2005 Detroit mayoral election
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The Detroit mayoral election of 2005 took place on November 8, 2005.[1] It saw the reelection of incumbent mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to a second term.
Background[edit]
In 2001, Kwame Kilpatrick, at the age of 31, became the youngest mayor ever elected in Detroit.[2]
In 2005, Kilpatrick, now seeking reelection to a second term as mayor, found himself the subject numerous scandals, had faced budget deficits as mayor, and had faced a poor city economy.[2]
Among the scandals Kilpatrick faced were allegations that he had used city funds to enrich himself and his family.[3]
Candidates[edit]
- Clifford Brookins II
- Angelo Scott Brown
- Stanley Michael Christmas
- Hansen Clarke, Michigan State Senator since 2003, former member of the Michigan House of Representatives (1991–1992 and 1999–2002)
- Roy Godwin
- Freman Hendrix, former Deputy Mayor of Detroit (1997–2001)
- Clayton C. Johnson
- Sarella S. Johnson
- Kwame Kilpatrick, incumbent mayor
- Sharon McPhail, Detroit City Council member since 2002, candidate for mayor in 1993
- Tiana K. Walton
Campaigning[edit]
In the general election, polls and media coverage showed Freman Hendrix to be the frontrunner, leading over the embattled Kilpatrick.[2] Hendrix promised to both restore dignity to the office of mayor, which he faulted Kilpatrick with having eroded, and prosperity back to the city at large.[2]
Many political pundits saw Kilpatrick as a weakened incumbent. He had become the first incumbent to place second in a mayoral primary in Detroit.[4][5]
Amid his reelection campaign, Kilpatrick made an appearance delivering an eulogy at the highly-covered funeral of Rosa Parks, held shortly before the general election. This was seen as helpful to his reelection.[2] Kilpatrick was also able to garner strong support from younger voters.[2]
Polling[edit]
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size[a] | Margin of error | Freeman Hendrix (D) | Kwame Kilpatrick (D) | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA | November 4–6, 2005 | 528 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 51% | 44% | 4% |
| SurveyUSA | October 25–27, 2005 | 511 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 49% | 46% | 6% |
| SurveyUSA | October 18–19, 2005 | 407 (LV) | ± 5.0% | 50% | 46% | 4% |
| SurveyUSA | October 15–17, 2005 | 461 (LV) | ± 4.6% | 56% | 39% | 6% |
| SurveyUSA | October 1–3, 2005 | 488 (LV) | ± 4.5% | 53% | 42% | 6% |
Results[edit]
Primary[edit]
The primary was held on August 2, 2005.[6]
Freman Hendrix and incumbent mayor Kwame Kilpatrick won the top-two spots, thereby advancing to the general election.
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freman Hendrix | 60,117 | 44.27 | |
| Kwame Kilpatrick (incumbent) | 45,783 | 33.72 | |
| Sharon McPhail | 15,963 | 11.76 | |
| Hansen Clarke | 12,152 | 8.95 | |
| Sarella S. Johnson | 306 | 0.23 | |
| Clayton C. Johnson | 296 | 0.22 | |
| Angelo Scott Brown | 272 | 0.20 | |
| Tiana K. Walton | 181 | 0.13 | |
| Stanley Michael Christmas | 151 | 0.11 | |
| Roy Godwin | 133 | 0.10 | |
| Clifford Brookins II | 133 | 0.10 | |
| Write-ins | 76 | 0.6 | |
| Voter turnout | 21.29% | ||
General election[edit]
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kwame Kilpatrick (incumbent) | 123,140 | 52.77 | |
| Freman Hendrix | 108,600 | 46.54 | |
| Write-ins | 1,630 | 0.70 | |
| Total votes | 233,370 | 100 | |
Notes[edit]
- ^ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear
References[edit]
- ^ a b "OFFICIAL SUMMARY REPORT" (PDF). www.detroitmi.gov. Detroit Department of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 8, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f Peters, Jeremy W. (November 10, 2005). "Turnaround Leads Mayor to a Surprising Victory (Published 2005)". The New York Times. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
- ^ Klinefelter, Quinn (November 9, 2005). "Detroit's Kilpatrick Wins Second Mayoral Term". NPR.org.
- ^ Heming, Julia F.; Drew Philp (November 9, 2005). "Four More Years: Kilpatrick pulls ahead". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved February 19, 2008.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Clemens, Paul (November 13, 2005). "A Comeback Kid for a Dead-End Town". The New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
- ^ a b "OFFICIAL SUMMARY REPORT". www.detroitmi.gov. Detroit Department of Elections. Archived from the original on July 18, 2010.