Tuesday, April 19th at 4:00 p.m. was the filing deadline for candidates to be on the August 2nd primary ballot, and the hottest competition in this area will be for the Republican nomination for the new 98th District State Representative seat that encompasses most of Sanilac and Huron counties, as well as parts of Tuscola and Bay counties.
The candidates include Greg Alexander and Joseph O’Mara, both of Carsonville, who ran unsuccessfully in the 83rd District election two years ago. Former State Representative Kurt Damrow of Pigeon is also a candidate, as well as Westley Tahash of Cass City. The winner of the primary will face Democrat Robert Mroczek of Sandusky in the November General Election.
The expansion of the Sanilac County Board of Commissioners from five to seven seats didn’t spark much competition as the filing deadline to run in the August primary passed at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Barring write-in candidates, the only competition will be for the District 3 seat, as current commissioner Gary Heberling will be opposed by former County Clerk Denise McGuire. Running for re-election is Jon Block from District 1, Roger Ballard from District 2, and Bill Sarkella from District 4. Brown City Mayor Christine Lee is the lone candidate for District 5, and retired Sanilac County Jail Administrator John Moody is unopposed for the District 7 seat. All of the candidates are Republicans with the exception of Democrat Geoff Angus who is unopposed District 6.
Current commissioner Joel Wyatt is running against incumbent Road Commissioner for a six-year term. County Clerk Leslie Hilgendorf, who was appointed by Judge Timothy Wrathell to succeed Denise McGuire who retired on December 31st of last year, is also unopposed to fill the remaining two years of her term.
