General Election 2022 Ballot Primer

HARRISON – As the Nov. 8 General Election approaches, campaign signs can be seen on lawns and along roadways across the county. And that can be considered a positive thing, because it means there are citizens with not only the desire to serve their neighbors, but also that they are possessed of a conviction that they can do that job effectively.

Following is the list of contenders seeking the approval of Clare County’s voters at the state, county and township level:

Michigan Governor/Lt. Governor: Gretchen Whitmer/Garlin D. Gilchrist II (D), Tudor M. Dixon/Shane Hernandez (R), Mary Buzuma/Brian Ellison (L), Donna Brandenburg/Mellissa Carone (U.S. Taxpayers), Kevin Hogan/Destiny Clayton (Green), and Daryl M. Simpson/Doug Dern (Natural Law)

Secretary of State: Jocelyn Benson (D), Kristina Elaine Karamo (R), Gregory Scott Stempfle (L), Christine C. Schwartz (UST), and Larry James Hutchinson Jr. (Green)

Attorney General: Dana Nessel (D), Matthew DePerno (R), Joseph W. McHugh Jr. (L), and Gerald T. Van Sickle (UST)

U.S. Representative 2^nd District:  Jerry Hilliard (D), John Moolenaar (R), and Nathan Hewer (L)

State Senator 34^th District: Christine Gerace (D), Roger Hauck (R), and Becky McDonald (UST).

State Representative 99^th District: Kenneth A. Kish (D) and Mike Hoadley (R).

State Representative 100^th District: Nate Bailey (D), Tom Kunse (R) and Nathan Hewer (L). 

On the county level, candidates will include:

Road Commissioners Merle Harmon (R) and Max Schunk (R) running unopposed.

County Commissioners: District 5 Sandra Bristol (D) and David Hoefling (R), and District 9 Tom Koch (D) and Rick Fancon (R). Running unopposed will be District 1 Marlene M. Housler (R), District 2 Dale Majewski (R), District 3 Samantha Pitchford (R), District 6 Jack Kleinhardt (R), District 4 Jeff Haskell (R), District 7 Gabe Ambrozaitis (R), and District 8 George Gilmore (R).

 Township officers vying for votes will include:

Freeman Township Clerk: Cindy LaFave (R) and Brenda Blain (NPA)

Village of Farwell Office of President: Tracey L. Coker Jackson and Linda D. Williams.

Village of Farwell Trustee: (4-year term) Shawn Berger, Allen Brewer, Marvin Frayer, Gina Hamilton, Jeff Linton, Victoria Williams and Keri Wonsey, vying for three seats.

ran mostly unopposed, with the exception of Grant Township Trustee, where Linda Gilmore (R) won over Karl W. Randall (R). Running unopposed for township offices will be: Freeman Township-Clerk Cindy LaFave (R) and Brenda Blain (NPA); Greenwood Township Treasurer-Donald L. Warner (R); Hamilton Township Clerk-Valdine Erskine (R); Redding Township Clerk-Susan L. Brower (R); and Summerfield Township Treasurer-Sherilene Levy (R)

Running for three Harrison City Council Member at Large seats are Jason Blackledge, Philip R. Duggan, Mick Haley, Angela J. Kellogg, Michael William Lenning, and Dustin L. Marshall.

Clare County is served by multiple school districts, some of which are based in other counties. Local School Board candidates in competitive races include:

Clare: (4-year term) Ben Browning, Loren Lee Cole, Kelly Luplow and John Miller, vying for three seats.

Evart: (6-year term) Todd Bruggema, Tammy Dellar, Rosie McKinstry, Kelly L. Millen and Mark Moody, vying for two seats

Gladwin: (6-year term) Patrick Crowley, Anne Edick, Chris Pellerito, Beverley Seres and Sheila Tenwalde, vying for two seats; (Partial term ending Dec. 31, 2024) Lacey Dennings, Sasha Loomis and Casey Ross vying for one seat.

