DETROIT (AP) – Former Detroit Pistons great Dave Bing was leading in early returns Tuesday in his bid to unseat incumbent Ken Cockrel Jr. in a special mayoral election.
With 38 percent of precincts reporting, Bing had 56 percent of the vote, or 13,693 votes, to 44 percent, or 10,669 votes, for Cockrel.
The winning Democrat will be mayor through 2009, serving the balance of the term that belonged to Kwame Kilpatrick, who resigned in September and went to jail after admitting he lied during a civil trial to cover up an affair with his chief of staff.
Cockrel was City Council president before Kilpatrick’s departure automatically promoted him to the mayor’s office. Bing, a Hall of Fame player with the Detroit Pistons from 1966-75 and founder of a steel company, has no experience in politics but finished first in the primary.
nie Brookslee, 78, said after voting at King High School, east of downtown. “Cockrel went along too much with Kwame when he was on the council.”
Only 15 percent to 20 percent of 621,600 registered voters were expected to participate. A proposal to revise the city charter also was on the ballot.
Neil Pioch, 31, said he didn’t like Bing’s criticism of Cockrel’s decade on the council.
“Public service is a noble calling,” the lawyer said outside King High. “Cockrel is a time-tested civil servant which is something the city needs. More steady at the helm. I think he’s doing a decent job.”
Canvassers have 14 days to certify the totals, but it’s more likely certification will be complete in about 10 days, elections director Daniel Baxter said Monday.
Scandal caused the special election, but Detroit has other issues on its plate. The city has a $250 million to $300 million budget deficit, double-digit unemployment and a wave of home foreclosures.
Cockrel, 43, has pushed for neighborhood improvement and better public safety. Bing, 65, has said his business experience can help Detroit.
“He’s going to find out where the waste is,” said voter Earl Parker, 50, a property manager. “Bing is business.”
At St. John Presbyterian Church on the city’s east side, Liz Scott cast her vote for Cockrel, citing his integrity and experience in city government.
does care about the city, but I think it’s two very different things, running a company and running a city.”
Scott said regardless of the election outcome, the mayor alone can’t revive the troubled city.
“Detroiters have to turn things around,” she said.
If Cockrel loses, he would return to the council. In November, Detroit will hold another mayoral election for a standard four-year term.
The special election cost $2.5 million, including the Feb. 24 primary.
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Associated Press Writers David N. Goodman, Ben Leubsdorf and Ed White contributed to this report.
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