Lawrence Kestenbaum

Infobox Person
name = Lawrence Kestenbaum


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birth_date = September 13, 1955
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known_for = "The Political Graveyard"
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occupation = Politician
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title = Washtenaw County Clerk/Register of Deeds
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term = 2004 - Present
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party = Democratic
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religion = Jewish (reform)
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website = [http://potifos.com/ Kestenbaum's personal website]
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Lawrence Kestenbaum (born September 13, 1955) is an attorney, politician, and the creator and webmaster of the "The Political Graveyard" website. [cite news | last = Leibovich | first = Mark | coauthors = | title = Hitting a Self-Destruct Button | work = | pages = | language = | publisher = New York Times | date = 2006-10-01 | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/01/weekinreview/01leib.html?_r=1&oref=slogin | accessdate = 2008-06-14]

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.

In 1973, he graduated from East Lansing High School. He received a bachelors degree in economics from Michigan State University, followed by a Juris Doctor from Wayne State University in 1982. He later studied historic preservation at Cornell University.

Academic career

Kestenbaum was an analyst and computer lab director for Michigan State University, later becoming an academic specialist there. It was during this time that he created "The Political Graveyard" in 1996. He was later on staff at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, and has taught historic preservation law at Eastern Michigan University.

Political career

Kestenbaum is a Democrat. He served as a county commissioner in Ingham County, Michigan (1983-88) and Washtenaw County, Michigan (2000-02). In 2004, he was elected as the Washtenaw County Clerk/Register of Deeds, the first Democrat in that position in 72 years. [ [http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/clerk_register/index_html Washtenaw County Government, Clerk/Register of Deeds] , retrieved 2008-09-18]

Personal life

Kestenbaum is married to Janice Gutfreund and they have one child. He and his wife are active members in Reform Judaism Temple Beth Emeth in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

References

External links

* [http://potifos.com/ Kestenbaum's personal website]
* [http://www.politicalgraveyard.com Political Graveyard website]
* [http://kestenbaumcampaign.com/ Campaign website]
* [http://www.homelessdave.com/tt20060126lkestenbaum.htm Interview with Kestenbaum]
* [http://arborwiki.org/city/Larry_Kestenbaum Larry Kestenbaum] page on Arborwiki