DETROIT – Detroit City Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero is expected to be placed on the primary ballot after her disqualification was rescinded.
“I’m relieved that the facts have been cleared up, and I’m qualified to be on the ballot,” Councilmember Santiago-Romero said in a release. “Last week was truly a nightmare, and the hardest week I’ve ever had as a candidate. What kept me hopeful was the outpouring of support I received daily from our community – this fight was never about me, it was about us. I look forward to continuing to campaign to represent our district, and I’m grateful to both the Detroit City Clerk and the Wayne County Clerk for working with me to rectify this error.”
This comes after Santiago-Romero filed a lawsuit last week against Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey and the Detroit Election Commission to challenge her disqualification.
Read more -- ‘We’re still running’: Detroit councilwoman files lawsuit after disqualification from August ballot
The councilwoman claimed that there was a clerical error and the Wayne County Clerk’s Office had wrongly issued a $250 late fee, which led to the disqualification.
“We submitted our campaign finance report on Oct. 25, and we have the receipt from the county clerk to prove it,” Santiago-Romero said last week.
The Wayne County Clerk’s Office has waived that $250 late fee for “good cause,” according to the May 2 release.
The councilwoman turned in over 600 petitions and was certified on April 29. Click here to view the letter Santiago-Romero received from Detroit’s Department of Elections.
Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey confirmed to Local 4 that Santiago-Romero will be on the ballot in August.
She is campaigning to serve as the city council’s District 6 representative again, after winning the seat in 2021.
“I knew how strong this community was already, and last week only reinforced to me that when we stand together, there’s nothing we cannot overcome,” Santiago-Romero said about her campaign.
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