote:
“I will, under objection, make this motion. I think this is ridiculous and we should continue to explore this, because I’m sorry it’s so hard to get on the ballot in Michigan,” she says.
Graveline will for sure be on the ballot. But the state plans to still fight the underlying lawsuit. A spokesperson says the state doesn’t want to set a precedent that allows fewer signatures to be on the ballot.
Graveline will run against Republican candidate Tom Leonard and Democratic candidate Dana Nessel.
