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Carlee Knott
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Carlee Knott (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent District 74. She lost in the Democratic primary on August 2, 2022.
Knott completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Carlee Knott was born in Lansing, Michigan. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan in 2017 and a graduate degree from the University of Southern California in 2020.
Her career experience includes working as the Mid-Michigan Regional Coordinator for U.S. Senator Gary Peters and for the Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency. She has been affiliated with the Junior League of Lansing, Ingham County Democratic Party, and Michigan Democratic Party.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 74
Incumbent Kara Hope defeated Jennifer Sokol in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 74 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Kara Hope (D) | 69.2 | 24,831 |
| Jennifer Sokol (R) | 30.8 | 11,077 | ||
| Total votes: 35,908 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 74
Incumbent Kara Hope defeated Carlee Knott and Albert Kelley Jr. in the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 74 on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kara Hope | 72.7 | 8,058 |
 | Carlee Knott | 17.4 | 1,926 | |
| Albert Kelley Jr. | 10.0 | 1,104 | ||
| Total votes: 11,088 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 74
Jennifer Sokol advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 74 on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jennifer Sokol | 100.0 | 4,281 | |
| Total votes: 4,281 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Carlee Knott completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Knott's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Hi there! I’m Carlee Knott and I grew up and currently reside in Holt, Michigan. I have degrees in political science and public policy, and I have experience as a staffer for U.S. Senator Gary Peters at the federal level and working with the nonpartisan Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency at the state level. I believe that our government has failed to act on the most pressing needs of our community. Working class families are being left behind and their struggles are ignored by our government. We need new progressive leaders in the Democratic Party who are committed to passing legislation to take action on economic inequality, funding public education, and solving the climate crisis. The time to act is now and I’m ready to work together to build a brighter future for Michigan.
- For the first time in Michigan history, our districts were drawn by citizens instead of politicians. This presents a new opportunity for voters to choose who they want to represent them. The new districts give Democrats a shot at winning the House, Senate, and Governor’s seats and taking majority control of our state legislature, which would be the first time since 1983. We cannot meet this moment by electing the same ineffective legislators who focus on maintaining the status quo or bringing incremental change. It is time for the Democratic Party to once again become the party of the working people. We need to elect a new progressive leader who is ready to take immediate action to solve the pressing issues of our time.
- I come from a working-class family and I know what it’s like to grow up and live in this district. Many of us face financial struggles that make it hard to get ahead in life. That’s why issues of affordability and economic inequality are priorities of this campaign. We need to send a lifeline to those in our communities by raising the minimum wage, strengthening labor unions, and ending predatory lending. We are currently seeing a power shift in our labor market where workers are recognizing their value, standing up, and asking for what they deserve. We need to capitalize on this moment to restructure our system to bring power back to working-class and middle-class families.
- We need to take action to tackle the climate crisis by significantly reducing Michigan’s greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring we have reliable and affordable green energy sources to keep our economy running. We need to adequately fund Holt and Lansing Public Schools to encourage people to stay here and raise their families. We need to listen to teachers and give them the respect and resources they need. We need to address other pressing issues of affordable healthcare, criminal justice reform, and government transparency. There are so many urgent issues that our government needs to address, which is why it’s time to elect a State Representative who will champion these progressive causes and make passing effective legislation a priority.
I am passionate about issues that affect people. For me, government is all about investing in the potential of people and strengthening our communities so that everyone has a chance to live their best life. Ensuring financial security is the most basic way we can help people. When people don't have to worry about meeting their basic needs, they can live their lives and focus on their goals without the stress of trying to make ends meet and provide for their families. That’s why it’s important to focus on issues of housing, healthcare, and labor to make sure the basic needs of our people are being met. I am also passionate about social issues that can cause barriers to keep people down and add struggles to our lives. Education, immigration, criminal justice, and reproductive rights are examples of social issues where I believe we can do more to reduce barriers in people’s lives. I am also very concerned about the climate crisis and passionate about environmental issues. Like many Michiganders, I am an avid traveler, hiker, camper, and lover of the outdoors. It is so important to me that we protect our air, water, and land for future generations. The climate crisis is one of the most complex issues of our time that will have widespread impacts. However, we know what is causing this crisis and scientists have laid out a very simple solution: cutting our greenhouse gas emissions. It is essential to me that Michigan does our part to fix this global crisis.
