Slotkin moves out of 7th District back to family's farm in Holly

FRIDAY, Aug. 3 — U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin is no longer a registered voter in the 7th Congressional District, which she was elected  to represent nine months ago.

Slotkin, a Democrat, moved out of her Lansing rental and changed her voter registration to Holly, which is in the 9^th Congressional District.

Constitutionally and legally, Slotkin is under no obligation to live in the mid-Michigan-based 7th. She lived out of her family's farm in Holly during her first two terms in Congress, when her 8th District included Lansing and northern Oakland County, where Holly is.

She moved to a Lansing condo owned by Jerry Hollister when she was running for the redrawn 7th Congressional District, which doesn’t include Holly. She moved out of the rental in "December or January," Hollister confirmed.

Slotkin is not going to run for reelection to the House. Instead, she is seeking to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow when her term ends next year. Slotkin’s personal living arrangements were being worked out during her divorce before Stabenow, D-Lansing, announced her plans to retire, sources said. Slotkin announced her U.S. Senate run shortly after Stabenow's announcement.

Lansing Clerk Chris Swope said Slotkin's voter registration in Lansing was canceled June 23. The Secretary of State's Office has her now a registered voter in Holly.

"Given changing family circumstances, Rep. Slotkin had decided to return to her family farm in Holly as her permanent residence," said spokesperson Austin Cook.

Abigail Mitch, executive director of the conservative Michigan political organization Michigan Rising Action, questioned Slotkin's commitment to the mid-Michigan-based 7th District if her living arrangements in the area were so transitory. 

"I guess Elissa Slotkin was never taught to finish what she starts," Mitch said. "Not only has Slotkin already quit on the people of Michigan's 7th district as their congresswoman, but it looks like she never really intended to commit to them in the first place."

When told Slotkin stayed in Lansing after the election and past Thanksgiving 2022, Mitch quipped, "Guess we extended the definition of Thanksgiving to 'I'm giving thanks I have a temporary place to live in this real estate market while I plan to run for Senate.'"

Politically and practically, Democratic Ingham County Commissioner Mark Grebner, a political consultant with Practical Political Consultants, said he doesn't see an issue. Slotkin wasn't planning on running for reelection in the 7th District, he said, adding that she didn't end her residence in Michigan.  She's a short car ride from the 7th District, Grebner also said.

From the perception standpoint, he understands Republicans may bring up her short stint in Lansing, but her potential U.S. Senate general election opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers, has been living in Florida.

Also, her likely top primary opponent, Hill Harper, is soft on the residency issue, given that he's raised his son in Seattle.

In general, though, Grebner said he's rarely seen the residence issue deployed successfully in a political campaign.

"At best, this is a neutralizer," he said.

(Email Kyle Melinn of the Capitol news service MIRS at melinnky@gmail.com.)