Charlevoix elects a new mayor and more Nov. 8 election results
CHARLEVOIX — Charlevoix County voters decided on several competitive races and community proposals in the midterm elections on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Among the contested races was the mayoral seat for the City of Charlevoix.
According to unofficial results, Lyle Gennett will be the new mayor after winning over Dennis Halverson. Gennett collected 790 votes to Halverson's 525. The previous mayor, Luther Kurtz, who has held the position for eight years, didn't run for reelection.
At the county level, there were three contested districts for the Charlevoix County Commission.
In District 1, Robert Jess (R) beat Craig Malmstrom (no party affiliate) with 1,661 votes compared to Malstrom's 607. In District 5, Scott Hankins (R) received 1,584 votes to beat Nancy Ferguson (no party affiliate), who received 1,109 votes. In district 6, Annemarie Conway (R) earned a win with 1,530 votes while write-in candidate Cheryl Potter Browe received 229.
In Charlevoix Township, Daniel Ulrich won the race for the open supervisor seat against Collin O'Brien by 536 votes to 453. Incumbent Chuck Center did not run for reelection.
Several millages were also on the ballot in Charlevoix County.
In East Jordan, a fire equipment proposal passed with 552 yes votes and 280 no votes.
The Jordan Valley EMS authority's proposal for ambulance funds passed with 1,250 yes votes compared to 564 no votes. The Charlevoix Public Schools operating millage proposal also passed, 2,907 to 2,106.
Three local school districts had competitive races for board seats.
For Charlevoix Public Schools, the top three vote-getters earned seats on the board of education. Candidates Douglas Bergmann had 3,100 votes, Jennifer Cunningham had 2,690 votes and Matthew Peterson had 2,513 votes to beat out Jeffrey Humble with 1,696 votes.
For Boyne City Public Schools, Savannah Hrenko had 1,024 votes and Jilaine Towne-Patton had 944 votes to beat out William Arno with 633 votes. The top two vote-getters earn seats on the board.
On Beaver Island, Thayer McDonough had 275 votes and Kevin Stipp had 224 votes to beat out Susan Myers with 191 votes for the two seats on the Beaver Island Community School board.
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The majority of Charlevoix County residents, along with their Northern Michigan neighbors, voted for first congressional district incumbent Republican Jack Bergman. He beat out Democratic candidate Bob Lorinser 8,726 to 5,458 in the county.
Former state representative Republican John Damoose beat Democratic candidate Barbara Conley for the 37th State Senate seat 8,487 to 5,718 in the county.
In the 107th House district, Neil Friske (R) won with 8,190 votes compared to his Democratic opponent Jodi Decker, who received 6,169 votes from county voters.
When voting for statewide races and ballot proposals, more Charlevoix County residents voted for Republican candidate Tudor Dixon than the winning incumbent Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. County voters favored Dixon 7,667 to 6,728.
In the races for secretary of state and attorney general, county voters likewise favored Republican candidates.
Kristina Karamo, who lost to Democratic candidate Jocelyn Benson in the secretary of state race, received 7,662 votes in the county, to Benson's 6,629.
More Charlevoix County residents voted for Republican attorney general candidate Matthew DePerno than Democratic candidate Dana Nessel, with 7,760 to 6,389. Nessel won the election.
In regards to the three statewide proposals this election, all which passed at the state level, Charlevoix County disagreed with Props 2 and 3. Prop 2 failed by a thin margin in the county with 7,299 voting no and 7,126 voting yes. Prop 3, which preserves women's reproductive rights, also failed at the county level with a small majority, with 7,339 voting no and 7,191 voting yes. County voters approved of Prop 1, with 7,932 yes votes and 6,440 no votes.
More election results can be found at www.charlevoixcounty.org/elections.
— Contact reporter Annie Doyle at (231) 675-0099 or adoyle@charlevoixcourier.com.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Charlevoix elects a new mayor and more Nov. 8 election results
