Official election results from August 4 Primary

Washtenaw County has posted its official election results from the primary held on Aug. 4. Figures were not finalized until after last week’s publication.

The four local townships, as reported in our August 5, 2020 print edition, had excellent voter turnout overall. Bridgewater had 37.88% turnout; Freedom Township, with a road millage on the ballot but no contested board candidates, was highest with a 43.46% turnout. Sharon Township, with a contested Supervisor race, had 41.85% turnout. Manchester Village had 36.29% turnout and Manchester Township had 38.06%. Voter turnout in all four townships for the 2016 state primary was between 20% and 25%.

Bridgewater Township had no contested races for board candidates, and no Democratic candidates on the ticket. Laurie Fromhart, incumbent Supervisor, received 221 votes and there were four unassigned write-in votes in the Republican primary. For Township Clerk, Michelle McQueer (the current Township Treasurer) received 217 votes with two unassigned write-ins. New candidate Amy Weidmayer Ahrens, received 100% of the 216 votes cast for the position of Township Treasurer. Incumbent Republican Trustees David Faust and Geoffrey Oliver received 206 and 168 votes, respectively.

No Bridgewater Township residents ran for delegate to either the Democratic or Republican conventions.

Freedom Township also had no Democratic candidates on the ballot, but there were several unassigned write-in votes registered in the Democratic primary. Republican Larry Lindemann, a current member of the Planning Commission, received 197 votes in his bid to replace retiring Supervisor Dale Weidmayer. There were two unassigned write-ins for the Republican ticket. Incumbent Clerk Valisa Bristle also received 100% of the votes cast for her position with 202. Rudy Layher, incumbent Treasurer, also received all of the votes cast for that position, with a total of 196. And incumbent Trustees, Dennis Huehl and Daniel Schaible, received 179 and 177 votes, respectively.

Freedom Township had six Republican candidates running for Delegate to the convention, with the top five, Marc Boone (139), Donald M. Haynes (127), Alex McKay (132), Chris Scott (130), and Ken Siler (143) receiving their party’s nomination. Write in Todd Kauranen received four votes. Democrat Anne Adams received six votes to represent the township.

The Freedom Township road maintenance renewal received 344 YES votes to 124 NO votes, a 73.50% – 26.50% margin.

Manchester Township had two Democratic candidates running for election this year; both of them are currently serving on the township board. Laurie Carey, incumbent Treasurer, and John Seefeld, incumbent Trustee, received 590 out of a total of 591 votes (Carey) and 561/572 votes (Seefeld). On the Republican ticket, current Trustee Ron Milkey received 453 votes in his bid for Supervisor to replace Gene DeRossett, who is retiring. There were 4 unassigned write-in votes for the position on the Republican side, and 27 on the Democratic side. Incumbent Clerk Danell Proctor received 473 votes, with two unassigned write-ins, and newcomer Kim Thompson, who is running as a Republican to challenge Carey’s position as Treasurer, received 443 of the Republican votes cast, with only one unassigned write-in vote. Incumbent Republican Trustees Michael Fusilier and Lisa Moutinho received 421 and 293 votes, respectively, with nine unassigned write-ins. This totals only three partisan candidates for four positions on the board. However, the County website shows that two Independent candidates will also be on the November ballot: Donald E. Steele and Krista A. Jarvis. So there will be five individuals running for four positions.

Peter Knox ran for Democratic Delegate to represent Manchester Township and received 288 votes.

Sharon Township had the most hotly-contested race in the four-township area with a challenge to Incumbent Republican Supervisor Peter Psarouthakis. Fellow Republican Stephen Alber lost his bid for the position by a vote of 235-101. There were no unassigned write-ins on the Republican ticket and eight on the Democratic side. Other uncontested races in the township included incumbent Clerk, Kimberley Potocki, who received 100% of the 259 votes cast for her position. No candidate of either party, nor any candidate with no party affiliation, has yet filed for the Township Treasurer position. There were four write-ins on the Republican ticket and eight on the Democratic side. For Township Trustee, Chelsea Mikel, who had previously served as Township Clerk, will be on the ballot on the Republican Ticket, having received 244 of the 251 votes cast in that primary election. County records indicate that incumbent Trustee Trudi Cooper has filed for re-election on the November ballot with no party affiliation.

Barbara Ryan Fuller ran for Democratic Delegate to represent Sharon Township and received 114 votes, while Republican Robert Guysky received 209 votes to represent the township at the Republican Convention.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.