Julie Plawecki


Julie Plawecki 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.

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.

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.
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. 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. 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. 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.
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, 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.

Personal life

Plawecki lived in Dearborn Heights with her husband, Mark Plawecki, where they raised their three daughters. 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.
Plawecki died on June 25, 2016 while hiking in Smith Rock State Park with her daughters.

Electoral History