Congressman John Conyers, D-Detroit, will be on the August primary ballot in Wayne County. State officials said Friday they will not appeal a ruling that ordered his name on the ballot last week.
It looked like Michigan’s second-longest serving member of Congress might not make the ballot after hundreds of Conyers’ signatures were thrown out by local and state election officials. Those signatures were collected by people who were not properly registered to vote.
But a federal judge ruled last week it’s unconstitutional for the state to require signature collectors to be registered voters. Now the state says it will not fight that ruling.
“Based on the facts of the judge's order, the state has decided not to appeal in the Conyers case,” said Michigan Department of State spokesperson Fred Woodhams in a statement.
That means Conyers will face off against Rev. Horace Sheffield III in the August Democratic primary.