Mackinac County Election Results

St Ignace News – Results are in for many of the races in the Tuesday, November 3, general election.

In Mackinac County, Republican candidates were clearly favored, as 2,279 voters went straight ticket Republican to 1,142 straight ticket Democrat voters.

About 69% of registered Mackinac County voters cast ballots, 6,973 of 10,173.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says state election results may not be complete until Friday, November 6, because the of the many mail-in ballots that could not be counted until election day.

Nationally and statewide, the presidential election was not decided by noon Wednesday, but Mackinac County voters gave incumbent President Donald Trump almost a 2-to-1 margin over Democratic challenger Joe Biden. In Mackinac County, voters gave Mr. Trump 62% of the vote with 4,258 to Mr. Biden’s 37% with 2,589 votes. In the 2016 general election, Mr. Trump defeated Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton 3,744 votes to 2,085.

The Michigan senate race between Republican challenger John James and Democratic incumbent Gary Peters was also undecided by noon Wednesday. In Mackinac County, Mr. James was the favorite, pulling in 4,215 votes (61%) to 2,595 votes (38%) for Senator Peters.

Republican Congressman Jack Bergman, with 96% of the precincts reporting, won his bid for a second term representing Michigan’s First Congressional District, defeating Democratic challenger Dana Ferguson, 242,082 (61.4%) to 146,234 (37.1%). In Mackinac County, Mr. Bergman collected 4,503 votes (66%) to 2,254 votes (33%) cast for Mr. Ferguson. Libertarian Ben Boren received 5,939 votes, 1.5%.

In the race for the 107th District in Michigan’s House of Representatives, Republican John Damoose defeated Democrat Jim Page, 27,466 (60%) to 17,961 (40%) with Mackinac County voters casting 4,227 (63%) ballots for Mr. Damoose and 2,463 (37%) for Mr. Page. Mr. Damoose will take over for Representative Lee Chatfield, who reached his term limit.

In the race for 11th Circuit Court Judge, Brian Rahilly defeated Zackary Sylvain, 10,110 (70%) to 4,237 (30%). In Mackinac County, Mr. Rahilly received 3,153 votes (63%) to Mr. Sylvain’s 1,819 (37%). The circuit court covers Mackinac, Luce, Schoolcraft, and Alger counties.

Beth Ann Gibson was reelected as the Judge of the 92nd District Court in an uncontested race, collecting 4,509 votes in Mackinac County and 2,265 votes in Luce County.

Statewide voting in the Michigan Supreme Court justice race was incomplete by noon Wednesday. Voters could pick two candidates. Bridget McCormack was the favorite candidate in Mackinac County voters with 2,690 votes. Mary Kelly received 1,707 votes, Brock Swartzle earned 1,440, Elizabeth Welch collected 1,383, Susan Hubbard received 790, Katherine Nepton had 447, and Kerry Morgan had 445.

County Issues and Candidates

Mackinac County voters overwhelmingly supported a ballot proposal renewing funding for veteran services, with 5,648 voters in favor and 726 against. With the proposal’s passage, services will receive 0.1 mill from 2021 to 2023. The millage is estimated to raise $108,117.71 in its first year.

Republican Craig Lehrke edged out Democrat Nora Massey in the race for Mackinac County’s only contested commissioner race. Mr. Lehrke received 711 votes to 638 for Ms. Massey in the county’s Second District.

In the other county commissioner races, which were all unopposed, Republican Jim Hill, First District, received 1,130 votes; Republican Paul Krause, Third District, received 942 votes; Republican Mike Patrick, Fourth District, got 1,001 votes, and Republican Calvin McPhee, Fifth District got 969 votes.

Republican J. Stuart Spencer will return as Mackinac County’s Prosecuting Attorney. He ran unopposed and received 4,979 votes.

Retiring Mackinac County Sheriff Scott Strait will be replaced by Republican Edward Wilk, who ran unopposed and received 5,117 votes.

Incumbent Republican Mackinac County Clerk Lori Johnston, running unopposed, received 5,147 votes.

