JULY 7 COURT DATE SET IN 62ND DISTRICT BALLOT CHALLENGE

BATTLE CREEK—37th Circuit Court Judge James Kingsley agreed this morning to hear arguments in a case to decide whether Greg Moore, candidate for the 62nd district state house seat, will be removed from the ballot. Battle Creek City Commissioner-At-Large Susan Baldwin (R-Battle Creek) attended the hearing this morning where attorneys began the process to determine whether her opponent, Moore, will be eligible to appear on the August 5 Republican primary ballot.
At issue is whether Moore should be on the ballot and whether he would even be able to serve, if ever elected. Moore claimed in a press release yesterday that the suit was “frivolous”, but Judge James Kingsley disagreed.
It was reported by MIRS on June 16 and in another area newspaper on June 17 that Moore admitted he neither lived in the 62nd district nor at the address he used when he filed for office. According to Clerk/ Register of Deeds Anne Norlander’s attorney in the matter, questions surrounding Moore’s residency would present an opportunity to nullify his election were he to win and Kingsley agreed.
“Judge Kingsley agreed with our position that this issue is rightly before the court and set a date for resolution,” said Baldwin. She continued, “I am confident this process will move swiftly and I will continue to spread my positive message of change in Lansing. The integrity of the ballot and right of people to vote for candidates who play by the rules are in question. I echo Judge Kingsley’s sentiment that this matter is ‘far from frivolity’ and goes to the ‘bedrock of democracy.’ I look forward to a fair fight.”
Moore said later Thursday:
"Honestly, I don’t recall hearing that. But nevertheless, Athens is my home. Has been, is, and will be. Don’t know what else I can say."