Appeals court reinforces denial for Conyers' son

Melissa Nann Burke | The Detroit News

The Michigan Court of Appeals has affirmed the ruling denying John Conyers III's effort to restore his name to the ballot in the Democratic primary race for his father's old seat in Congress.

A three-judge panel ruled Tuesday the Wayne County trial court properly denied Conyers' request when it found, among other things, there had been no violation of due process rights under the state or U.S. constitutions.

Attorneys for Conyers had asked the courts to declare him an eligible candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives and order his name restored to the Aug. 7 primary ballot after Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett disqualified him last month.

Garrett had concluded that Conyers had submitted fewer than the 1,000 valid voter signatures required for the congressional ballot under state law.

Her staff had determined many of the signatures were from individuals who are not registered to vote or who live outside the 13th District. Others were deemed invalid as duplicates or because of “miscellaneous identification issues.”

The court's decision is good news for state Sen. Ian Conyers of Detroit, the former congressman’s great nephew, who is also running for the seat and will now be the only Conyers on the ballot.

His attorney had challenged Conyers III’s petition signatures and prompted the review by Garrett’s office.

Conyers, 27, now has the option of mounting an expensive write-in campaign for the August primary if he wants to stay in the race. He could not immediately be reached Tuesday for comment.

The former congressman endorsed his eldest son on the same day he stepped down in December amid allegations of sexual harassment by former staffers.

The crowded 13th District Democratic primary includes former state Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Shanelle Jackson, Westland Mayor Bill Wild, Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones and state Sen. Coleman Young III.

mburke@detroitnews.com