(SANILAC COUNTY) — Twenty-five percent of the registered voters in Sanilac County went to the polls in Tuesday’s Primary that featured a three-way race for the Republican nomination for 83rd District State Representative. The winner was Shane Hernandez who defeated challengers Matt Muxlow and Justin Faber. Hernandez had a total of 5,355 votes while Muxlow received 3,548 and Faber garnered 2,826. Hernandez will face Democrat Jim Frank in the November General Election. The 83rd District covers Sanilac County and the city of Port Huron and two townships in St. Clair County.
Sanilac County Drain Commissioner Greg Alexander was returned to office for a third-term, defeating challenger Bernie Hawk. Alexander had 3,919 votes while Hawk received 2,331.
State Representative Paul Muxlow, who is term-limited, was the Republican winner in the race for 5th District Sanilac County Commissioner to succeed Donnie Hunt, who is retiring. Muxlow received 539 votes, defeating Joseph Reusser who had 338, and Christine Lee who had 300 votes. Muxlow will face Democrat Richard Partlo in the General Election. District 3 Commissioner John Hoffman survived a scare from challenger Joseph O’Mara. Hoffman defeated O’Mara with 609 to 545 votes.
Two controversial ordinances involving wind turbines were turned down by voters in Bridgehampton and Marion Townships. In Marion Township, voters defeated a proposal to expand the township’s wind zoning district by a margin of 228 to 185. In Bridgehampton Township, the zoning ordinance amendment was turned down with 103 no votes and 91 yes votes.
Sanilac County voters were in a generous mood Tuesday, as two countywide millage proposals, nine township issues and a school millage proposal were approved. Over seventy-five percent of the county voters said yes to the library and senior services millage issues. Voters in the Carsonville-Port Sanilac School District approved .75-mills for 4-years to establish a building and site sinking fund. The levy of $105,000 annually received 497 yes votes and 302 no votes. A millage renewal request for the Aitken Library in Croswell was also granted. Road millage issues were approved in Bridgehampton, Custer, Evergreen, Flynn, Fremont, Lamotte, Speaker, and Watertown Townships. In Marlette Township, a fire protection services millage proposal was passed by 2 to 1 margin.
(HURON COUNTY) — Voters in Huron County went to the polls Tuesday and re-elected incumbent Sheriff Kelly Hanson, who defeated his challenger Jim Blaszyk with 4,101 to 707 votes. Incumbent Treasurer Debra McCollum soundly defeated Christopher Bachman with 3,493 to 1,130 votes. Voters were generous passing all of the township millage requests in Huron County. In the race for District 7 County Commissioner, incumbent John Nugent defeated challenger Tony Loewe with 492 to 293 votes on the Republican ticket.
James Wencel defeated his challenger Chuck Stadler for the Democratic nomination for 84th District State Representative with 1,205 tp 746 votes. Wencel will face incumbent Republican Edward Canfield in November. The 84th District covers Huron and Tuscola counties.
In Tuscola County, incumbent Register of Deeds John Bishop defeated his challenger Dan Grimshaw with 2,579 to 2,251 votes. All three countywide proposals in Tuscola County were passed by voters Tuesday including the bridge and street improvement, primary roads and street improvement renewals, and the county recycling millage renewal. The Kingston Schools bond proposal also passed with 373 yes to 319 no votes.
(ST. CLAIR COUNTY) — All of the countywide proposals passed in St. Clair County Tuesday by wide margins, including the Drug Task Force tax increase, and county parks and recreation, road improvement, and veteran’s affairs tax renewals. All of the township and city millages passed in St. Clair County Tuesday, as well. Voters narrowly approved Port Huron Schools’ $105.9 million bond proposal Tuesday. Just over 50 percent of the ballots cast were in favor of the bond proposal.
(LAPEER COUNTY) — Lapeer County Prosecutor Tim Turkelson was defeated by his challenger Michael Sharkey Tuesday on the Republican ticket. Voters went to the polls and nominated Sharkey with 7,875 votes. Turkelson garnered 4,705 votes, while former State Representative Todd Courser received 583. Sharkey will face Democrat challenger Philip Albert Fulks in November. Sheriff Ron Kalanquin was also denied another term after being defeated by his challenger Scott McKenna. McKenna received 6,261 votes, Kalanquin-5,241 and Dave Eady-2,008. Incumbent Drain Commissioner Joe Suma was the winner over his challengers Robert VanDenBerg and Pierre King. The District 5 County Commissioner seat was won by Rick Warren with 937 votes. Warren defeated Lawrence Sullivan, who garnered 735 votes. The Lapeer County Medical Care Facility Millage passed by a wide margin on Tuesday.
