Stories indexed with the term ‘2012 election’

Three Democratic candidates for the Michigan House of Representatives fielded questions on Monday evening that covered a mix of topics – from education and public transit to term limits, failing infrastructure, environmental quality and retirement benefits for public employees.

In District 53, covering most of Ann Arbor, incumbent Jeff Irwin faces Thomas Partridge in the Aug. 7 primary. Irwin, a former Washtenaw County commissioner, was first elected to the House in 2010 and is seeking a second two-year term. Partridge, a frequent speaker during public commentary at various local government meetings, most recently ran an unsuccessful campaign for state Senate (District 18) in 2010. Both candidates are residents of Ann Arbor. In the Nov. 6 general election, the winner of the Democratic primary will compete against Republican John Spisak, who is unopposed in the Republican primary.

In the new District 55 – created during the state’s reapportionment process after the 2010 Census – Democrats Adam Zemke of Ann Arbor and Andrea Brown-Harrison of Ypsilanti are competing in the Aug. 7 primary. The winner will face Republican Owen Diaz, the former mayor of Milan, in November. Diaz is unopposed in the Republican primary. The district covers parts of northern Ann Arbor, the townships of Ann Arbor, Augusta, Pittsfield and York, and a northern part of the city of Milan.

Brown-Harrison did not attend the July 9 candidate forum, which was moderated by the League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area. League member Judy Mich reported that Brown-Harrison did not respond to repeated requests made by phone, email and regular mail to attend the forum. Zemke answered the same set of questions that were posed to Irwin and Partridge.

The forum was held at the studios of Community Television Network, and will be available online via CTN’s video-on-demand service. The format included opening statements, seven questions, and closing statements. Though the format did not promote interaction between candidates, each candidate was given an optional one-minute rebuttal to use once during the forum.

League moderators noted that July 9 was the last day to register for the Tuesday, Aug. 7 primary. The last day to register to vote for the Tuesday, Nov. 6 general election is Oct. 9. Information on voter registration can be found on the Washtenaw County clerk’s elections division website. To see a sample ballot for your precinct, visit the Secretary of State’s website. [Full Story]

It’s hard to know whether the candy-tossing, pamphlet-proffering politicians in this year’s Ann Arbor July 4th parade were as popular as the backwards clown brigade or the Ann Arbor Derby Dimes. But what politicians or political hopefuls lacked in entertainment value they made up for in volume: This year, 19 of the 84 entries in the Ann Arbor parade were political – candidates running for local, state or national office, current elected officials, and political parties.

It was likely the last parade as an elected official for Janis Bobrin, the Washtenaw County water resources commissioner who has served for more than two decades but is not seeking re-election.

This year is unusual because two judicial races are being contested in the 22nd Circuit Court, and three of the six candidates had entries in the parade.

The July 4th parade is organized each year by the Ann Arbor Jaycees. As parades go, it’s a relatively low-key affair, but this year included a rarity for the Ann Arbor parade – a marching band, from Skyline High School. Miss Washtenaw made an appearance, as did baton twirlers, boy scouts, the Masons, and an assortment of other groups representing a wide swath of this community.

Many of those groups are included in the photo essay below. But the photographs also include candidates for office, whose willingness to stand for election is a testament to our representative democracy, which we celebrate each year on this date.

If you’re not yet registered to vote, here’s a reminder that the last day to register for the Tuesday, Aug. 7 primary is nearly here – July 9. Information on voter registration can be found on the Washtenaw County clerk’s elections division website. To see a sample ballot for your precinct, visit the Secretary of State’s website. The last day to register to vote for the Tuesday, Nov. 6 general election is Oct. 9. [Full Story]

This year, five local judicial seats will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot. Incumbents will be running for four of those positions, and three of those incumbent judges – Cedric Simpson (14th District Court, Washtenaw County); Joe Burke (15th District Court, Ann Arbor); and Darlene O’Brien (probate court, Washtenaw County) – are unchallenged.

