Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By LARRY HOLCOMBE
As a much anticipated midterm general election arrives Tuesday, Gogebic County voters will see a ballot full of federal, state and local candidates and a variety of proposals in various jurisdictions.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Statewide, voters in Michigan will select a new governor, secretary of state and attorney general.
Current attorney general, Republican Bill Schutte is running for governor, facing Democrat Gretchen Whitmer, a former leader of her party in the state senate. Other candidates for governor include: Bill Gelineau of the Libertarian Party; Todd Schleiger, U.S. Taxpayers Party; Jennifer Kurland, Green Party; and Keith Butkovich, Natural Law Party.
Running for secretary of state are Republican Mary Treder Lang, Democrat Jocelyn Benson, Libertarian Gregory Stempfle and Robert Gale of the U.S. Taxpayers Party.
Democrat Dana Nessel and Republican Tom Leonard are the major party candidates for attorney general. Others on the ballot include Lisa Lane Giola, Libertarian; Gerald Van Sickle, U.S. Taxpayers; and Chris Graveline has no party affiliation.
Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, Republican Secretary of State Ruth Johnson and Schutte are all unable to run again for their offices due to term limits.
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat and Michigan’s senior senator, is running for her fourth term in the U.S. Senate. She is facing opposition from Republican John James; as well as George Hoffman III, U.S. Taxpayers; Marcia Squier, Green; and John Wihelm, Natural Law.
Regional offices
First term Congressman, Republican U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, of Watersmeet, is running for re-election against Democrat Matthew Morgan of Traverse City. Michigan’s First Congressional District includes the entire Upper Peninsula and 16 more counties in northern Lower Michigan, making it the second largest congressional district east of the Mississippi River.
Michigan state Rep. Scott Dianda, of the 110th District and a Democrat from Calumet, is running for the 38th District of the state Senate against Republican state Rep. Ed McBroom of Vulcan and the 108th District, and Wade Roberts of the Green Party.
Hancock Republican Gregory Markanen and L’Anse Democrat Ken Summers are running for the 110th state house seat.
Statewide proposals
There are three proposals on the statewide ballot.
Proposal l asks if it should be legal to possess, use and cultivate marijuana products by those 21 years of age and older, and commercial sales of marijuana through state-licensed retailers.
Proposal 2 asks to amend the state constitution to establish a commission of citizens to adopt district boundaries for the Michigan state senate and state house, as well as the state’s U.S. Congressional districts every 10 years.
Proposal 3 would make voter registration automatic for those applying for, or renewing, a driver’s license unless the person declines, allow absent voter ballots without providing a reason and allow voters to cast a straight-ticket vote for all candidates of a particular party when voting in a partisan election.
Countywide
Bessemer attorney Anna Talaska and Gogebic County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Tracie Wittla are running for probate judge. This is a non-partisan election. Current Probate Judge Joel Massie is retiring. Talaska and Wittla were the top vote getters in the August primary.
Also on the countywide ballot is a proposal to levy 1 mill for ambulance service annually for a period of three years. According to the ballot this would raise more than $500,000 annually, intended to fund an ambulance service for the county.
Seven Democrats are running unopposed to represent their respective districts on the Gogebic County Board, including newcomers Jim Byrns of Ironwood’s District 3 and Joann Balduc, of Bessemer Township, representing District 4, which encompasses Erwin Township and parts of Bessemer Township and the city of Ironwood. Byrns will replace Jim Oliver, while Balduc will become the first woman to serve on the county board, replacing Jeff Wasley, of Erwin Township.
The other five commissioners running for re-election include: Dan Siirila, District 1, Ironwood Township; Tom Laabs, District 2, Ironwood; Joe Bonovetz, District 5, Bessemer and Bessemer Township; Bob Orlich, District 6, Wakefield and Wakefield Township; and George Peterson III, District 7, Watersmeet Township and Marenisco Township.
County Treasurer Lisa Hewitt is running unopposed to fill a partial term for her office which will expire Dec. 31, 2020. She was appointed to her position in November 2017.
Bessemer
Voters in the city of Bessemer will find three proposals.
Proposal 1 will make the time one must be a resident in order to serve as a city elected official one year instead of two. Proposal 2 raises the minimum price for which the city council can sell a piece of property without asking the voters from $2 per capita to $50 per capita. With a population of 1,905 in the 2010 census, the minimum would go from $3,810 to $95,250. Proposal 3 asks for permission to sell three lots in the Industrial Park for up to $10,000 each.
Bessemer School
Voters in the Bessemer Area School District are asked to approve a Headlee Amendment override, allowing the collection of up to 18 mills on non-homestead property. This is a renewal.
There are also two races for school board. Incumbents Annette Lillie and Beth Steiger, as well as Bill McDonald and Tara Grahm are competing for three spots. They are full four-year terms. Additionally, incumbents Robert Berg and Richard J. Matrella are running to fill two partial terms that will end Dec. 31, 2020.
Ironwood School
There are five candidates running for four open seats on the Ironwood Area Schools Board of Education. Candidates include incumbents Brenda Agee, Caroline Delich, Marilyn Nezworski and Edward Rickard, as well as newcomer Clancey Byrne.
Elsewhere locally
Ironwood Township voters are asked to renew 1 mill for road maintenance.
In Bessemer Township, treasurer Lisa Hegbloom is running unopposed to fill a partial term as treasurer to Nov. 20, 2020.
There for four incumbents running unopposed for four seats on the Wakefield-Marenisco School Board. They are Brad Dalbec, Stacie Rooni, Marsha Vestich and Brandon Yuchasz.
In Watersmeet, incumbent Albert J. Peterson is the only person on the ballot running for the Watersmeet Township School Board. There are four open positions.
Eric Fitting and William Malloy are running unopposed for two seats on the Gogebic Community College Board of Trustees.
Russ Bailey and Ann Wuorinen are running unopposed for two seats on the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School Board.
Also statewide
There is a non-partisan election for two seats on the State Supreme Court. Candidates include incumbents Elizabeth Clement and Kurtis Wilder, as well as Megan Cavanagh, Doug Dern, Kerry Morgan and Samuel Bagenstos.
Stephen Borrello is running unopposed for a six-year term on the state Court of Appeals District 4 based in Lansing. Fellow incumbent judge Brock Swartzle is running unopposed to fill the remainder of a term ending Jan. 1, 2023.
Voters will also find partisan races for the State Board of Education, as well as for governing boards for the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University. With up to two candidates from a wide variety of parties running for each board, voters are asked to select just two candidates for each.
