KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — The polls are now closed and the results are in.
LOCAL FUNDING ISSUES:
It may be the times or it may have been the issues, but voters were feeling generous when it came to request at the polls for additional taxes.
The biggest request was the $19-million bond issue for school improvements in Mattawan which was approved.
The Senior Millage in Kalamazoo County, which campaign co-chair Lucinda Stinson says it was an issue that sold itself, passed 2 to 1.
An operational millage in Cooper Township was approved, and so were library funding questions in the Townships in Eastern Kalamazoo County.
A critical renewal millage to support public safety operations in Pennfield Township passed by about 4 to 1.
The vote was much tighter in Branch County but it appears that voters there have approved construction of a new $30-million jail.
LOCAL STATE HOUSE SEATS:
In contested races for local State House Seats: incumbent Republican David Maturen was defeated by Trump operative Matt Hall. Jennifer Aniano was unopposed for the democratic nomination.
Alberta Griffin won a three way race on the Democratic side to win her party’s nomination in the 61st District. She will challenge Republican Brandt Iden in three months.
Republican William Baker will take on incumbent John Hoadley. Both were unopposed in the 60th State House District.
The race for Kalamazoo County’s Senate Seat will be the same as last time, with Republican Margaret O’Brien, Democrat Sean McCann and Libertarian Lorence Wenke. The difference this time is that O’Brien is the incumbent.
GUBERNATORIAL RACE:
No surprises in the Gubernatorial races.
Both Democrat and former state Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Bill Schuette won by sizable margins as the polls predicted.
Abdul El Sayed managed to move from 3rd to 2nd place among democrats with the late endorsement by Bernie Sanders, but was still 20-points behind Whitmer in the end.
U.S. SENATE:
In the other statewide contest, President Trump endorsed and Veteran John James has beaten Detroit Businessman Sandy Pensler for the U.S. Senate nomination, and now faces the formidable task of taking on incumbent Debbie Stabenow.
Analysts say while Trump’s endorsement may have helped him win the primary, it could hurt his chances in the general election because of Trump’s low poll numbers.
FULL RESULTS:
A running list of the Kalamazoo County election results can be found here on the Kalamazoo County Government website. The local funding issues can be found at the very bottom of the results.
A reminder that these are only the results for Kalamazoo County. Other county results and a full list of the final count for Michigan will be posted as they come.
A list of every county’s election results can be found here on the Secretary of State’s website.
Once all precincts have been reported to the county by local jurisdictions, the Secretary of State’s website with have the “unofficial” primary election results here on their website.
The results are stated as “unofficial” because absentee ballots have not been counted at this time.