The fourth incumbent – Tim Connors of the 22nd Circuit Court – is facing Mike Woodyard, an Ann Arbor resident and attorney in the Wayne County prosecutor’s office.

Another position on the 22nd Circuit Court is currently held by judge Melinda Morris, who is ineligible for re-election because of her age. The state constitution requires that judicial candidates at the time of election must be younger than 70 years old. The race for that non-incumbent judicial seat is a crowded one, with four candidates: Erane Washington, Doug McClure, Carol Kuhnke and Jim Fink. All four will be on the Aug. 7 primary ballot as non-partisan candidates, with the top two vote-getters facing off on Nov. 6.

On June 23, the Washtenaw County Democratic Party held a judicial candidate forum in Pittsfield Township hall. A previous Chronicle report covered the panel with Connors and Woodyard, as well as a presentation by 46th District Court judge Shelia Johnson, one of three Michigan Supreme Court candidates endorsed by the state Democratic Party.

This report focuses on the four-way non-incumbent race for 22nd Circuit Court. Questions covered a wide range of issues, including metrics for evaluating judicial performance, views on significant Michigan Supreme Court decisions, and descriptions of each candidate’s judicial philosophy and temperament.

Circuit court judges are elected to six-year terms and run as non-partisan candidates. But partisan politics was a significant part of this panel discussion, spurred in part by a handout had been placed on chairs in the audience prior to the start of the forum, titled ”What Washtenaw Democrats Should Know About Jim Fink.” [.pdf of handout text] At the start of the forum, Cleveland Chandler, chair of the Washtenaw County Democratic Party, announced that the WCDP had nothing to do with the handout, and the other three candidates made that same claim.

Some of the questions posed to candidates – specifically related to reproductive rights and the right for gay couples to adopt – highlighted the differences between Fink and the other candidates. With his Republican affiliations, Fink acknowledged during the forum that if this were a legislative race, ”you would not even think about voting for me.” But he vowed to follow the law and set aside his personal views as a judge, and noted that he has broad support from both parties, as well as ”people who don’t care about partisan politics at all.”

While not mentioning Fink directly, the other candidates noted that values do inform judicial decisions, and implied or stated directly that their positions on issues would align with those of Democrats. [Full Story]

Local and state judicial candidates were the focus of a June 23 forum hosted by the Washtenaw County Democratic Party.

Most of the two-hour session, held at the Pittsfield Township hall, was devoted to two 22nd Circuit Court races. Incumbent judge Tim Connors, who has served in that position since 1997, is being challenged by Mike Woodyard, an Ann Arbor resident and assistant prosecuting attorney for Wayne County.

There is no incumbent running for another seat on the 22nd Circuit Court – because judge Melinda Morris is ineligible for re-election as she is past the statutory age limit of 70. Four local attorneys are vying for that judgeship: Erane Washington, Doug McClure, Carol Kuhnke and Jim Fink. Coverage of that candidate forum will be provided in a separate Chronicle report.

The four candidates for the open 22nd Circuit Court seat will compete in the Aug. 7 primary to narrow the field. The two candidates in that race who receive the most votes will advance to the Nov. 6 general election.

All other local judicial candidates are incumbents who are unchallenged, and will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot: Cedric Simpson (14th District Court, Washtenaw County); Joe Burke (15th District Court, Ann Arbor); and Darlene O’Brien (probate court, Washtenaw County). They did not take part in the June 23 forum. These non-partisan judicial races are for six-year terms.

At the state level, candidates for Michigan Supreme Court are also on a non-partisan ballot, but they are nominated by political parties. Three positions on the seven-member court will be contested on Nov. 6, currently held by Democrat Marilyn Kelly and Republicans Stephen Markman and Brian Zahra, whose eight-year terms end on Jan. 1, 2013. Kelly is not seeking re-election because she’ll be past the age of 70. Markman and Zahra are running as incumbents, and the third GOP candidate will be selected at a state Republican convention in September.

