Saginaw Township View

Saginaw County voters pick Whitmer in unofficial results


Saginaw County voters mirrored the statewide trend Tuesday, picking Democrat Gretchen Whitmer for the next governor of the State of Michigan. Whitmer collected 42,714 votes to Republican Bill Schuette’s 36,308. Libertarian Bill Gelineau received 925 votes in the county. Jennifer V. Kurland of the Green Party received 465. Todd Schleiger of the U.S. Taxpayers Party received 426 votes. Keith Butkovich of the Natural Law Party received 183 votes.

In unofficial statewide votes, Whitmer received 1,787,747 votes, while Schuette had 1,670,074. Gelineau had 49,968, Kurland had 24,208, Schleiger had 21,544, and Butkovich had 8,567.

Saginaw County voters chose Democrat Jocelyn Benson as secretary of state over Republican Mary Treder Lang. Benson received 41,408 votes to Lang’s 35,661 votes. Libertarian Gregory Scott Stempfle received 1,438. Robert Gale of the U.S. Taxpayers Party received 985 votes.

Statewide, Benson received 1,737,357 to Lang’s 1,654,852. Stempfle had 71,368 and Gale had 42,121.

In the attorney general race, Republican Tom Leonard held a slim edge over Democrat Dana Nessel. Leonard received 37,749 votes in the county, while Nessel had 37,242. Libertarian Lisa Lane Gioia received 1,571 votes. Chris Graveline, with no party affiliation, received 1,469 votes. Gerald T. Van Sickle, of the U.S. Taxpayers Party, received 832 votes.

In statewide results, Leonard led on Wednesday morning, Nov. 7, with 1,720,972, while Nessel was close behind with 1,582,429. However, Leonard issued an email conceding the race and congratulating Nessel on Wednesday morning. Gioia had 74,507, Graveline had 60,887 and Van Sickle had 33,160

Democratic incumbent Debbie Stabenow out-polled Republican challenger John James in the county, receiving 41,493 votes to his 37,811. Marcia Squier of the Green Party received 667 votes. George E. Huffman III of the U.S. Taxpayers Party received 542 votes. John Howard Wilhelm of the Natural Law Party received 324 votes.

Statewide, Stabenow picked up 1,743,213 votes while James had 1,737,834. Squier collected 34,420 votes. Huffman had 23,260 votes. Wilhelm had 13,995 votes.

In the U.S. Fourth Congressional District race, Republican incumbent John Moolenaar kept his seat, collecting 178,511 votes to Democratic challenger Jerry Hilliard’s 106,539. Moolenaar received 25,391 votes in Saginaw County to 13,499 for Hilliard.

In the District 32 state senate race, Republican incumbent Ken Horn retained his seat with 62,378 districtwide. Democrat Phil Phelps received 50,077 votes. In Saginaw County, Horn had 43,472 votes to Phelps’ 36,248.

Horn said Tuesday night, “The day after the election, I’ll be driving down to Lansing and expect to roll up my sleeves and get back to work again. I’ve been to the outlying areas of the district and I know that the issues we’re facing revolve around car insurance, roads, bridges and education; what are the kids going to do when they grow up. In my first four years, in my office, we’ve answered tens of thousands of emails, telephone calls and letters. I have no intention of slowing down. The largest part of what we do is not legislation, but helping people in the district.”

In the District 94 state representative race, Republican Rodney Wakeman edged out Democrat Dave Adams. Wakeman received 23,366 votes to Adams’ 18,739.

Wakeman said, “This experience has been life-changing. It has been an absolute privilege to walk the district, meeting the great people I have. In the end, to be able to represent them is a privilege and a high honor and I will treat this with the same respect and urgency that I do with my own business.”

“It’s been overwhelming. Thanking everyone for their support; including my family. Without them, none of this would be possible,” Wakeman said.

In the statewide proposals, Saginaw County voters approved Proposal 1 to regulate marijuana like alcohol. The proposal received 42,023 yes votes to 38,379 no votes. Statewide, the measure passed with 1,943,113 in favor and 1,593,196 against.

Proposal 2, the constitutional amendment to set up a commission of citizens to adopt district boundaries received 46,843 votes in favor in the county to 31,821 against. Statewide, the measure passed with 2,067,826 yes votes to 1,386,196 no votes.

Proposal 3, the measure to streamline voter registration, received 50,791 yes votes in the county to 28,173 no votes. The measure passed statewide with 2,267,813 in favor and 1,214,009 against.

The Saginaw Intermediate School District’s proposal to establish a career and technical education center passed with 46,403 yes votes to 28,749 no votes.

In local races, Marianne C. Bird and Janice L. Collison were elected to the Saginaw Township School Board. Bird received 10,373 votes. Collison received 9,645 votes. Bradley Eichstaedt received 5,800 votes.

In the Swan Valley School Board race, Elizabeth Schrems Peters, Kevin Shanks and Jeffrey C. Whelton were elected to the board. Peters received 3,004 votes. Shanks received 2,279 votes. Whelton received 2,238 votes.

Craig J. Monahan was unopposed in the Thomas Township Board of Trustee raced. He received 4,834 votes.

In the Thomas Township Parks Commissioner race, Angela Meatte Alworden and Craig Blower were elected to two of three vacant seats. Alworden received 3,675 and Blower received 2,926. There were no other candidates, but 43 write-in votes were recorded.

In the District One County Commissioner race, Republican Kathy Dwan edged out Democrat Ruth M. Averill 4,333 votes to 3,438 votes.

In the District Two County Commissioner race, Democrat Chuck Stack received 4,932 votes. He was unopposed.

In the District Three County Commissioner race, Republican Kirk Kilpatrick received 4,570 votes to 4,364 for Democrat Terry R. Manwell.

In the District Four County Commissioner race, Democrat Sheldon Matthews received 3,763 votes to James M. Graham’s 3,003 votes.

In the District Five County Commissioner race, Republican Jim Theisen received 6,537 votes. He was unopposed.

In the District 11 County Commissioner race, Democrat Michael Webster received 4,502 votes. He was unopposed.

Watch next week’s Township View for more complete election results.

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