Lemmons pack Detroit school board election ballot

(WJBK) - School board elections can leave Detroiters with a sour taste when they find out there aren't many candidates on the ballot.

This year there are 63 candidates to choose from, but FOX 2's M.L. Elrick says if voters end up with a pucker, it could come from all the Lemmons on the ballot.

According to public records, there are three school board candidates who live in the same house -- Lamar Lemmons, Georgia Lemmons and Georgia's sister, Bettie Jean Alexander.

"This is her official residence, but she physically stays someplace else," Lamar said of Bettie Jean Alexander.

Lemmons says she has struggled with homelessness and other challenges, and only stays in his home occasionally.

This isn't the first time the Lemmons family has loaded a ballot.

In 2004, Lamar, his father and his son ran for the state House in the first, second and third districts. Lamar and his dad won.

In 2006, Lamar's dad ran for re-election and Lamar ran for state Senate. His dad won, but Lamar lost. Lamar became an unpaid advisor to his father.

Then in 2014, Lamar and his wife filed paperwork to run for the same Senate seat.

In the end, Lamar stepped aside for his wife.

He was going to run for Wayne County executive instead, but ended up running for Detroit School Board and the county commission.

He won the school board seat, but missed out on the county commission.

This year, Lamar was going to run for the county commission again, but ended up running for register of deeds.

He lost that race, but hopes he and his family will fare better in the school board contest.

"Lemons are good for you, remember that," he said.

LEARN MORE about all the candidates for school board by clicking here