In March, the state Democratic Party endorsed three candidates for Michigan Supreme Court: 46th District Court judge Shelia Johnson, Wayne County Circuit Court judge Connie Marie Kelley, and University of Michigan law professor Bridget Mary McCormack of Ann Arbor.

Of the three, only Johnson, a Southfield resident, attended the June 23 forum, telling the crowd of about 50 people that this year’s Michigan Supreme Court race is an historic election, and a chance to reverse the court’s current 4-3 majority. It’s the most important race on the ballot, she said, because the court’s decisions – from reproductive rights to environmental protection to emergency managers – affect everyone’s lives.

This article includes Johnson’s presentation at the June 23 forum, but begins with a report of the first 22nd Circuit Court race between Tim Connors and Mike Woodyard. [Full Story]

One of the first local candidate forums in the 2012 primary election season was held last week – for Ann Arbor Ward 1 city council Democratic candidates, Sumi Kailasapathy and Eric Sturgis.

In the Aug. 7 primary, the two candidates will contest Sandi Smith’s seat on the council. Smith announced in April that she will not seek re-election to a third two-year term.

The June 20 forum included fairly standard opening and closing statements, and other questions that invited candidates to talk about themselves.

Sturgis emphasized the fact that he grew up in Ann Arbor and noted his connection to the Ann Arbor public schools; he liberally sprinkled through his remarks the names of several people who’ve endorsed him, including Sandi Smith.

Kailasapathy emphasized her educational background in political science and economics and her professional training as a certified public accountant.

Broader policy issues covered at the forum included: communication (transparency and dissemination of information); planning and development (African American Cultural & Historical Museum, Near North, 618 S. Main); and transportation (rail station, countywide transit). The candidates were also asked questions about employee health care, public art, medical marijuana, and the public schools.

The forum featured a combination of questions that had been prepared in advance, as well as some questions submitted by audience members on cards during the forum. Mike Henry, co-chair of the Ann Arbor Democratic Party, moderated the forum and declined to read some of the questions submitted from the audience on cards, calling them “unfair.” But toward the end of the event Henry allowed questions to be asked directly from the audience. Anne Bannister, the other party co-chair, was also on hand to help manage the forum.

A kerfuffle over campaign yard signs preceded the forum – as the two campaigns had difficulty reaching agreement on the appropriate placement of yard signs outside the venue, the Arrowwood Community Center. The center is located off Pontiac Trail about a half mile north of Barton Road.

And during the forum itself, the focus of the conversation at times veered away from substantive issues into associations that Sturgis and Kailasapathy may or may not have had with past candidates for office – locally and statewide. One of those past candidates was current Ward 2 city councilmember Jane Lumm.

In a comment emailed to The Chronicle, Lumm offered this perspective: “I was not at the debate the other night, but it sounds like some of the discussion was about who supported whom in past elections rather than exclusively focused on the issues and challenges facing the city. That’s unfortunate. Whether it’s beefing up public safety, or the strategies and decisions on county-wide transit and the passenger rail station, or service delivery efficiency, there are important city issues and that’s where the discussion ought to be.”

The detailed report of the forum below is organized thematically, not in chronological sequence. The report begins with a brief bit of internal Ann Arbor Democratic Party business, and is followed by the broader policy topics and other one-off policy questions. The various who-supported-whom issues are extracted into a separate, final section. [Full Story]

The Ann Arbor city clerk’s office has released the list of the first wave of absentee voters for the Aug. 7, 2012 primary election. The list includes the names and addresses of those voters who have applied to receive absentee ballots. This first wave is expected to be mailed on Wednesday, June 27. In the city of Ann Arbor the list totals 1,918 ballots, with the following breakdown by ward: Ward 1 (174); Ward 2 (558); Ward 3 (307); Ward 4 (451); and Ward 5 (428).

Candidates for public office often subscribe to the clerk’s absentee voter mailing list, which arrives in periodic installments by email up until the election takes place. Direct mail or door-knocking campaigns target absentee voter lists … [Full Story]

On Tuesday evening, June 18, 2012, the Ann Arbor Public Schools held an information session for prospective candidates for election to the AAPS board of trustees. Board president Deb Mexicotte’s seat is the only one up for election on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012. It is a four-year term, beginning Jan. 1, 2013.