For starters, I am a very caring individual, who is passionate about issues that affect people. I believe the ultimate goal of an elected official should be to care for their constituents and enthusiastically do their best to make things better for the people of Michigan.
I am a great listener and a quick learner. When someone comes to me with a problem they are having, I seek to understand the problem and learn the details so that I can figure out a solution. Being able to listen and learn, to understand the root causes of issues, and analyze the effectiveness of different solutions, is what makes an effective policymaker.
I am a natural-born problem solver and have always loved math equations, word puzzles, and strategy games. Being able to use these skills to figure out solutions to constituent service issues and complex policy issues is a great asset when it comes to fulfilling the duties of legislating and helping constituents.
I am also driven and have a strong work ethic. When I am tasked with a tricky problem, I will keep working until I figure out a solution. Therefore, if someone comes to me with an issue, I will do everything in my power to resolve that issue and work relentlessly until the job is done.
I believe there are three main responsibilities of a state representative: The first is to listen to your constituents and community organizations and make sure their voices are being represented in state government. The second is to pass meaningful legislation to make sure that our government is responsive to the needs of our people and is adequately addressing the most pressing issues that we face. The third is to help residents in our district navigate state government by serving as a resource and solving constituent service issues.
My first real job was as a library page at the Capital Area District Library in Holt. I started the summer before my senior year of high school and worked through the school year, so I had the job for about one year before going off to college in Ann Arbor. My job was mainly to put the books back in their spot on the shelves once people return them and maintain the order of the bookshelves. Sometimes I would get to assist patrons in finding the books they were looking for and that was always the best part. Through all of the customer service jobs I've held during my college years as well, getting to directly help people has always been the best part of the job.
I am a big Parks & Rec fan, so I would want to be Leslie Knope. The characters and adventures in Pawnee would make life as a public servant very entertaining. She is also an ambitious, optimistic, and caring individual who really just wants to make life better for the people of Pawnee.
I think many of the challenges we currently face will continue to be our greatest challenges over the next decade, especially if decisive action is not taken and we keep avoiding these problems by kicking the can down the road. One major challenge is the climate crisis and protecting our environment. As the climate worsens, livelihoods in our state will be threatened as we are battered with more extreme weather events, flooding, heatwaves, and tornadoes. The prices of our energy sources will continue to rise if we do not transform our energy grid to renewable resources. Our drinking water will continue to have elevated levels of contamination if we do enact stricter regulations and work to clean up superfund sites.
Another major challenge the state will continue to face is the consequences of growing economic inequality. Families will continue to struggle if we do not address the enormous wage disparities between our working families and the one percent. More people in our community will face homelessness as housing costs continue to rise. As inflation increases, wages stagnate, and families are unable to afford their basic needs, our families will suffer the consequences. Not to mention educational outcomes will worsen and crime will rise, as more of our people face the reality of life in poverty.
Another major challenge the state will continue to face is the consequences of growing economic inequality. Families will continue to struggle if we do not address the enormous wage disparities between our working families and the one percent. More people in our community will face homelessness as housing costs continue to rise. As inflation increases, wages stagnate, and families are unable to afford their basic needs, our families will suffer the consequences. Not to mention educational outcomes will worsen and crime will rise, as more of our people face the reality of life in poverty.
Of course. It is essential to build relationships with other legislators in order to pass legislation. If we want the government to act, then we need to elect leaders who understand public policy and what it takes to push legislation forward. I will make it a priority to work with my fellow democrats to help craft legislation and earn their support to get the votes. I will also work to build relationships with Republicans, listening to their concerns and addressing those that are valid, to ensure I have enough support to send each piece of legislation to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. I will consider each policy based on its own merits and effectiveness rather than sticking to party lines, and playing politics when people’s lives are on the line.
