Several communities in the area are holding highly contested elections this cycle. They include:
(All races are Democratic Party, unless otherwise noted. In Washtenaw County, it is difficult to find one Republican for any given position, let alone two.)
The Ann Arbor Democratic Party has a list of primary candidates for the August 2012 election, complete with links to candidate web sites where available.
Washtenaw County
County Commission
The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners will see some shakeup in the 2012 elections, as the post-2010 Census redistricting process reduced the number of seats from 11 to 9. Incumbents Barbara Levin Bergman and Leah Gunn have previously announced their intent not to seek reelection.
- District 1:
- Democrats Eric Borregard v. Kent Martinez-Kratz
- Republican Rob Turner
- District 2: Republican Dan Smith (inc.)
- District 3: Republican Alicia Ping (inc.)
- District 4:
- Democrat Felicia Brabec (inc.)
- Republican Richard Conn
- District 5:
- Democrats Rolland Sizemore Jr. (inc.) v. Michael White v. Rick Roe
- Republican Richard Deitering
- District 6:
- Democrat Ronnie Peterson (inc.)
- Republican David Raaflaub
- District 7:
- Democrats Andy LaBarre defeats Christina Montague (AnnArbor.com)
- Republican David Parker
- District 8:
- Democrat Yousef Rabhi (inc.)
- Republican Joe Baublis
- District 9:
- Democrat Conan Smith (inc.)
- Republican John Floyd
Sheriff
- Jerry Clayton (inc.)
Drain Commissioner
Longtime Drain Commissioner (aka "Water Resources Commission") Janis Bobrin is not running.
Prosecuting Attorney
- Brian Mackie (inc.)
Clerk
- Larry Kestenbaum (inc.)
Treasurer
Courts
Several judicial positions are elected to 6-year, non-partisan seats.
- 22nd Circuit Court Judge: Timothy Connors (inc.) v. Michael Woodyard
- 22nd Circuit Court Judge: James A. Fink, Carol Kuhnke, Douglas G. McClure, Erane C. Washington (August 7 primary will select 2 candidates for November 6 election for this seat.)
- 14th District Court Judge: J. Cedric Simpson (inc.)
- 15th District Court Judge: Joseph F. Burke (inc.)
- Probate Court: Darlene A. O'Brien (inc.)
City of Ann Arbor
As usual, half of the Ann Arbor City Council is up for election this year, with the bonus of the Mayoral seat. As of May 12, the following candidates had filed or pulled nominating petitions.
- Mayor: John Hieftje (inc.)
- Albert Howard pulled nominating petitions as a Republican, but did not have enough qualifying signatures. He subsequently pulled petitions to run as an Independent.
- First Ward: Sumi Kailasapathy defeated Eric Sturgis. Ann Arbor Chronicle: Ward 1 City Council Race: Filling Sandi’s Seat; Democrats Sumi Kailasapathy, Eric Sturgis seek to replace Smith
- Second Ward: Sally Hart Petersen defeated Tony Derezinski (inc.)
- Third Ward: Christopher Taylor (inc.)
- Republican Albert Howard pulled petitions, but did not run.
- Fourth Ward: Margie Teall (inc.) defeated Jack Eaton.(AnnArbor.com)
- Fifth Ward: Chuck Warpehoski defeated Vivienne Armentrout. (Ann Arbor Chronicle)
- Winner will face Republican Stuart Berry in November
City of Ypsilanti
The Ypsilanti City Council elections were highly contested in the wake of the failed May 2012 Ypsilanti City Income Tax ballot question and the budgetary crisis facing the city. In the 1st and 3rd Ward, challengers Pierce and Eller came directly from the anti-tax campaign, hoping to capitalize on momentum and anti-incumbent attitudes. These two challengers each lost with 1/3 of the vote. (AnnArbor.com)
- First Ward: Lois Richardson (inc.) wins (50.9%), defeating Steve Pierce (32.9%) and Tyrone Bridges (16.2%). (Katrease Stafford)
- Second Ward: Susan Moeller wins unopposed
- Third Ward: Pete Murdock (inc.) wins (60.4%), defeating Ted Windish (6.4%) and Mike Eller (33.2%) (MarkMaynard.com)
Ypsilanti Township
A slate called Y-Town Future challenged the incumbents for most seats in the Township, but the incumbents won handily (AnnArbor.com):
Incumbents
- Supervisor: Brenda Stumbo (76.7% of votes)
- Clerk: Karen Lovejoy Roe (66.9%)
- Treasurer: Larry Doe (60.5%)
- Trustees: Jean Hall Currie, Stan Eldridge, Mike Martin, Scott Martin
Y-Town Future
- Supervisor: John H. Hoops
- Clerk: Ruth Ann Jamnick
- Treasurer: Larry Davis
- Trustees: Carlton Fields, Maria Sheler-Edwards, Sylvia Spurlock
- Park Commissioners: Gail Boyd-Palmer, Carissa Collins Watson, Monica Ross-Williams, Debbie Swanson
Pittsfield Township
Ballot Questions
- Sylvan Township voters passed a special millage - 4.4 mills - to repay the Sylvan Township Water Sewer Debt by a 480-473 vote. (AnnArbor.com)
In the news
- Ann Arbor Chronicle, 13 May 2012: Update: Washtenaw County Candidate Filings
- AnnArbor.com, 11 May 2012: More Ann Arbor City Council candidates file as Tuesday deadline approaches
Sources
- August 7, 2012 State Primary - UNOFFICIAL State & County Candidates, Washtenaw County elections