Julie Plawecki

Julie Plawecki (August 27, 1961 – June 25, 2016) was an American politician from Michigan who represented the 11th District—which comprises the cities of Garden City and Inkster, and parts of Dearborn Heights, Livonia and Westland—in the Michigan House of Representatives after being elected in November 2014 for the Democratic Party.[1][2]

Julie Plawecki
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from the 11th district
In office
January 1, 2015 – June 25, 2016
Preceded byDavid Knezek
Succeeded byLauren Plawecki
Personal details
Born(1961-08-27)August 27, 1961
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
DiedJune 25, 2016(2016-06-25) (aged 54)
Smith Rock State Park, Oregon, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Mark Plawecki
Children3
ResidenceDearborn Heights, Michigan
Alma materOakland University
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life and education

Plawecki attended Warren Public Schools and Michigan State University. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Oakland University with a dual major in chemistry and general science, and obtained her professional teaching certificate from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.[1][3][4]

Career

On June 25, 2016, Plawecki was hiking out in Oregon when she suddenly collapsed. Attempts to revive her proved unsuccessful and she was then pronounced dead. It is presumed she suffered a heart attack.[5]

Gov. Rick Snyder called a special election on July 5, 2016, to fill the remainder of Plawecki's term, with the special primary taking August 30 and the special general election to take place alongside the regularly scheduled general election on November 8, 2016.[6] On July 6, 2016, Plawecki's 22-year-old daughter Lauren was one of 11 Democrats that filed to be the Democratic nominee for her late mother's seat.[7] Since Rep. Plawecki was slated to face no Democratic opposition in the August 2 primary, Democratic precinct delegates in the 11th House district will select the Democratic nominee for the November 8 general election.[8] On July 7, 2016, Lauren Plawecki was not chosen to replace her mother. Inkster City Councilman Jewell Jones, who at 20-years-old became the youngest ever Inkster City Councilman and is an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan–Dearborn, was chosen and will run unopposed in the Democratic primary on August 2.[9]

Plawecki, a former medical technologist, taught science, math, and religion at both the secondary and elementary school levels. Prior to her election, she worked at St. Robert Bellarmine, a Catholic school in Redford,[3][4] and also coached the school’s Science Olympiad team. She was a member of the National Science Teachers Association and the Detroit Area Council of Teachers of Mathematics.[1][10][11]

Personal life

Plawecki lived in Dearborn Heights with her husband, Mark Plawecki, where they raised their three daughters.[1][3][4] Her eldest daughter, a 2012 Michigan State University graduate and 2015 Masters candidate at Yale University, forwent a summer’s paid internship at Yale to become manager of Plawecki's campaign.[10][11]

Plawecki died on June 25, 2016 while hiking in Smith Rock State Park with her daughters.[12]

Electoral History
Michigan's 11th state House of Representatives District General Election, 2014[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Julie Plawecki 16,252 69.8 -2.0
Republican Jim Rhoades 7,027 30.2 +2.0
Democratic hold

References
  1. "Rep. Julie Plawecki's Biography". Michigan House Democrats. Archived from the original on 2013-12-17. Retrieved 2015-01-07.
  2. "2014 Live Michigan election results: State House Districts 1-110". MLive. November 4, 2014. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  3. "Plawecki vs. Rhoades in 11th State Rep District". hometownlife.com. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 2015-01-11.
  4. "State House District 11". Michigan Voters Guide. 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-10-17. Retrieved 2015-01-11.
  5. Oregonian/OregonLive, Jim Ryan | The (June 28, 2016). "Michigan legislator collapses, dies of presumed heart attack while hiking on Smith Rock". oregonlive.
  6. Paul Egan (July 5, 2016). "Gov. Rick Snyder calls special election after death of Michigan rep". Detroit Free Press.
  7. Paul Egan (July 6, 2016). "Julie Plawecki's daughter among 11 seeking to fill seat". Detroit Free Press.
  8. Kathleen Gray (June 28, 2016). "Dems to gather next week to select replacement for Julie Plawecki". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  9. Paul Egan (July 7, 2016). "Inkster councilman chosen to succeed late lawmaker". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
  10. "About Julie Plawecki". Friends of Julie Plawecki. Archived from the original on 2014-11-08. Retrieved 2015-01-11.
  11. "The Arab American News - Julie Plawecki runs for state representative in Michigan's 11th House District". The Arab American News. April 4, 2014. Archived from the original on January 13, 2015. Retrieved 2015-01-11.
  12. Stafford, Katrease. "Michigan Rep. Julie Plawecki dead at 54". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
  13. "2014 Michigan Election Results 103rd District Representative in State Legislature 2 Year Term (1) Position". Michigan Secretary of State. February 22, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
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