I believe that a certain degree of compromise is often desirable for policymaking. I firmly believe more action needs to be taken by our government to address the pressing issues facing our communities. At the same time, I also believe that receiving input from diverse perspectives makes for better, more effective public policies. We should not compromise our morals and our goals, but working together to craft public policies that are considerate and nuanced helps to protect us from the unintended consequences of policymaking. In that regard, we should be willing to work with others, listen to those with different viewpoints and try to reach a compromise, without diluting the effectiveness and intent of the policy solution. Too often, however, politicians go too far and are willing to compromise to the point where the policy is no longer an effective solution and does not adequately address the issues facing our people.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
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Candidate Michigan House of Representatives District 74 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 26, 2022
Current members of the Michigan House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Matt Hall
Minority Leader:Ranjeev Puri
Representatives
District 1
Tyrone Carter (D)
District 2
Tullio Liberati (D)
District 3
Alabas Farhat (D)
District 4
Karen Whitsett (D)
District 5
Regina Weiss (D)
District 6
Natalie Price (D)
District 7
District 8
Helena Scott (D)
District 9
Joseph Tate (D)
District 10
Veronica Paiz (D)
District 11
Donavan McKinney (D)
District 12
Kimberly Edwards (D)
District 13
Mai Xiong (D)
District 14
Mike McFall (D)
District 15
Erin Byrnes (D)
District 16
Stephanie Young (D)
District 17
Laurie Pohutsky (D)
District 18
Jason Hoskins (D)
District 19
District 20
Noah Arbit (D)
District 21
Kelly Breen (D)
District 22
Matt Koleszar (D)
District 23
Jason Morgan (D)
District 24
Ranjeev Puri (D)
District 25
Peter Herzberg (D)
District 26
Dylan Wegela (D)
District 27
Rylee Linting (R)
District 28
Jamie Thompson (R)
District 29
James DeSana (R)
District 30
William Bruck (R)
District 31
Reggie Miller (D)
District 32
Jimmie Wilson (D)
District 33
Morgan Foreman (D)
District 34
District 35
Jennifer Wortz (R)
District 36
Steve Carra (R)
District 37
Brad Paquette (R)
District 38
Joey Andrews (D)
District 39
Pauline Wendzel (R)
District 40
Matt Longjohn (D)
District 41
Julie Rogers (D)
District 42
Matt Hall (R)
District 43
Rachelle Smit (R)
District 44
Steve Frisbie (R)
District 45
Sarah Lightner (R)
District 46
Kathy Schmaltz (R)
District 47
Carrie Rheingans (D)
District 48
Jennifer Conlin (D)
District 49
Ann Bollin (R)
District 50
Jason Woolford (R)
District 51
Matt Maddock (R)
District 52
Mike Harris (R)
District 53
Brenda Carter (D)
District 54
Donni Steele (R)
District 55
Mark Tisdel (R)
District 56
Sharon MacDonell (D)
District 57
Thomas Kuhn (R)
District 58
Ron Robinson (R)
District 59
Douglas Wozniak (R)
District 60
Joseph Aragona (R)
District 61
Denise Mentzer (D)
District 62
District 63
Jay DeBoyer (R)
District 64
Joseph Pavlov (R)
District 65
Jaime Greene (R)
District 66
Josh Schriver (R)
District 67
Phil Green (R)
District 68
David Martin (R)
District 69
Jasper Martus (D)
District 70
Cynthia Neeley (D)
District 71
Brian BeGole (R)
District 72
Mike Mueller (R)
District 73
Julie Brixie (D)
District 74
Kara Hope (D)
District 75
District 76
Angela Witwer (D)
District 77
Emily Dievendorf (D)
District 78
Gina Johnsen (R)
District 79
Angela Rigas (R)
District 80
Phil Skaggs (D)
District 81
Stephen Wooden (D)
District 82
Kristian Grant (D)
District 83
John Fitzgerald (D)
District 84
Carol Glanville (D)
District 85
Bradley Slagh (R)
District 86
Nancy De Boer (R)
District 87
William Snyder (D)
District 88
Greg VanWoerkom (R)
District 89
Luke Meerman (R)
District 90
Bryan Posthumus (R)
District 91
Pat Outman (R)
District 92
Jerry Neyer (R)
District 93
Tim Kelly (R)
District 94
Amos O'Neal (D)
District 95
Bill Schuette (R)
District 96
Timothy Beson (R)
District 97
Matthew Bierlein (R)
District 98
District 99
Mike Hoadley (R)
District 100
Tom Kunse (R)
District 101
Joseph Fox (R)
District 102
Curt VanderWall (R)
District 103
Betsy Coffia (D)
District 104
John Roth (R)
District 105
Ken Borton (R)
District 106
Cameron Cavitt (R)
District 107
Parker Fairbairn (R)
District 108
David Prestin (R)
District 109
Karl Bohnak (R)
District 110
Republican Party (58)
Democratic Party (52)
