2023 Oakland County election results: Ferndale elects first Black mayor

Voters across Oakland County turned out Tuesday to choose the decision-makers in their city halls. Here are key results:

Berkley

The race for Berkley City Council had added interest because an African American candidate, Clarence Black, hoped to become Berkley's first Black councilmember — and he did. Black was one of three elected. He received 2,101 votes (25.75%). Also elected were Ross Gavin with 2,282 votes (27.96%) and Greg Patterson with 2,220 (27.27%). Berkley is 88% white and only 7% Black or multiracial, according to SEMCOG. Failing to make the cut was appointed incumbent Michael Dooley, who gained his seat last year when the council filled a vacancy. Mayor Bridget Dean was reelected after running unopposed.

Birmingham

Voters in Birmingham expected no big surprises when they chose four city commissioners from just four on their ballots, although some residents might note that incumbent Commissioner Brad Host, with 3,033 votes (27.78%), polled more than any other candidate, including current Mayor Therese Longe, who received 2,841 votes (26.02%). Of significant interest to seniors was the millage proposal for the city to add a 0.33 mill property tax over three years through July 1, 2027. It will allow the city to refurbish the Birmingham YMCA, which will continue as a Y but become a shared private-public center for seniors as well. The millage passed with an overwhelming "Yes" vote (69.04%), receiving 3,492 votes; "No" votes totaled 1,566 (30.96%).

Wayne County: Hamtramck council to remain the only all-Muslim council in U.S. as LGBTQ+ candidate loses

Clawson

Paula Millan was reelected to a second term after she received 1,767 votes (63.88%), besting former Clawson school board president Andrea Hodges, who drew 990 votes (35.79%). Down ballot, there were five candidates seeking two seats on the city council. Elected were former councilwoman Susan Moffitt with 1,381 votes (27.54%); and elected to his first term was Matt Binkowski with 1,182 (23.57%). Losing his seat on the council was incumbent Louis Samson.

Ferndale

With longtime mayor and, before that, councilmember Melanie Piana stepping down, Ferndale voters chose a new mayor in a lopsided vote. Councilmember Raylon Leaks-May, who is a former member of the Ferndale school board, attracted a stunning 3,218 votes (81.10%), topping fashion marketer Sean Hurley, who received 781 votes (18.09%). Leaks-May became Ferndale’s first African American mayor in a city that is 82% white and 11% Black or multiracial, according to SEMCOG. In Ferndale’s city council race, three candidates were running for two open seats because Leaks-May ran for mayor and Councilwoman Kat Bruner James chose not to seek reelection. So, the new mayor will join two newcomers on the five-person city council. They are Donnie Johnson, who received 2,680 votes (36.07%); and Rolanda Kelley with 2,370 (31.90%), edging out Dennie Whittie by just 10 votes.

Madison Heights

Mayor Roslyn Grafstein ran unopposed but five candidates sought three seats on the city council. Four of those five were already serving on the city council, although three had lost in a previous election, then gained their seats in a city charter process for filling vacancies. Reelected Tuesday was incumbent Councilwoman Emily Rohrbach, who received 2,342 votes (27.76%). Elected with her was Quinn Wright, the city's first Black council member, with 2,126 votes (25.2%); and Sean Fleming, a U.S. Army veteran, who drew 1,837 votes (21.78%). Both Wright and Fleming already had been serving on the council for about a year. Madison Heights is 76% white and 13% Black or multicultural, according to SEMCOG.

Macomb County: Warren voters elect state Rep. Lori Stone as mayor, per unofficial city results

Novi

Voters chose their first new mayor since 2011 when they elected Bob Gatt, who declined to run for a seventh term. City Councilman Justin Fischer, who was elected in 2019 and who also served on the council from 2009 to 2014, was elected with 7,225 votes (57.27%), besting Aaron Martinez, a lawyer who has served as a legislative assistant in Lansing. Martinez received 5,376 votes (42.62%). Residents also elect three city council members from a field of six candidates that included two incumbents and four newcomers. Elected were newcomer Matt Heintz, incumbent Laura Casey and incumbent David Staudt, each garnering between 18% and 19% of the votes cast.

Royal Oak

Michael Fournier, who has been mayor since 2016 and on the city commission since 2011, was reelected mayor with 9,064 votes (58.17%), defeating Trish Oliver with 6,477 votes (41.57%). In the race for other seats on the city commission, six candidates were seeking three seats, two of which were open following the recent death on Aug. 22 of longtime commission member Patricia Paruch and the decision by Commissioner Kyle DuBuc not to run again. Voters defeated Oliver's slate of three candidates (Peter Ferenczy, Kathie Grant and Wade Sutton, all newcomers). The Fournier slate was elected: incumbent Councilwoman Monica Hunt with 20.68%, and newcomers Rebecca Cheezum (19.92%) and Amanda Herzog (20.68%). Royal Oak voters only narrowly approved two charter proposals, each strongly opposed by mayoral challenger Oliver and her slate, and each receiving less than 51% but still a majority of votes. Proposal A renewed the city's 2.5-mill road millage that would've expired in December. The renewed millage is for 10 years. Proposal B lets the city use ranked-choice voting, as passed in other cities such as Ferndale and Ann Arbor, when state law allows that form of voting.

Marijuana: Vote rejects pot sales in Grosse Pointe Park, Keego Harbor, Rochester; lean no in Birmingham

Troy

Mayor Ethan Baker ran unopposed while seven candidates sought three seats on the city council. Two incumbents ran while City Councilwoman Edna Abrahim declined to seek reelection, creating an open seat in the race for council. Elected were incumbents Theresa Brooks (23.50%) and Ann Erickson Gault (21.47%). Also joining the council is Mark Gunn (15.22%), who squeaked by newcomer Hirak Chanda (15.11%).

Contact Bill Laytner: blaitner@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2023 Oakland County election results: Ferndale elects 1st Black mayor