Election preview: Challengers face-off in multiple Charlevoix County districts
CHARLEVOIX — With the Nov. 8 general election just around the corner, Charlevoix County residents have three contested commissioner races to consider on the ballot this fall.
In District 1, which includes Hayes, Bay and Melrose townships, incumbent Charlevoix County Commissioner Robert (Bob) Jess — who ran unopposed in the Republican primaries — is being challenged by Craig Malmstrom. Malmstrom put his hat in the ring after the primaries and is running without affiliation to a political party.
Jess, 51, is a Charlevoix native and owner of Freshwater Charch, a design build firm. Malmstrom, 53, moved to Charlevoix last year and is a financial relationship banker at Charlevoix’s Huntington Bank.
In District 5 — which includes Eveline, Marion and Norwood townships and the Beaver Island townships of St. James and Peaine — incumbent Scott Hankins is running against Nancy Ferguson. Hankins ran unopposed in the Republican primaries and Ferguson will be on the ballot with no political party affiliation.
Two competitors have faced-off before for the District 5 county seat. Although Hankins is the current incumbent, Ferguson held the position for six years before losing to Hankins in 2020.
Hankins, 56, is a retired deputy chief of police for the Charlevoix Police Department and also runs Hankins Auction Service.
Ferguson, 75, is a retired public school teacher of 25 years and former Charlevoix State bank teller.
In District 6, which includes the City of Charlevoix and Charlevoix Township, Annemarie Conway, 55, is running against Cheryl Potter Browe, 71.
Despite Conway beating Browe for the commission seat nomination in the Republican primary election in August, Browe has filed as a write-in candidate for the November election.
Conway is a long-time social studies teacher at Charlevoix Middle/High School. Browe is a retired from her elected position of 10 years as the Charlevoix County clerk.
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In addition to the contested races, there are three commissioner candidates running unopposed on the November ballot. District 2 County Commissioner Chris Christensen, who ran unopposed in the primaries and serves as chair of the commission board, is up for reelection. Christensen's District 2 includes Evangeline Township and Boyne City. Pat Harmon will be on the ballot for the District 3 county commission seat, which represents the townships of Chandler, Hudson, Boyne Valley and Wilson and the Village of Boyne Falls. He ran unopposed in the primaries and will be replacing long-time commissioner Ronald Reinhardt, who chose not to run for reelection. Joshua Chamberlain, who won in the primaries against incumbent Robert Draves, is running for the District 4 county commission seat, which includes South Arm Township and the City of East Jordan.
More:Information on candidates in Charlevoix county commission primary race
More:August primary Charlevoix county commissioner candidates
To learn more...
To learn about the Charlevoix County Commission, visit www.charlevoixcounty.org.
To learn about the upcoming election on Nov. 8 and where to vote, visit www.charlevoixcounty.org/elections or call the Charlevoix County clerk's office at (231) 547-7200.
— Contact reporter Annie Doyle at (231) 675-0099 or adoyle@charlevoixcourier.com
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Challengers face-off in multiple Charlevoix County districts Nov. 8