Incumbent Republican Mackinac County Treasurer Jennifer Goudreau won her unopposed reelection bid with 5,163 votes.

Incumbent Republican Mackinac County Register of Deeds Deborah Holle received 5,085 votes and was unopposed.

In another unopposed race, Republican Tom Doty collected 5,055 votes to be reelected to the Mackinac County Road Commission.

Republican County Surveyor Jeffrey Davis, unopposed, received 5,084 votes.

Township Results

At Brevort Township, Republican Edward Serwach, uncontested for township supervisor, received 232 votes.

Democrat Kaye Matelski will be the Brevort Township clerk. She and Republican Shyanne Bird tied at 153 votes, but Ms. Bird moved out of the township after the deadline to withdraw from the race and is, therefore, ineligible.

Republican Brian Olsen, uncontested for Brevort Township treasurer, received 254 votes.

The two township trustee seats were also uncontested. Republican Tabatha Orr got 233 votes and Republican William Orr got 255.

In Clark Township, two township trustee seats were sought by three candidates. Republicans Sarah Patton and Patrick Schuster collected 964 and 761 votes, respectively, to beat Independent Donald Pierce Moore, who received 290 votes.

Republican Mark Clymer, uncontested for supervisor, received 997 votes.

Incumbent township clerk, Democrat Susan Rutledge, received 867 votes in an uncontested bid for reelection.

Republican Lisa Fitzgerald was not challenged in her township treasurer bid and received 989 votes.

In Garfield Township, the Fire and Ambulance Major Equipment Millage ballot question passed, with 544 votes for and 103 against. A tax of 0.5 mill will be levied through 2025 and is estimated to raise $43,104.80 in its first year.

The other township ballot question levies 1.5 mills through 2029 for the maintenance and construction of roads in the township. It passed with 472 Yes votes (73%) to 171 No votes (27%). It is estimated to raise $129,314.42 in 2021.

In the race for township treasurer, Republican Susan Butkovich’s 445 votes outpaced the 225 votes collected by Democrat Katana Freed.

Republican Donald Butkovich, uncontested for supervisor, received 554 votes.

Republican Paula Fillman was not challenged for township clerk and collected 561 votes.

The two township trustee seats were won by Republicans Clarence Ketcher, with 524 votes, and Duncan MacArthur, with 527 votes.

In Hendricks Township, a four-way race for the two available township trustee seats saw Republicans Glenda Derusha and Jeffery Dishaw victorious with 69 and 59 votes, respectively. Democrats Ken Alexander and Kenneth Collier collected 23 and 32 votes, respectively.

Democrat Howard Hood won his uncontested bid for township supervisor with 72 votes.

Democrat Laurie Collier won her uncontested bid for township clerk with 68 votes.

Democrat Cheryl Hood, uncontested for treasurer, received 72 votes.

Republican Carmen Schultz, uncontested for constable, received 82 votes.

In Hudson Township, Democrat Barbara Kerridge won her uncontested bid for clerk with 87 votes.

Democrat Jacqueline Prout won her uncontested township treasurer bid with 83 votes.

The two trustee seats were secured by Democrat Gary Derusha with 59 votes and Republican Karen Kerridge with 90 votes. There were no other candidates.

In Marquette Township, a Fire and Ambulance Services millage proposal passed with 316 voters in favor and 61 against. The proposal is for 1 mill and will run through 2025. It is estimated to raise $34,413.

A Rebuilding and Construction of County Roads millage proposal passed with 292 people in favor and 88 against. The proposal will raise 3 mills for five years and is expected to raise $103,375.

Republican Julia Kronemeyer, uncontested for supervisor, received 331 votes.

Republican Renae Leese, uncontested for township clerk, received 347 votes.

Republican Erik Taylor, uncontested for township treasurer, received 344 votes.

Republicans William Beacom, with 325 votes, and Brody Waybrant, with 310 votes, secured seats on the township board.

