What’s on the August 4 ballot
in Lapeer and St. Clair counties
TRI-CITY AREA — Tuesday, August 4, is Election Day for local voters. They’ll head to the polls that day between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. to decide candidate contests and ballot proposals as part of the 2020 primary election.
The Tri-City Times profiled the issues and those vying for office in our pages. What follows is a round up of all the contests set to go before voters next week. Because this is a primary election, voters will only be allowed to vote on either the Republican or Democrat side of the partisan portion of the ballot. Proposals and judicial races are considered non-partisan.
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In Lapeer County, all residents will weigh in on the Lapeer County EMS millage renewal that calls for a 0.9 mill levy for a period of five years. That reflects a reduction from the current levy of one mill.
As for countywide candidate runoffs, two Democrats—Kurt Hausauer and Jerry Tkach—will vie for the chance to face incumbent 82nd District State House Rep. Gary Howell, a Republican, in November. The winner of that contest earns a two-year seat in Lansing.
Lapeer County voters will also choose someone serve a six-year term on the road commission. Dale Duckert of Imlay City is seeking another term and his challenger is Terry Jostock of Lapeer. Both are Republicans.
Republican Joe Suma of Attica is seeking another four-year term as Lapeer County Drain Commissioner. Giving him a challenge is fellow GOPer Ian Kempf of Imlay City.
John Miller is challenging Michael Sharkey’s job as Lapeer County Prosecutor. Both are Republicans.
Lapeer County voters have three candidates for one circuit judge seat to choose from– Catherine Bostick, Mike Hodges and incumbent Byron Konschuh. The top two vote getters in August move on to a runoff race in November.
Voters in Lapeer County’s District Seven will select a new county commissioner. They’ll choose between Republicans Walter Bargen of Imlay City and Bryan Zender of Almont.
At the township level, Goodland’s the only one posing ballot proposals in August. They are asking voters to consider a four year, half mill “Millage for Operation and Maintenance of Township Parks and Historical School Building;” a four year, one mill “Millage for Maintenance and Improvement of Local Roads” and a six year, .9 mill for the “Goodland Township Library Millage Proposal” which constitutes the renewal of the .8777 mills previously approved and .0223 in a new additional levy to restore funding that had been reduced by the Headlee Amendment.
There are contested races within several local townships. All of the following candidates are Republicans.
•Five are in the hunt for four seats on the Almont Township board. They include Rick Dodge, Randy Eschenburg, Gary Groesbeck, Steve Hoffa and Kim Streeter. Groesbeck, Hoffa and Streeter are incumbents.
•Austin McLellan, Al Ochadleus and Tom Tullio are in the running for Attica Township supervisor. Ochadleus is the incumbent.
•Valerie Schultz and Mary Tullio are in a two-way race for Attica Township clerk.
•Pam Mason and Mellisa Kyte are both vying for the Attica Township treasurer’s job. Mason currently holds the seat.
•Five candidates are seeking two trustee seats on the Attica Township board. They include Nancy Herpolsheimer, Richard Lacey, Diane Malczewski, Mark Ochadleus and William J. Winslow. Lacey is an incumbent.
•Justin Evans and Tina Papineau are facing off in the Dryden Township Supervisor’s race. Papineau is the incumbent.
•Sue Lowney and Heather Seidell are in the running to become Dryden Township’s next treasurer.
•There are three candidates for two trustee seats on the Dryden Township board. The field includes Carol English, Brian Hazen and Kim Klobucar. English and Klobucar are incumbents.
•Michael Bissett and Ron Cischke both want to be Goodland Township’s supervisor. Cischke currently holds the job.
•Four candidates are facing off for two trustee seats on the Goodland Twp. board. They include incumbent Michael Juip and Norm Tanis and challengers Bob Van Den Berg and Matthew Van Dyk.
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In St. Clair County, all voters will be asked to consider a four-year Road Improvement millage renewal for .25 mills and a four year Drug Investigation and Prosecution Task Force millage for .5610 mills.
Voters in the Capac Community Schools District will be asked to consider a 10 year operating millage. The request calls for renewing the current levy of 17.7 mills plus .5 mills to restore what was reduced as the result of the Headlee Amendment.
As for contested races in the Tri-City area, there are three township seats up for grabs in Mussey Township plus a two-way race for the 81st House District seat. All of the following candidates are Republicans.
•Mike Lauwers and Randy Schultz are in the running for Mussey Twp. supervisor. Lauwers in the incumbent.
•Terry Geliske and Deb Lewis are facing off for the Mussey Twp. treasurer job. Geliske is the incumbent.
•Bruce Downey, Jacob Nemecek and Monica Standel are vying for two seats as Mussey Township trustees. Downey and Standel are incumbents.
•Gary Eisen and John Mahaney’s names will appear on the ballot for the 81st District state house seat. Eisen is the incumbent. Whoever wins in August will advance to face off against Democrat Debbie Bourgois in November.
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Voters in both Lapeer and St. Clair counties will narrow the field of candidates in the 10th Congressional District race and chose who—one from each party—advances to November’s general election. The Republican field includes Shane Hernandez, Lisa McLain and Doug Slocum. The Democratic field includes Kimberly Bizon and Kelly Noland.
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An archive of primary election candidate profiles and proposal overview stories can be found on our website, www.tricitytimes-online.com.