Harrison: (6-year term) Kendra Durga, Tori Loafman, Brian K. Noel, Roger Peterson, Chelsea Roland and Carrie Whitaker, vying to fill two seats

The Mid Michigan College Board of Trustees has three candidates running unopposed for three seats. An additional two candidates, Karl Hauser and Michael W. Jankoviak, are vying for the Board of Trustees partial term ending Dec. 31, 2024.

Proposal 22-1: A Proposal to Amend the State Constitution to Require Annual Public Financial Disclosure Reports by Legislators and other State Officers and Change State Legislator Term Limit to 12 total years in Legislature

This proposed constitutional amendment would:

-Require members of legislature, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general file annual public financial disclosure reports after 2023, including assets, liabilities, income sources, future employment agreements, gifts, travel reimbursements, and positions held in organizations except religious, social, and political organizations.

-Require legislature implement but not limit or restrict reporting requirements.

-Replace current term limits for state representatives and state senators with a 12-year total limit in any combination between house and senate, except a person elected to senate in 2022 may be elected the number of times allowed when that person became a candidate.

Should this proposal be adopted?

Proposal 22-2: A Proposal to Amend the State Constitution to Add Provisions Regarding Elections

This proposed constitutional amendment would:

-Recognize fundamental right to vote without harassing conduct;

-Require military or overseas ballots be counted if postmarked by election day;

-Provide voter right to verify identity with photo ID or signed statement;

-Provide voter right to single application to vote absentee in all elections;

-Require state-funded absentee-ballot drop boxes, and postage for absentee applications and ballots;

-Provide that only election officials may conduct post-election audits;

-Require nine days of early in-person voting;

-Allow donations to fund elections, which must be disclosed;

-Require canvass boards certify election results based only on the official records of votes cast.

 Should this proposal be adopted?

Proposal 22-3: A Proposal to Amend the State Constitution to Establish New Individual Right to Reproductive Freedom, Including Right to Make All Decisions About Pregnancy and Abortion; Allow State to Regulate Abortion in Some Cases; and Forbid Prosecution of Individuals Exercising Established Right

This proposed constitutional amendment would:

-Establish new individual right to reproductive freedom, including right to make and carry out all decisions about pregnancy, such as prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion, miscarriage management, and infertility;

-Allow state to regulate abortion after fetal viability, but not prohibit if medically needed to protect a patient’s life or physical or mental health;

-Forbid state discrimination in enforcement of this right; prohibit prosecution of an individual, or a person helping a pregnant individual, for exercising rights established by this amendment;

-Invalidate state laws conflicting with this amendment.

Should this proposal be adopted?

There are several school operating millage proposals on the ballot which would allow the school district to continue to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its full revenue per pupil foundation allowance and restores millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963.

Clare: Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Clare Public Schools, Clare and Isabella Counties, Michigan, be renewed by 17.982 mills ($17.982 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 4 years, 2023 to 2026, inclusive, and also be increased by .018 mill ($0.018 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 4 years, 2023 to 2026, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2023 is approximately $2,127,249 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2022 levy and a restoration of millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the “Headlee” amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1963)?

Farwell: Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Farwell Area Schools, Clare and Isabella Counties, Michigan, be renewed by 17.6546 mills ($17.6546 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 4 years, 2023 to 2026, inclusive, and also be increased by .3454 mill ($0.3454 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 4 years, 2023 to 2026, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2023 is approximately $4,488,998 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2022 levy and a restoration of millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the “Headlee” amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1963)?

Harrison: Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Harrison Community Schools, Clare and Gladwin Counties, Michigan, be renewed by 17.6524 mills ($17.6524 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 4 years, 2023 to 2026, inclusive, and also be increased by .3476 mill ($0.3476 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 4 years, 2023 to 2026, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2023 is approximately $4,434,219 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2022 levy and a restoration of millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the “Headlee” amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1963)?

Winterfield Road Improvement Proposal (Millage Renewal)

Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution on general ad valorem taxes within Winterfield Township be renewed at 2.00000 mills ($2 per $1,000 of taxable value) for the period of 2023 through 2026 inclusive for road improvements within Winterfield Township; and shall the Township levy such renewal in millage for said purpose, thereby raising in the first year and estimated $122,683.69.