Current trustees Andy Thomas and Christine Stead were on hand to talk over the roles and responsibilities of a trustee. No potential candidates showed, however. Attendance at the information meeting was not mandatory for candidacy.

To appear on the ballot as a school board candidate, candidates must file paperwork at the Washtenaw County clerk’s office by Tuesday, Aug. 14 by 4 p.m. Candidates must file an affidavit of identity and … [Full Story]

At its May 21, 2012 meeting, the Ann Arbor city council approved a $32,850 grant from the state of Michigan, funded through the Help America Vote Act, to pay for 48 laptop computers and the peripheral devices needed to use the equipment as electronic pollbooks (EPBs).

The electronic pollbooks do not change the way voters cast their ballots; Ann Arbor voters will continue to use paper ballots. The electronic pollbooks are expected to make record-keeping at the precinct locations on election day more efficient and to reduce waiting time for voters.

The city had already accepted eight laptops and accessories, which were deployed at eight polling places for the May 8, 2012 election. That pilot program went smoothly, according to the staff memo accompanying … [Full Story]

In the District 2 race for Washtenaw County board of commissioners, Democrat Eric Borregard will be removed from the ballot in District 2, leaving Republican incumbent Dan Smith unchallenged by any partisan candidates in the primary and general elections.

The decision came after the state Bureau of Elections indicated late Friday afternoon that a determination made by county clerk Larry Kestenbaum earlier in the week was inappropriate. Ed Golembiewski, chief deputy county clerk and elections director, told The Chronicle on Saturday that Borregard had been apprised of the situation, and will be officially informed in writing on Monday, when his name will be removed from the list of candidates on the county’s election website.

Borregard, a Dexter resident, had originally filed to run in District 1, which is the current district in which he resides. However, because of redistricting that takes effect for the upcoming election, his home will be located in the new District 2. Shortly after the 4 p.m. filing deadline on Tuesday, May 15, the county clerk’s office was alerted to this error by Kent Martinez-Kratz, a Democrat who’s running in District 1 against incumbent Republican Rob Turner. Acting to correct what he deemed a clerical error, Kestenbaum, a Democrat, approved an amendment to Borregard’s paperwork to allow him to appear on the District 2 ballot.

On Friday afternoon at 2 p.m., Kestenbaum told The Chronicle that he had talked with the county’s corporation counsel [Curtis Hedger] earlier in the week, as well as to staff in the state Bureau of Elections, and that he was comfortable that the change was within his authority to make. He said it was important not to create barriers to running for office. “There’s no trickery here,” he said.

Later that afternoon, Secretary of State spokesman Fred Woodhams told The Chronicle that staff were reviewing the situation and would potentially weigh on in it early next week. The Bureau of Elections is a division of the office of Secretary of State, a position held by Republican Ruth Johnson.

But just a few minutes before 5 p.m. on Friday, an official from the Bureau of Elections contacted the county clerk’s office, according to Golembiewski. The state’s view is that it was not appropriate to accept changes to the filing after the 4 p.m. deadline. As a result, Borregard’s name will not appear on the ballot. Kestenbaum left town Friday afternoon to attend an out-of-state funeral over the weekend and could not be reached. Golembiewski said that Kestenbaum had previously indicated he would abide by the state Bureau of Elections decision.

Borregard, who ran for county commissioner in 2010 but was defeated in the Democratic primary, has the option of challenging the decision in court. He could also choose to run as an independent in the Nov. 6 general election – the filing deadline for candidates who are not affiliated with a political party is July 19 at 4 p.m.

In another county board race, two Ypsilanti Township candidates who had previously filed to run for the commissioner seat in District 5 – Rick Roe and Michael White – have withdrawn from that Aug. 7 primary race. The deadline to withdraw was 4 p.m. Friday, May 18. That leaves incumbent Democrat Rolland Sizemore Jr. unchallenged in the primary.

