Sterling Heights voters decide two charter changes: special elections for long council vacancies and a $50,000 purchasing limit

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. — Two proposals on Sterling Heights ballots Nov. 3 would change how the city fills empty council seats and how much city staff can spend without a council vote.

Council vacancies. Today, when an elected city office comes open, the City Council can appoint a replacement to finish the term, however long it is. A special election is required only if the council can't agree on someone. The proposal would require a special election whenever two or more years remain in the term, or when the council doesn't make an appointment. The election would fall on the next state-approved election date more than 180 days after the vacancy. Council terms are four years, and the council could still name a temporary replacement until the election.

"It empowers them to pick their representatives," Councilman Michael Radtke told C&G Newspapers. "In several places now, we've had situations where people leave office with three or four years on their term and their colleagues appoint (their replacements). That's not democracy."

Purchasing limit. The 1968 city charter requires council approval for purchases and public improvements over $5,000. The proposal would raise that to $50,000, which the city says is about what $5,000 was worth in 1968 after inflation. Purchases under $50,000 would go through the administrative purchasing process. They would still have to be in the budget the council approves, and the council would still see them on its bill list at each meeting.

City officials told C&G that preparing each spending item for the council costs about $1,500 in staff time and that about 175 come before the council each year, for things like software licenses, furniture and fertilizer. Radtke is campaigning against this proposal. "It's my job to monitor spending," he said, arguing that the change shifts decisions from elected officials to appointed staff. Councilman Henry Yanez said it "is not a blank check" and that he will "keep a sharp eye on our spending."

If either proposal fails, current rules stay in place.

Sterling Heights offers early in-person voting at the Community Center, 40250 Dodge Park Road, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily starting Saturday, Oct. 24, according to the city calendar.

Michigan voters can request an absentee ballot by mail or online through Friday, Oct. 30, and in person at the clerk's office through 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2. Early in-person voting runs through Sunday, Nov. 1, and polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.

Sources:
City of Sterling Heights, “Keeping PACE,” https://www.sterlingheights.gov/2513/Keeping-PACE
C&G Newspapers, “Voters face pair of local ballot proposals,” Oct. 5, 2026, https://www.candgnews.com/articles/uncategorized/voters-face-pair-of-local-ballot-proposals/
City of Sterling Heights, “Calendar,” https://sterlingheights.gov/calendar.aspx?view=list
Michigan Voter Information Center, https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/
Photo: Funknendai, “Pile of "I Voted" stickers.jpg,” Nov. 4, 2025, Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0, cropped and color-adjusted, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pile_of_%22I_Voted%22_stickers.jpg

Sterling Heights

Tags: Sterling Heights · City Charter · City Council · Election 2026 · Government Spending