{{Short description|American lawyer (born 1955)}} {{Infobox officeholder | office = Washtenaw County Clerk<br>Register of Deeds | term_start = 2004 | predecessor = Peggy M. Haines | successor = | office1 = County Commissioner of Washtenaw County | term_start1 = 2000 | term_end1 = 2002 | office2 = County Commissioner of Ingham County | term_start2 = 1983 | term_end2 = 1988 | name = Lawrence Kestenbaum | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|09|13}} | birth_place = Chicago, Illinois | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | other_names = | known_for = ''The Political Graveyard'' | education = East Lansing High School<br>Cornell University | alma_mater = Michigan State University (BA)<br>Wayne State University (JD) | employer = | occupation = Politician | height = | party = Democratic | boards = | spouse = Janice Gutfreund | partner = | children = 1 | parents = | relatives = | signature = | website = [http://potifos.com/ Kestenbaum's personal website] | footnotes = }}
'''Lawrence Kestenbaum''' (born September 13, 1955) is an attorney, politician, and the creator and webmaster of ''The Political Graveyard'' website.<ref name=NYT_2006>{{cite news | last = Leibovich | first = Mark | title = Hitting a Self-Destruct Button | work = New York Times | date = 2006-10-01 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/01/weekinreview/01leib.html | access-date = 2008-06-14}}</ref><ref name=BW_2016>{{cite news |first1=Zach |last1=Hagadone |title=The Political Graveyard |url=https://www.idahopress.com/boiseweekly/bw_picks/find/the-political-graveyard/article_ee347a89-4fff-50b7-9157-22f879215bf4.html |date=November 2, 2016 |access-date=December 23, 2020 |page=30 |work=Boise Weekly}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Although he was born in Chicago, Illinois, Kestenbaum was raised in East Lansing, Michigan, where his father, Justin L. Kestenbaum, was a professor of history at Michigan State University.<ref name=AAO_2008>{{cite news |url=https://annarborobserver.com/articles/county_clerk_larry_kestenbaum.html |title=County clerk Larry Kestenbaum |first=Eve |last=Silberman |date=October 2008 |work=Ann Arbor Observer |access-date=December 23, 2020}}</ref>
In 1973, he graduated from East Lansing High School. He received a bachelor's degree in economics from Michigan State University, followed by a Juris Doctor from Wayne State University in 1982.<ref name=AAO_2008 /> He later studied historic preservation at Cornell University.<ref name=AAO_2008 />
== Academic career == Kestenbaum was an analyst and computer lab director for Michigan State University, later becoming an academic specialist there.<ref name=AAO_2008 /> It was during this time that he created ''The Political Graveyard'' in 1996.<ref name=BW_2016 /> He was later on staff at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research (ISR) Survey Research Center, and has taught historic preservation law at Eastern Michigan University.<ref name=AAO_2008 />
== Political career == Kestenbaum is a Democrat. He served as a county commissioner in Ingham County, Michigan (1983–88) and Washtenaw County, Michigan (2000–02).<ref name=AAO_2008 /><ref name=AAN_2012>{{cite news |url=http://www.annarbor.com/news/no-show-at-candidate-forum-gives-county-clerk-chance-to-reflect/ |title=No-show at candidate forum gives Washtenaw County clerk chance to reflect |first=Amy |last=Biolchini |date=October 9, 2012 |newspaper=Ann Arbor News |access-date=December 23, 2020}}</ref> In 2004, he was elected as the Washtenaw County Clerk/Register of Deeds,<ref name=BW_2016 /><ref name=AAO_2008 /><ref name=AAN_2012 /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.washtenaw.org/262/Clerk-Register-of-Deeds |title=Washtenaw County Government, Clerk/Register of Deeds |access-date=2008-09-18}}</ref> the first Democrat in that position in 72 years. He was unopposed for reelection in 2008,<ref name=AAO_2008 /><ref name=AAN_2012 /> reelected in 2012, unopposed in 2016, and reelected in 2020 and 2024.
Kestenbaum currently serves as co-chair of the Legislative Committee for the Michigan Association of County Clerks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://portal.clubrunner.ca/659/Stories/larry-kestenbaum-the-washtenaw-county-clerk-was-the-speaker-on-jan.-16th. |title=Larry Kestenbaum, The Washtenaw County Clerk |date=January 16, 2020 |publisher=Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North |access-date=December 23, 2020}}</ref>
On March 22, 2014, following a U.S. District Court ruling that Michigan's ban on same sex marriage was unconstitutional,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/21/michigan-gay-marriage-ban/6710225/ |title=Judge strikes down Michigan ban on gay marriage; state asks for a stay |first1=Tresa |last1=Baldas |first2=Elisha |last2=Anderson |first3=Bill |last3=Laitner |date=March 21, 2014 |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |access-date=22 March 2014}}</ref> Kestenbaum was one of four Michigan county clerks to open for special hours while the ruling was in effect;<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/2014/03/22/washtenaw-county-office-to-process-same-sex-marriage-licenses-saturday/ |title=Washtenaw County office to process same-sex marriage licenses Saturday |first=Will |last=Jones |date=March 22, 2014 |work =WDIV-TV |access-date=December 23, 2020}}</ref> his office issued marriage licenses to 74 gay and lesbian couples.<ref>{{cite news |title = Clerk grants marriage licenses to 74 gay couples in Washtenaw County |url = http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/03/clerk_grants_marriage_licenses.html |first=Amy |last=Biolchini |date=March 22, 2014 |newspaper = Ann Arbor News |access-date = 2014-04-03}}</ref> His office also provided fresh same-day same-sex marriage licenses within minutes of the US Supreme Court ''Obergefell'' ruling.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2015/06/26/scotus-washtenaw/29337101/ |title=Washtenaw County couple wanted to be part of history |first=Jennifer |last=Chambers |date=June 26, 2015 |newspaper=The Detroit News |access-date=December 23, 2020}}</ref>
== Personal life == Kestenbaum was married to Janice Gutfreund, and they have one child.<ref name=AAO_2008 /> He and his former wife were active members in Reform Judaism Temple Beth Emeth in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He continues to be an active member of science fiction fandom, appearing on panels at conventions such as ConFusion.
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *[http://potifos.com/ Kestenbaum's personal website] *[http://www.politicalgraveyard.com Political Graveyard website] *[http://www.homelessdave.com/tt20060126lkestenbaum.htm Interview with Kestenbaum] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20070416123335/http://www.homelessdave.com/tt20060126lkestenbaum.htm archived] on 20070416) * {{LocalWiki|ann-arbor|Larry_Kestenbaum}} * Candidate [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu0i1S_IG8Q&t=204 presentation] at League of Women Voters forum in 2020.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kestenbaum, Larry}} Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Lansing, Michigan Category:Michigan State University alumni Category:Wayne State University alumni Category:Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning alumni Category:County officials in Michigan Category:Michigan lawyers Category:Michigan Democrats Category:Politicians from Chicago Category:Lawyers from Chicago Category:21st-century American politicians Category:20th-century American lawyers Category:21st-century American lawyers Category:East Lansing High School alumni Category:20th-century Michigan politicians Category:County commissioners in Michigan