For a list of county candidates in the Aug. 7 primary election, see Chronicle coverage: “Last Minute Filings: Washtenaw County Races.” [Full Story]

Albert Howard met the May 15, 4 p.m. filing deadline for nominating petitions to run as a Republican for the office of Ann Arbor mayor. However, the following day Ann Arbor city clerk staff determined that he had not submitted an adequate number of valid signatures. Candidates for mayor must submit 50 valid signatures from registered voters in each of the city’s five wards, for a total of 250 signatures. According to city clerk staff, Howard submitted more than 50 signatures for Ward 1, but only 44 of them were determined to be valid.

Howard might still appear on the Nov. 6 ballot – but not as a Republican. On Friday, May 18, Howard pulled petitions to run for Ann Arbor mayor … [Full Story]

Editor’s note: Nelson’s “In it for the Money” column appears regularly in The Chronicle, roughly around the third Wednesday of the month. 

Mitt Romney and I went to the same high school – three decades apart. This would be immaterial, except the Washington Post just published a fascinating 5,500-word remembrance of Mitt Romney’s hijinks at Cranbrook, a high-pressure prep school in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

I attended this same school in the 1990s; it’s an architectural gem, the staff is excellent, the program an academic crucible. Later, as a University of Michigan student, I shared a broken-down house with three fellow Cranbrook alums. One was in a sociology class, and we were delighted when he revealed that his textbook listed Cranbrook as “one of the last vestiges of American aristocracy.”

Because Mitt and I attended Cranbrook exactly 30 years apart, we ended up standing back-to-back on a balmy June evening in 2005 – the same year Mitt received the school’s 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award. The governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and I stood together at the lip of a deep, inset fountain, which gurgled contentedly, almost as though it was whispering ♪♫Daaaaave, I would be an excellent place for a GOP splaaashdown!♫ [Full Story]

Several additional candidates for Washtenaw County offices filed on May 15 before the 4 p.m. deadline, but several incumbents remain unchallenged in the Aug. 7 partisan primary.

Sheriff Jerry Clayton, county prosecuting attorney Brian Mackie, county clerk Larry Kestenbaum and county treasurer Catherine McClary – all incumbent Democrats – will not face primary challenges. However, all but Mackie will have a Republican opponent in the Nov. 6 general election. All of those elected positions are for four-year terms.

Running for sheriff as a Republican is Jeffrey R. Gallatin of Ann Arbor. Republican Stanley F. Watson of Ann Arbor Township has filed to run against Kestenbaum for county clerk, while Republican Marlene Chockley of South Lyon is running against McClary in the county … [Full Story]

Two of the four races for Washtenaw County districts in the Michigan House of Representatives will have challenges in the Aug. 7, 2012 primary, as last-minute filings before the May 15 4 p.m. deadline added candidates to the field.

Incumbent Democrat Jeff Irwin of District 53 will face Democratic challenger Thomas Partridge on Aug. 7. Partridge, who has unsuccessfully run for various public offices in the past, is a frequent public commentary at meetings of the Ann Arbor city council, Washtenaw County board of commissioners and other public entities. Also filing for that office is Republican John Spisak, who does not face a challenge in the primary. The district represents most of Ann Arbor, and has long been a Democratic stronghold.

In District … [Full Story]

For mayor and city council partisan primaries, the field in the Ann Arbor races appears to be set – now that the 4 p.m. May 15 filing deadline has passed.

Candidates in the August primary can withdraw from a race until 4 p.m. on May 18. After that, their names can’t be removed from the Aug. 7, 2012 ballot.

In the mayor’s race, incumbent John Hieftje will be unopposed in the Aug. 7 Democratic primary. Although Tom Wall, who’s previously run against Hieftje, pulled petitions, he did not file them. Unopposed in the Republican primary will be Albert Howard, assuming the signatures on his nominating petitions are verified. Howard turned in his petitions around 3 p.m. on May 15, and the city … [Full Story]

On Monday, May 14, two additional candidates have filed in races for the Washtenaw County board of commissioners. One day remains before the 4 p.m. May 15 filing deadline for candidates affiliated with political parties running in the Aug. 7 primary.

