Here's what's on your ballot for the general November election

BRANCH COUNTY — Voters in Michigan will have full ballots in the November 2022 midterm election. Ballots will include statewide, congressional, municipal and school board positions, along with a handful of statewide proposals.

Here's a rundown of candidates and topics on the ballot in the Coldwater area Tuesday, Nov. 8. To view your sample ballot, visit michigan.gov/sos/elections.

Statewide and Congressional

A trio of prominent statewide offices — governor, attorney general and secretary of state — will be on November’s ballot.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, is seeking a second term. She faces Republican Tudor Dixon, who emerged from a crowded primary in August. Third party candidates include Mary Buzema (Libertarian), Donna Brandenburg (U.S. Taxpayers), Kevin Hogan (Green) and Daryl Simpson (Natural Law).

Democrat Dana Nessel is seeking reelection as attorney general against Republican Matthew DePerno. Joseph McHugh Jr. (Libertarian) and Gerald Van Sickle (U.S. Taxpayers) are running as well.

Candidates for secretary of state are Democrat Jocelyn Benson, Republican Kristina Karamo, Libertarian Gregory Stempfle, Christine Schwartz of U.S. Taxpayers and Larry Hutchinson Jr. from the Green Party.

Voters in St. Joseph County will vote in Michigan’s 5th Congressional District. Candidates are Bart Goldberg (Democrat), Tim Walberg (Republican), Norman M. Peterson (Libertarian), and Ezra Scott (U.S. Taxpayers).

Three statewide proposals to amend the state’s constitution will also be decided in November.

November 8 ballot To View what is on your ballot in Branch County,

Proposal 22-1 aims to change the state’s term limits. If adopted, the proposal will limit state legislators to 12 years of service, which can be served entirely in either the state house or senate, or in a combination of both. The proposal also adds financial disclosure requirements for legislators, the governor, secretary of state, attorney general and lieutenant governor.

Proposal 22-2 deals with voting laws. If approved, the constitutional amendment would add nine days of in-person early voting, allow voters to verify their identity with photo ID or a signed statement, allow voters to use a single application to vote absentee in all elections, require state-funded absentee-ballot drop boxes and postage for absentee applications and ballots, make it so post-election audits may only be conducted by election officials, require military or overseas ballots to be counted if postmarked by election day — and more.

The final proposal, Proposal 22-3, deals with reproductive rights. It would add a constitutional amendment to “establish new individual right to reproductive freedom” for all decisions about pregnancy including childbirth, abortion, postpartum care, contraception, prenatal care and infertility. It would also invalidate state laws conflicting with the amendment.

More: Michigan's Proposal 1 would change term limits, require financial disclosure for lawmakers

More: The abortion rights amendment made Michigan's ballot. Here's exactly what it says

Voters will also choose two members of the state board of education, two regents of the University of Michigan, two trustees for Michigan State University and two governors of Wayne State University.

Congressional election

Incumbent Republican Congressman Tim Walberg faces Democrat attorney Bart Goldberg from New Buffalo for Michigan's new 5th Congressional District, which stretches from Lake Erie to Lake Michigan across the state's southern border.

Legislative races

Republican Jonathan Lindsey of Hillsdale County faces Democrat Scott Starr of Coldwater in the newly apportioned 17th state senate district in the southwest border area of the state. The district is over 80% registered Republican.

Incumbent state representative attorney Andrew Fink will face Democrat Steve Meckley, a Somerset Township trustee for House District 35, Branch, and Hillsdale Counties.

Judicial Races

A handful of spots on the bench will be contested in statewide races. Two seats on the Michigan Supreme Court are up for election, with incumbents Richard Bernstein and Brian Zahra facing Kyra Bolden of Southfield, Paul Hudson of Kalamazoo and Kerry Lee Morgan of Redford.

Except for legislative, statewide, a congressional race, and constitutional issues, there is only one Branch county-wide vote on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Millages

In September, by a 3-2 vote, Branch County Commissioners decided to let voters decide on a proposal to assess .99 mills on county property for five years to pay for the operation, maintenance and capital costs for the Maple Lawn Medical Care Facility.

Administrator Jane Sabaitis of the county-owned nursing home said funds were needed after the state said it overpaid Medicaid payments for 2019, 2020, and 2020. It wanted Maple Lawn to return $874,976.96.

With fewer clients due to short staffing during and after COVID-19, Sabaitis needed the money to guarantee payroll and operating costs.

Maple Lawn applied last week for $3.6 million in Employee Retention Credits from the federal government. That might take over a year to collect.

Maple Lawn was formed in the 1950s when Branch County had no nursing facilities. There are now two private ones, The Laurel's and Drew's Place, which receive no government funding except for Medicaid payments like Maple Lawn.

County treasurer Steve Rutz said the $1.6 million the .99 mills would raise must be collected even if no longer needed in the future.

Gilead Township voters are asked to return the township millage to 1.1 mils. Since 2016 the Headlee Amendment reduced it to .7247 mils.

County commission

Incumbent County Commissioner Jon Houtz, a Republican, will face Chris Boger in the November general election for the new District 2 seat. Boger, the Executive Director of Branch County Gay Pride, qualified as a Democrat.District 2 is Girard and Coldwater townships and includes Ward 3 in Coldwater.

School boards

Bronson is the one Branch County school district with contested seats listed on the ballot.

Six Bronson candidates are on the ballot for two six-year terms: Frank Barker, Janet Byler, Brian Eley, Jordon Houtz, Jennifer Krontz, and William Rinehart.

One partial-term seat is also open, and so far, there are two write-ins filed with the county clerk: Jose D. Albarran and Chad M. Everett.

The write-in deadline for the November ballot is 4 p.m. on Oct. 28.

Municipal election

The only municipal race with opposition is in Union City. Long-time village council president Bill Avery is challenged by village trustee Jim Hurley, a retired state trooper.

All other qualified candidates for municipal and township offices have no opposition.

— Mitchell Boatman of the Holland Sentinel contributed to this story. Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DReidTDR.

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Here's what's on your ballot for the 2022 general November election