After Signatures Certified, Bedford Township Supervisor Faces Recall Election

Bedford Township voters will be deciding whether or not their supervisor should continue to serve in the November election.

Calhoun County Election Specialist Terri Loew says Wednesday evening that elections staff have determined that there were at least 734 valid petition signatures from voters who want Supervisor Adam Heikkila recalled, so the recall election will be held on November 6, the same day as the statewide general election. Heikkila will automatically be placed on the ballot as the Republican candidate, while the Democrats and Libertarians have until September 10^th to choose their candidates.

Independent candidates also have until September 10^th to file; they can do so by filing a qualifying petition with at least one valid voter signature. The election is to fill out the remainder of Heikkila's term, which ends in 2020.

A recall effort was started against Heikkila earlier this year, with the petition alleging that the supervisor engaged in “intimidating and threatening behavior” against township employees, and at one point even was allegedly threatened with arrest by Battle Creek Police for his behavior at the township offices. The petition also alleges that Heikkila doesn’t fulfill his duties and doesn’t keep hours where residents can discuss issues with him.