John Floyd has filed as the only Republican candidate in the new District 9 so far. Incumbent Conan Smith, who serves as the current board chair, is the only Democrat so far in that race. Floyd most recently was a Republican candidate in the 2010 Ward 5 Ann Arbor city council race, losing with 21.9% of the vote to incumbent Democrat Carsten Hohnke – in a three-way race that included Newcombe Clark, who ran as an independent. In 2008 Floyd had also challenged Hohnke, … [Full Story]

With two days remaining before the filing deadline for candidates in the Aug. 7, 2012 primary election, several incumbents remain unchallenged so far for Washtenaw County offices. The filing deadline for candidates affiliated with political parties is Tuesday, May 15 at 4 p.m.

Sheriff Jerry Clayton, county prosecuting attorney Brian Mackie and county clerk Larry Kestenbaum – all incumbent Democrats – were the only candidates to have filed by the end of the day on Friday, May 11. No candidates have filed yet for the office of county treasurer – including incumbent Democrat Catherine McClary. According to the county clerk’s office, McClary has picked up the paperwork to file but has not yet turned it in. All of those elected positions … [Full Story]

As of late afternoon on Wednesday, May 9, a total of 15 petitions have been pulled for Ann Arbor city council and mayoral races. Five candidates have now filed their petitions and had them verified.

A new name added early this week was Eric Sturgis, who has pulled petitions to join Sumi Kailasapathy in the Democratic primary for Ward 1. Incumbent Sandi Smith has announced she won’t be seeking re-election.

Kailasapathy, who lost the 2010 Democratic primary to Smith, filed her nominating petitions on May 7 and the city clerk’s office verified signatures the following day. Sturgis will have until May 15 at 4 p.m. to file nominating petitions with at least 100 signatures of Ward 1 residents.

In 2004, then 18-year-old Sturgis filed petitions … [Full Story]

With results reported from six of the seven precincts in the city of Ypsilanti, voters overwhelmingly rejected two major proposals on the May 8 ballot: A city income tax, and a millage to pay off debt for the Water Street parcel. The proposed city income tax was voted down with 1,313 no votes (68%) to 625 yes votes (32%) from six precincts. The proposed Water Street millage failed 1,291 (67%) to 644 (33%).

At Aubree’s in Depot Town, volunteers who worked for SCIT (Stop City Income Tax) appeared more interested in the pizza provided by SCIT than in additional voting results, which as early as 9 p.m. were clearly in their favor. Peter Fletcher, spokesperson for SCIT, was not available for comment … [Full Story]

In the May 8 election against Republican Richard Conn, Democrat incumbent Felicia Brabec won the Washtenaw County board of commissioners seat for District 7, to represent Pittsfield Township on the 11-member county board. Brabec received 934 votes (60.1%) compared to 610 votes (39.25%) for Conn. There were 10 write-in votes. Of the 10 precincts in Pittsfield Township, Brabec received a majority of votes in all but one – precinct 8.

This was the only election for the county board, for a term that will run through the end of 2012. (County commissioners typically serve two-year terms.) The unusual timing of the race stems from the October 2011 resignation of former District 7 commissioner Kristin Judge. The board appointed Brabec to replace Judge at its Oct. … [Full Story]

Shortly after polls closed, unofficial absentee voter counts for the Ann Arbor Public School technology bond ballot question show 1,003 voting yes against 743 no. That works out to 57.45% in favor.

Absentee voters were collected into three separate counting boards. The total absentee voter count includes absentee voting totals across all precincts in in the city. So the outcome among absent voters is a strong indicator of voter sentiment city-wide.

