Q&A with the Emmet County Clerk candidates
EMMET COUNTY — This Aug. 6, voters in Emmet County will be asked to vote for their next county clerk.
The clerk's office handles a wide array of tasks, from records keeping for marriage licenses and birth certificates to overseeing elections.
Elizabeth Lohman and incumbent Suzanne Kanine are the two candidates running for the clerk position.
The News-Review invited both candidates to respond to a series of questions selected by the paper, which reserved the right to edit the responses to account for space limitations, proper use of grammar and Associated Press style guidelines.
Elizabeth Lohman
Q: Introduce yourself, including your age and profession.
A: I’m Beth (Elizabeth) Lohman, 54 years old. I served in senior leadership positions in the hospitality industry for over 25 years. I’ve been retired for two years and am now looking forward to serving our community as county clerk.
Q: Have you previously held an elected position?
A: I have successfully led large teams and complex projects with unwavering integrity and resilience. I am not a politician. I care about free, fair and secure elections.
Q: Why are you running for office?
A: The stakes have never been higher in terms of ensuring the integrity of this country’s elections, and the county clerk in Michigan is the front line in this mission. I will bring my leadership and operational prowess to build upon what was the most accessible and secure election process in Michigan history in the last presidential election.
Q: Following previous concerns regarding the validity of previous election results, how would you work to ensure safe election results?
A: The State of Michigan has the most decentralized election process in the nation, with the county clerk acting as the Chief Election Officer for its jurisdiction. I will expand and ensure the integrity, transparency, accessibility and security of elections in Emmet County in a non-partisan and inclusive capacity.
Q: Do you have any plans or strategies to help encourage voter registration and turnout?
A: I believe that exercising our right to vote is the most powerful right that we as citizens have, and I will leverage my platform as county clerk to empower and encourage every voter to make their voice heard.
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Suzanne Kanine
Q: Introduce yourself, including your age and profession.
A: My name is Suzanne Kanine. I am 40 years old and I am the currently elected Emmet County Clerk. I have lived in Emmet County for the last 14 years with my husband and three children. Prior to being appointed as the county clerk, I worked in the clerk's office for five years as a vital records and customer service clerk. I also have management experience in the private sector and have 16 years of service in the Air National Guard. In my free time, I enjoy being active in the outdoors and watching my children play sports.
Q: Have you previously held an elected position?
A: I was appointed as the Emmet County Clerk in 2019 by the Honorable Judge Charles Johnson and elected by the voters of Emmet County in 2020.
Q: Why are you running for office?
A: I am running for re-election because I truly enjoy serving the citizens of Emmet County as their county clerk. Not only do I have the privilege of overseeing the election process locally to ensure compliance with the law, my office can help to obtain birth, death and marriage certificates, and issue CPL's and business licenses. The clerk’s office is also a crucial part of the civil and criminal judicial process in Emmet County.
Q: Following previous concerns regarding the validity of previous election results, how would you work to ensure safe election results?
A: Understanding the intricacies and details of election administration is crucial to ensuring accurate elections. Attending conferences and training allows me to stay current on changes and uniformity in Michigan's election process. Over the last five years I have built trustworthy relationships with all of Emmet County's city and township clerks and work closely with them to ensure all processes are administered completely, correctly and with integrity. I encourage citizens to attend accuracy testing prior to elections, and audits following elections. In addition, the County Board of Canvasser meetings are open to the public. After administering the 2020 and 2022 elections, and implementing Proposal 22-2, I am confident that Emmet County's elections are safe, secure and accurate.
Q: Do you have any plans or strategies to help encourage voter registration and turnout?
A: I have participated in multiple community events educating the public on their voting options and eligibility.
— Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Q&A with the Emmet County Clerk candidates in August primary
