2013 Detroit mayoral election

The 2013 Detroit mayoral election was held on November 5, 2013, following a primary election on August 6, 2013. Incumbent Mayor Dave Bing announced that he would not run for re-election, and instead opted to form an exploratory commission to run for Wayne County Executive in 2014. A crowded field of candidates emerged to succeed Bing, with Mike Duggan, the CEO of the Detroit Medical Center and the former Wayne County Prosecutor, emerging as the frontrunner. However, Duggan was disqualified from the race for failing to meet residency requirements, so he continued his campaign as a write-in candidate. He placed first in the primary election, receiving 52 percent of the vote to Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon's 30 percent. In the general election, Duggan defeated Napoleon by a wide margin, 55–45%, becoming the city's first White mayor since 1973, when Coleman Young was elected.

Primary election

Candidates

Mike Duggan , CEO of the Detroit Medical Center, former Wayne County Prosecutor
Benny Napoleon, Wayne County Sheriff
Krystal A. Crittendon, former Detroit Corporation Counsel
Lisa Howze, former State Representative
Tom Barrow, accountant, 2009, 1989, and 1985 candidate for Mayor
John Olumba, State Representative
Fred Durhal, Jr., State Representative
Willie G. Lipscomb, Jr., retired district court judge
Angelo Scott Brown, community activist
Herman Griffin, community activist
Sigmunt John Szczepkowski, Jr., perennial candidate
Mark Murphy, community advocate
Jean Vortkamp, community volunteer
John Telford, former interim Superintendent of the Detroit Public Schools
D'Artagnan M. Collier, city employee

Campaign

Barrow challenged the Duggan's eligibility to run for Mayor, arguing that he had not met the city charter's residency requirements. After the city Election Commission voted to allow Duggan to be listed on the ballot, Barrow sued. On June 12, 2013, Wayne County Circuit Judge Lita Pope ordered that Duggan's name be removed from the ballot, and Duggan appealed. Shortly thereafter, on June 18, 2013, the Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed Duggan's disqualification, striking him from the ballot. Shortly thereafter, Duggan announced that he would continue his campaign as a write-in candidate. Though Barrow once again tried to block Duggan's candidacy, but his campaign continued. A barber with a similar name, Mike Dugeon, announced his own write-in campaign, causing speculation that his campaign was deliberately started to siphon votes from Duggan.

Polling

Key

A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear

General election

Polling

Key

A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear

Aftermath

Barrow joined with the group Citizens United Against Corrupt Government to challenge the results of the election. Barrow appealed the ruling that allowed Duggan to pursue a write-in campaign and sought a recount of the primary election results. Prior to the election, CUACG sought to halt the mailing of absentee ballots, arguing that the city Election Commission did not comply with procedural requirements before approving the ballots. Barrow and CUACG appealed, contesting the validity of the election results. In 2014, the Michigan Court of Appeals rejected the claims.