Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By PAMELA JANSSON
Gogebic County - Nearly 60 percent of registered voters participated in Tuesday's general election in Gogebic County, with 8,374 of 13,983 registered voters taking part in either early or election day voting.
Unofficial election results were posted on Tuesday evening at 11:36 p.m. by county clerk Ramona Collins. Results will not be considered official until a canvass is completed to verify the votes.
County Undersheriff Jorge Cruz, a Republican from Erwin Township, won what most people likely considered the most highly contested race as county sheriff. Cruz got 5,735 votes and 69.63% of the votes, beating out Democrat Gabe Justinak, who got 2,476 votes or 30.06%. Justinak is from Ironwood Township and works in corrections for the county jail.
Cruz, who had received widespread endorsements from other local law enforcement and governmental officials, will replace retiring Sheriff Ross Solberg.
Four new faces also will appear on the seven-member Gogebic County Board of Commissioners.
In District 3, Republican Dan Wood beat incumbent Democrat James Byrns, 547-479.
In District 6, Republican Mike Yon beat incumbent Democrat Robert Orlich, 789-264.
Winning uncontested seats as newcomers on the county board are Democrat Peter Matonich, with 828 votes in District 5, and Republican Joseph Cayer, winning 704 votes for District 2. They will replace retiring members Joseph Bonovetz and Thomas Laabs, respectively.
In District 1, incumbent Republican Daniel Siirila beat Darrin Kimbler, 753-533.
Running uncontested as incumbents on the board were Democrat James Lorenson, the board chair, who earned 633 votes for his District 4 seat, and Democrat George R. Peterson III, who earned 657 votes for District 7.
Erin Berg won 6,222 votes in her uncontested run for Gogebic County clerk. She will replace retiring clerk Collins.
Uncontested incumbents, along with their votes received, are as follows: prosecuting attorney Nick Jacobs (6,234), Probate Court Judge Anna Talaska (5,494) and treasurer Lisa Hewitt (6,241).
Proposals
Voters in all county districts were asked whether to renew tax millage as follows: Gogebic County, 6.68; Marenisco Township, 2 mills; Watersmeet Township, 1.77 mills; Bessemer Township, 1.63 mills; Wakefield Township, 1.63 mills; Erwin Township, 1 mill; and Ironwood Township (chartered).
The millage vote passed with 5,243 persons voting yes (73.92%) versus 1,850 voting no (26.08%).
Likewise, a proposal to create a sinking fund for various potential expenses at the Wakefield-Marenisco School District received 907 yes votes (68.40%) and 419 no votes (31.60%). Voters in the city and township of Wakefield and in Bessemer and Marenisco townships voted on that proposal.
Races in Education
In local and regional education races, incumbents William Malloy (3,004 votes) and Eric Fitting (3,478 votes) retained their seats on the Gogebic County College Board of Trustees. Meyer Meyer (2,983 votes) lost.
In uncontested races, Dayle Jackson (4,095 votes) and Samantha Schutz (3,817 votes) won seats on the Board of Education of the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District.
Three uncontested seats on the Ironwood Area Schools Board of Education went to incumbents Marilyn Carey (2,028 votes), Adam Graser (2,237 votes) and Amanda Sprague (2,119 votes). In addition, Michael Gotham (2,847 votes) won an uncontested partial term on the same board.
Two uncontested seats on the Bessemer Area Schools Board of Education went to incumbent and board president James Partanen (992 votes) and Brady Halvorson (973 votes). In addition, Dominic Fabbri (1,156 votes) won an uncontested partial term on the same board.
On the Wakefield-Marenisco Board of Education, three uncontested incumbents retained their seats: board chair Michelle Sorensen (777 votes), Michael Yon (899 votes) and Kimberly Zeckovich (794 votes).
On the Watersmeet Township School Board of Education, Toni Edwards-Williams (391 votes), Michelle Hazen (412 votes), Priscilla Smith (365 votes) and Lisa Rogers (364 votes) won, and Tara Pallin lost (349 votes).
Township Results
In Ironwood Township, supervisor Jay Kangas won an uncontested race with 1,025 votes.
Democrat incumbent treasurer Maria Graser beat Republican Brett Imwalle, 899-509.
Democrat Sherry King won the uncontested race for clerk with 956 votes and will replace retiring clerk Marlene Saari.
Four trustee seats were won by the four Republican candidates listed with their respective votes .: Kathy Jo Koval (917), Brenda Alli-Angus (906), Bev Michaels (778) and James J. Simmons (767). Democrats Bernard Brunello (527) and Kevin Lyons (711) lost.
No races were contested in Erwin Township, where the following candidates retained their incumbent seats: Republican supervisor Larry Grimsby (162), Democrat clerk Betty Perkis (154), Republican treasurer Roberta Nuce (168) and trustees Republican William Hellen (127) and Democrat James Anderson (146).
In Bessemer Township, incumbent supervisor Jeffery Randall, who claimed no party affiliation, beat Republican Crystal Suzik in a tight race of 313-305.
In uncontested races, Democrat Hope Tarnaski won as clerk with 434 votes, and Democrat Lisa Hegbloom won as treasurer with 440 votes.
Republican Steven Selin (437 votes) will be a new face among trustees. Republican incumbent Beverly Ikola retained her seat with 336 votes, and Democrat Susan Roberts narrowly lost with 329 votes.
Uncontested races in Wakefield Township resulted with the following incumbents retaining their seats with respective votes noted: Democrat supervisor Mandy Lake (127), Democrat clerk Jennifer Ahonen (127), Republican treasurer Denise Laessig (161) and trustees Democrat Michael Heikkila (98) and Democrat Robert Drier (151).
In Marenisco Township, Green Party candidate Robert Dorgan won as supervisor with 121 votes next to qualified write-in candidate Robert Delich with two votes. Dorgan will replace retiring supervisor Bruce Mahler.
In uncontested races among incumbents, Republican clerk Donna Kenney (327), Democrat treasurer Kathy Leonard (207) and trustees Democrat Dave Hagen (159) and Republican Kelly Dunbar (312) all retained their seats.
In Watersmeet Township, Republican Yvonne Clark beat incumbent Democrat Mike Rogers, 456-405, for his seat as supervisor.
Republican challenger Kirsten Boehm also beat Democrat incumbent clerk Julie Mathiesen, 460-385.
Democrat treasurer Paul Kemppainen was unchallenged with 551 votes.
Watersmeet trustee winners were Republicans Simon Zelinski (537) and John T. Oliver III (462), who beat Bill Neumann (229) and MaryLynn McGeshick (211), who both claimed no party affiliation.