The technology bond ballot proposal was for AAPS to issue a total of $45,855,000 general obligation bonds to pay for acquiring and installing instructional technology and technology infrastructure. The estimated tax rate that would be required to service the debt on the bonds is 0.48 mill (or $0.48 per $1,000 of … [Full Story]

The city of Ann Arbor clerk’s office filing records indicate that Vivienne Armentrout, a former Washtenaw County commissioner, pulled petitions on Friday, May 4 for the Ward 5 Ann Arbor city council race. Armentrout is a Democrat.

Carsten Hohnke, who was first elected in 2008 after defeating Armentrout in a close Democratic primary that year, announced on April 21 his decision not to seek re-election this year.

An Ann Arbor resident since 1986, Armentrout is a freelance writer and author of the Local in Ann Arbor blog, which focuses on the Ann Arbor area and frequently highlights public transit and other planning issues. She served on the Washtenaw County board of commissioners from 1997-2004.

In November 2010 she ran for a position on the board … [Full Story]

In a phone conversation with The Chronicle on Monday afternoon, Ward 1 Ann Arbor city councilmember Sandi Smith has indicated she will not be seeking reelection to a third term on the council. As competing demands on her time, she cited the growth of her company Trillium Real Estate and the recent surge in the real estate market. She has also agreed to a leadership position for the Jim Toy Center, Washtenaw County’s LGBT Resource Center.

Smith also serves on the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority. Her current term expires in July 2012. She said she plans to seek reappointment to that position.

First elected to the council in 2008, Smith – a Democrat – is now serving her second … [Full Story]

Carsten Hohnke, a current Ward 5 Ann Arbor city councilmember, has announced his decision not to seek reelection to the council. Hohnke made his announcement in an email sent to constituents on Saturday morning, citing the desire to spend more time with his family, including his four-year-old son and infant daughter. There have been rumors for several weeks that Hohnke would not run again, even though he took out petitions from the city clerk’s office on Feb. 27.

Hohnke, a Democrat, was elected to his first two-year term on the Ann Arbor city council in November 2008. Other first-time councilmembers elected in 2008 included Sandi Smith (Ward 1), Tony Derezinski (Ward 2), and Christopher Taylor (Ward 3). Hohnke was unopposed in … [Full Story]

Long-time Washtenaw County water resources commissioner Janis Bobrin has announced that she does not plan to run for re-election this year, ending her tenure of more than two decades in that elected position. In a press release issued on March 28, Bobrin endorsed fellow Democrat Evan Pratt for the election. [.pdf of press release]

Pratt, who currently serves on the Ann Arbor planning commission, is a senior project manager with the Spicer Group, a professional engineering firm with offices in Saginaw and St. Johns. He is also chair of the board for the nonprofit Huron River Watershed Council. According to the press release, Pratt is a licensed professional engineer in five states, including Michigan, with expertise in stormwater quality and … [Full Story]

Michigan’s Republican presidential primary held on Tuesday, Feb. 28 was won by Mitt Romney, with 41% of the Republican votes cast statewide – a close victory over Rick Santorum, who tallied 37.9%. Third-place finisher Ron Paul came in with 11.5%, roughly double the percentage he received in the 2008 edition of the race, which was won by Romney that year as well. The eventual Republican nominee in 2008, of course, was John McCain.

For Democrats, President Barack Obama was unchallenged in the Michigan primary this year, amid a political scuffle about whether the Democratic primary should even be held. With little at stake in terms of the choice of the Democratic nominee, it’s not surprising that the 2012 Democratic turnout was light, compared to 2008.

This  year only 16% of participants in the primary voted on the Democratic side compared with 40% in 2008. That year Obama’s name did not appear on the Michigan ballot, which resulted in about 41% of Democratic voters selecting the “uncommitted” option, compared to roughly 55% who voted for Hillary Clinton. Part of the diminished Democratic turnout this year could have been due to Democrats crossing party lines to vote for Rick Santorum – based on the idea that Santorum would have less of a chance to defeat Obama in the general election.

In Ann Arbor, however, absentee Democratic voters participated in far greater relative numbers than their counterparts who went to the polls in person. Even in the more strongly Republican wards – Ward 2 and Ward 4 – almost 40% of the total primary turnout for absentee voters was on the Democratic side. In the other three Ann Arbor wards, Democratic absentee turnout was closer to 50%.