In Moran Township, Democrat Kristine Vallier received 486 votes in her uncontested bid for clerk.

Democrat Susan Dionne will be returning as township treasurer after receiving 458 votes in an uncontested bid.

Republicans Mark Spencer and Craig Therrian secured the township trustee seats with 437 and 465 votes, respectively.

In Newton Township, Republican Fred Burton, uncontested for supervisor, received 237 votes.

Democrat Nikki Tremblay won her bid for township clerk with 160 votes against 120 votes received by Republican Sherry Salter.

Republican Marilyn Stickland received 213 votes for township treasurer to beat Independent Samantha McNeil, who received 56 votes.

Two Republicans won seats as township trustees, Keith Keller with 225 votes and Ronald O’Neil with 201, to beat Democrat George Termblay, who had 59 votes.

In Portage Township, Republican Donald Reed beat Independent Chris Peterson in the supervisor race, 451 votes to 148.

Republican Pat MacLachlan, uncontested for clerk, received 534 votes.

Republian Andrea McKeage, uncontested for township treasurer received 549 votes.

The township’s two trustee seats were secured by Republicans Patrick Abram and Edgar Holbrook with 519 and 510 votes, respectively. There were no other candidates for the seats.

St. Ignace Township has a new supervisor, as Republican Eric Danielson earned 302 votes to unseat Democrat Stephen Campbell, who had 159 votes. Independent Lisa Powers received 48 votes.

The township’s road millage renewal proposal passed with 341 voters in favor and 132 against. The proposal will levy 2 mills for four years and is expected to raise $84,000 per year.

Democrat Sheri Oja, uncontested for township clerk, received 346 votes.

In her uncontested bid for township treasurer, Democrat Tina Massey collected 339 votes.

The two trustee seats were won by Republicans Glenn McKenzie and Allen Mitchell with 328 and 352 votes, respectively. There were no other candidates for the seats.

School Elections

Leslie Chapman secured an uncontested bid for a seat on the Engadine Consolidated Schools Board of Education, receiving 792 votes. Write-in candidate Daryl Schroeder is in line to take the second available seat, although the 41 unresolved write-in votes haven’t been officially distributed yet.

The Les Cheneaux Community Schools Board of Education will be returning two board members,  Jeffrey Cason had 852 votes and Kimberly Reid had 880 votes.

The two seats up for grabs on the Moran Township school board were taken by Paul Matelski with 380 votes and Nicole Rickley with 403 votes. There were no other candidates for the seats.

Jason St. Onge and Urvana Morse were reelected to seats on the Mackinac Island Public Board of Education with 330 and 347 votes, respectively. There were three spots available on the board and 12 unresolved write-in votes.

Four spots on the Pickford Public School board went to Thomas Portice with 152 votes, April Batho with 145 votes, Rebecca Crimin with 144 votes, and Melanie Greenfield with 134 votes.

The three seats on the Rudyard Area Schools Board of Education were won by Karen Sprague with 16 votes, Douglas Besteman with 15 votes, and Juanita Steikar with 13 votes.

The two St. Ignace Area Schools Board of Education seats were won by Amanda Garlock with 1,281 votes and G. Michael Emery with 1,018 votes.

Four seats on the Tahquamenon Area Schools Board of Education were open, but only only three candidates made bids. Bruce Klusmeyer received 2,549 votes, Amber Taylor had 2,342 votes, and Lawrence Vincent got 1,980. Mackinac County voters gave Mr. Klusmeyer received 316 votes, Ms. Taylor had 280 votes, and Mr. Vincent 253 votes. Voters from various precincts in Mackinac, Chippewa, Luce, and Schoolcraft counties decide the board.

Tahquamenon Area Schools also was granted its school operations millage, 2,775 to 1,594, with 321 in Mackinac County voting in favor and 269 voting against. The proposal is to renew 18 mills on non-homestead properties for the next five years. It is estimated to raise $3,214,007 in the first year. Votes in this race also came from Mackinac, Chippewa, Luce, and Schoolcraft counties.