
State Rep. Jim Haadsma (L) and Steve Frisbie (R)
BY JON KING, MICHIGAN ADVANCE
MICHIGAN—The re-tabulation of votes continued Wednesday in Calhoun County after a lawsuit briefly delayed the process that will determine the winner of a key state House seat.
At issue is the race for the 44th state House District in which incumbent state Rep. Jim Haadsma (D-Battle Creek) faced off against Republican challenger Calhoun County Commissioner Steve Frisbie.
Frisbie filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Calhoun County Circuit Court seeking to stop the retabulation of absentee ballots in Battle Creek. The Calhoun County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to retabulate those ballots after an error resulted in approximately 2,800 absentee ballots being overridden and not counted.
Haadsma called the lawsuit an attempt to stop the accurate counting of ballots “potentially disenfranchising thousands of voters” in Battle Creek.
“I want to see every vote accurately counted, regardless of whether it impacts the results of the election,” said Haadsma. “Confidence in our elections is essential to the health of our democracy, and the people of Battle Creek deserve to know that every effort was made to ensure the accurate tabulation of their votes.”
Amber LeClear, the Calhoun County director of communications, confirmed for the Advance that the retabulation was halted for about an hour Wednesday morning after the suit was filed, but resumed following a second unanimous vote by the county board of canvassers that it should proceed.
Requests for comment to both Frisbie’s campaign and attorney Cole Lussier, who filed the lawsuit on Frisbie’s behalf, were not returned Wednesday.
However, Greg Manz, spokesman for the Michigan House Republican Campaign Committee sent this statement:
“Steve Frisbie is taking common sense legal action to make sure that Michigan election law is followed properly. Jim Haadsma selectively re-tabulating super Democrat ballots before the canvass is complete is nothing more than a desperate political stunt to subvert the process for his political benefit. Jim Haadsma is trying to alter the process in a blatant attempt to reverse the will of the voters, ignore voters he doesn’t like and bully trusted election workers.” he said.
Initial results in the election showed Haadsma lost to Frisbee by 1,381 votes.
After the error was discovered, the unofficial results were updated to diminish Frisbie’s lead to just 58 votes—20,823 total votes for him to 20,765 for Haadsma.
However, Haadsma’s attorney, Chris Trebilcock, told the Advance late Sunday those results were “admittedly wrong.”
“Until the Board of County Canvassers fulfills their duty to rerun the ballots from Battle Creek, correct the errors, count the overseas and provisional ballots, nothing is official,” said Trebilcock. “Any updates you see from anyone other than the Board of Canvassers are nothing more than educated guesses. This race is not over.”
Haadsma’s seat was one of four that was reported to be flipped by Republicans, giving them a 58-52 majority in the next session that begins in January.
READ MORE: Whitmer talks path forward with a Trump presidency and GOP-held Michigan House
This coverage was republished from Michigan Advance pursuant to a Creative Commons license.

Mallory McMorrow runs for US Senate to ‘cut through the BS’ and deliver for Michigan
Exclusive: State Sen. Mallory McMorrow opens up about her rural roots, viral rise, and why she believes Michigan needs bolder leadership to take on...

Ingham County clerk joins secretary of state race
BY BEN SOLIS, MICHIGAN ADVANCE MICHIGAN—Barb Byrum will seek the Michigan Democratic Party nomination for secretary of state in 2026, she announced...

Joe Tate’s next mission: From the Marine Corps to the US Senate
Exclusive: State Rep. Joe Tate opens up about his Detroit roots, the American dream, the messiness of politics, and what Michigan needs from its...

Rep. Haley Stevens runs for US Senate on grit and growth
In an exclusive interview, Stevens discusses Trump’s tariffs, Macomb County roots, and why manufacturing workers need a “fighter” in Washington....

Lawmaker from Detroit joins crowded race for US Senate
LANSING—A lawmaker from Detroit is joining the crowded field of Democrats vying for the battleground state's open Senate seat, one of the most...