For readers already familiar with the general geographic distribution of voters who mainly vote Democrat or Republican, the results of the 2012 presidential primary in Michigan likely offer little to refute prevailing wisdom.

After the jump we take a geographic look at Democratic participation, as well as the performance of Romney, Santorum and Paul. We’ve mapped out results at the state level (by county), the Washtenaw County level (by township and city) and the city of Ann Arbor (by precinct). Statewide data is from the secretary of state’s office election results, while the data for jurisdictions within Washtenaw County is based on the county clerk’s election results. Mapping is done through geocommons.com with shape files available through the city of Ann Arbor. [Full Story]

Democrat Felicia Brabec and Republican Richard Conn will face each other in May, as expected, to vie for the District 7 seat on the Washtenaw County board of commissioners. Both ran unopposed in their respective primaries on Feb. 28.

Brabec received 303 votes in the Democratic primary. In the Republican primary, 1,386 people voted for Conn.

Brabec currently holds the District 7 seat, one of 11 on the county board. She was appointed to the seat by the board at its Oct. 19, 2011 meeting. The position was vacated after former commissioner Kristin Judge resigned earlier that month. Brabec had been encouraged by Judge to apply for the vacancy, and was one of two people interviewed for the position. [See Chronicle coverage: "County ... [Full Story]

Based just on totals from absent voter count boards, it looks likely that Mitt Romney will a decisive majority of Ann Arbor votes in the Republican presidential primary. In absentee ballots counted for all five wards, Romney received 55% of the vote compared to Rick Santorum at 20%. Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich each received 10% of the vote. President Barack Obama was uncontested in the Democratic primary.

In Ward 1, Romney won with 43% of the vote (42 absentee votes), compared to Santorum with 24% (24 absentee votes), Paul with 21% (21 absentee votes) and Gingrich with 8% (8 absentee votes). In the Democratic primary, 95 votes were cast for Obama in Ward 1.

In Ward 2, Romney took 61% of … [Full Story]

In a press release issued Thursday afternoon, Feb. 9, Tom Wall said he is considering a run for Ann Arbor mayor and is asking for support to fill crucial positions – including campaign manager and fundraising director – before making a final decision. [.pdf of Wall's announcement] Wall is owner of All Star Driver Education, and has run for mayor twice before.

In November 2006, Wall ran as an independent against incumbent Democrat John Hieftje, getting 21% of the vote. In August 2008, Wall contested the Democratic primary against Hieftje, getting 31% of the vote.

In his press release, Wall attributes his previous election performance to not having the “necessary organizational support.” He asks for people to step forward to fill the roles … [Full Story]

A source on the Ann Arbor city council confirmed for The Chronicle that city attorney Stephen Postema has told councilmembers he will not be running for a judgeship on the 22nd circuit court. Last August he’d indicated to The Chronicle that he was considering a run. ["Postema Mulling Run for Circuit Court Judge"]

As late as Jan. 23, he’d said he had not made a decision about whether to run. Had he entered the race, he would have faced competition from local attorneys Carol Kuhnke, Doug McClure and Erane Washington, who all attended a meeting of Ann Arbor city Democrats in mid-January and asked attendees for their support. Shortly after that meeting, local attorney Jim Fink issued a … [Full Story]

Local attorney Jim Fink has officially entered the race for the judgeship on the 22nd circuit court of Washtenaw County, a seat currently held by Melinda Morris, who is retiring. A press release issued on Tuesday, Jan. 17 stated that Fink decided to run because he is “exceptionally qualified,” and because his father, the late Robert V. Fink, and his brother, Karl V. Fink, were both judges in Washtenaw County. [.pdf of press release]

Fink is an Ypsilanti resident who practices law in Ann Arbor at Fink & Valvo PLLC. He has a degree from the Detroit College of Law and served for 20 years in the Washtenaw County sheriff’s office, first as a deputy and ultimately as a police services … [Full Story]