Politics & Government

Brian Marl Wins Race for Saline Mayor

Brian Marl beat Glenn Law by 623 votes in the race for mayor of the City of Saline, according to unofficial results from Saline precincts' ballot counts.

Brian Marl is the newly elected mayor for the City of Saline. Marl ran against Glenn Law to replace Saline Mayor Gretchen Driskell, who ran for and won State Representative in the 52nd District. 

Marl had 1,844 votes and Law had 1,221, according to unofficial results from ballots counted at Saline precincts. These results are unofficial until they're officially counted by the city's counting board.

Marl said Law called him to concede and congratulate him on winning. 

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"I really love Saline," Marl said. "I'm honored and humbled by the results."

Marl is serving his second term on the Saline City Council, and he was the first candidate to officially file a nominating petition for mayor in June. He spent election day greeting voters at Saline precincts. He said he wanted to engage and communicate with voters and the reception was great.

Find out what's happening in Salinewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I can't say enough about it," he said. "We've developed a lot of momentum in the last week."

Marina Muchnik, of Saline, said she thought Marl would be a good replacement for Driskell and was one of the several voters who touted Marl's openness.

"I like that he's actually here," she said after mentioning that she saw him on her way into the polling location. "And I've met him before."

Janet Deaton, of Saline, said what pushed her to vote for Marl was meeting him at a parade for the Boy Scouts where she said he introduced himself. 

"I thought it was great that someone running for mayor was so open and accessible," she said.

Marl said he considers himself an open and engaging person and hopes to bring that style to his new position.

He said he would continue many of the initiatives Driskell pursued, but that he would also bring his own ideas like those outlined in his five-point vision:

  1. Openness, accessibility and communication
  2. Support for public safety
  3. Responsible financial stewardship
  4. Economic development
  5. Investment in infrastructure

Marl said he told Law when he called to concede that he thought he was a worthy opponent. Law joined the race in July and served on Saline City Council for eight years before resigning to take a teaching job in Menominee, MI.

"I accept the voters' decision," Law said. "I appreciate that we have the freedom to put in place who we want to represent us."

He said he was grateful for the opportunity to serve on City Council and run for mayor on behalf of the people who supported him.

"I feel that I let them down," he said. "But I don't regret doing it whatsoever."

However, Law said he will not run for public office again and will now focus on his family and teaching. 


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