Boyne City mayor challenges filing deadline for November election, cites state law

Yahoo

09-05-2025

BOYNE CITY — Mayor Tim Nemecek is challenging the deadline that disqualified him from running for re-election to the Boyne City City Commission, arguing the official filing date communicated by the city clerk's office may have been premature under state election law.
In a letter delivered to the Boyne City clerk's office on May 7, Nemecek formally requested that city clerk Jessica Puroll recognize July 22 — not April 22 — as the valid deadline for submitting nominating petitions for the upcoming November election.
'This request is about upholding the democratic principles that our community values,' Nemecek wrote in a press release. 'I've received 28 signatures from Boyne City voters supporting my candidacy, and these citizens deserve the right to select their representatives through a fair and accessible electoral process.'
More: Four candidates file for Boyne City commission race in November election
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Earlier reporting confirmed that Nemecek had filed a petition in April to appear on the Nov. 5, 2025 ballot, but his petition was rejected after the clerk's office determined several signatures were dated after the circulator's certification, rendering them invalid. That left him with fewer than the required 20 valid signatures, disqualifying his candidacy.
At the time, Puroll stated the filing deadline was April 22 and confirmed that Nemecek could still seek office as a certified write-in candidate if he filed the appropriate paperwork by October.
Now, the mayor is arguing that the city applied the wrong timeline altogether.
According to Nemecek, his legal counsel's review of the Michigan Election Law suggests that candidates for local office who are nominated by petition rather than through a primary — as Boyne City's charter requires — should have until the 15th Tuesday before the election to file their paperwork. In 2025, that would move the filing deadline to July 22.
Nemecek's letter asks Puroll to respond to the request by May 14.
The election comes at a pivotal time for Boyne City leadership. With Mayor Pro Tem George Lasater choosing not to run for reelection, four candidates — incumbent commissioner Marty Moody and newcomers Bridget Foltz, Rebecca Houser and Jennifer Hampton — are currently on the ballot for November. Three seats are up for grabs.
If the July 22 deadline is accepted, Nemecek may still have time to re-enter the race and secure a place on the ballot, otherwise a write-in candidacy would be his only other option.
— Contact reporter Annie Doyle at 231-675-0099 and [e-mail].
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Boyne City Mayor Nemecek challenges filing deadline for November 2025 election, cites state law