Southfield City Clerk's office: Wynett Guy vs. Gabi Grossbard

The 2025 Southfield city clerk's race is poised to be one of the most consequential local contests on the November ballot in Oakland County, Michigan.

While the clerk's office may not have the political clout of a mayor, the clerk position in each city holds a central and indispensable role in the smooth and transparent function of municipal government. The clerk is the chief custodian of the democratic process and is directly responsible for organizing and conducting all city elections, from managing voter registration and maintaining accurate voter rolls to setting up polling places and certifying election results.

Who are the candidates?

Gabi Grossbard is the only candidate whose name will appear on the ballot on Nov. 4. He's running against two candidates waging write-in campaigns: Wynett Guy, a city clerk employee since 2024, and Coretta Houge, a Southfield City Council member.

Though the clerk's seat is non-partisan, Michigan Democrats have labeled Grossbard as "a MAGA extremist" and say he will be ‘undermining’ elections in the city.  Michigandems.com claims that Grossbard may have been at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, citing a report from The Independent that said Grossbard and his wife made Facebook posts and comments indicating as much. The Independent spoke with multiple members of the campaign, who said Democrats were smearing Grossbard with the claims.

Guy is running an at-large write-in campaign, backed by Michigan Democrats.

The previous clerk, Janet Jackson, was elected in 2023 with 66% of the vote of Grossbard. However, she was ruled ineligible to run for re-election due to issues related to that same election. The exact reason for her being ruled ineligible has never been disclosed.