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Posted on Thu, Dec 31, 2009 : 3:43 p.m.

Examine voting and attendance records of Michigan state representatives at MichiganVotes.org

By Edward Vielmetti

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has developed MichiganVotes.org, a comprehensive database of the voting and attendance records of Michigan state representatives and senators for all votes in the Michigan legislature since the session starting in 2001.

It's a remarkably detailed collection of information, and it's all searchable. Here's an example of some of the questions you can ask, with details drawn from legislators from Washtenaw County:

State Senate

Randy Richardville (R-Monroe) is the state senator from the 17th District, which includes all of Monroe County, a portion of Jackson County, the City of Saline, the City of Milan, and 6 townships in southern Washtenaw County (Manchester, Bridgewater, Saline, York, Pittsfield, Lodi). His voting record for 2009 has zero missed votes of 719.

Liz Brater (D-Ann Arbor) is the state senator from the 18th District, which includes the remainder of Washtenaw County - the cities of Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Dexter, Chelsea, and the remaining 10 townships (Lyndon, Dexter, Webster, Northfield, Salem, Sylvan, Lima, Scio, Ann Arbor, Superior, Sharon, Freedom, Ypsilanti, and Sharon). Her voting record for 2009 shows 40 missed votes of 719.

State Representatives

Pam Byrnes (D-Lyndon Township) represents the 52nd District, which includes all or most of 13 townships (Lyndon, Dexter, Webster, Northfield, Sylvan, Lima, Scio (part), Ann Arbor (part), Sharon, Freedom, Lodi) and the north and east portions of Ann Arbor. Her voting record for 2009 shows 20 missed votes of 682.

Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) represents the 53rd District, which includes the central, west, and south portions of Ann Arbor. Her voting record for 2009 shows 2 missed votes of 682.

Alma Wheeler Smith (D-Salem Township) represents the 54th District, which includes the townships of Salem, Superior, Ypsilanti and Whittaker, plus the City of Ypsilanti. Her voting record for 2009 shows 14 missed votes of 682.

Kathy Angerer (D-Dundee) represents the 55th District, which includes most of the townships of Pittsfield, Saline, and York, the City of Milan, and 6 townships in Monroe County. Her voting record for 2009 shows zero missed votes of 682.

The site has much more information about Michigan voting, including complete records of all of the bills that any senator or representative has sponsored and a workable interface to the official state government legislative history.

Edward Vielmetti is writes the FOIA Friday column for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at edwardvielmetti@annarbor.com.

Comments

Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball

Mon, Jan 4, 2010 : 9:48 a.m.

Sadly, attendance is NO measure of a Rep's or Senator's true Value.. Most of the votes they cast are on non-important issues - such as renaming a building or some special Day etc. Most of the vote tally's are lopsided and are required due to procedures only.. Only a FEW votes are difficult to cast, with long term consequences - votes that actually have GREAT AFFECT on the ENTIRE state. THESE are the VOTES that really count.. After 9 years of recession/depression here in Michigan with NO PLANS and NO LEADERSHIP - I, for one, can not wait for Granholm and her bunch to vacate Lansing.

Diagenes

Fri, Jan 1, 2010 : 11 a.m.

Liz Brater should resign if she cannot show up for work.

jondhall

Fri, Jan 1, 2010 : 9:53 a.m.

If I could say it better is less words I would, however I cannot: I wish that the Reps and Senators would miss every vote. The more they vote the more they limit my rights and freedoms plus my taxes go up. Please go to Lansing and remove laws and taxes!

xmo

Fri, Jan 1, 2010 : 9:46 a.m.

I wish that the Reps and Senators would miss every vote. The more they vote the more they limit my rights and freedoms plus my taxes go up. Please go to Lansing and remove laws and taxes!

roadsidedinerlover

Fri, Jan 1, 2010 : 5:58 a.m.

I contacted my 2 representatives about voting YES for the non-smoking bill and Rep Byrnes wrote back to me and did vote YES. I called Rep. Randy Richardville's office and left a message with his assistant to let him know I was a voter in his district and I wanted him to vote yes. Thank you for this website information. I see that Rep. Richardville voted against the non-smoking bill. I will not be voting for him in the next election because of his vote of no and also because he never contacted me back. What poor manners and representation!