If you are interested in serving and
representing your fellow citizens in Cheboygan County there are a number of
seats open for the 2018 election. Serving as an elected Commissioner is a
challenging and a rewarding way to work toward the betterment of your
community. At the local level, all seven Cheboygan County Commissioner
positions, elected for two-year terms, and two County Road Commissioner seats,
serving six-year terms, will be on the ballot this year. Each Cheboygan County
Commissioner represents one of seven geographical districts. Although you make
decisions and set policy for the entire county, you must reside in the District
you represent. Cheboygan County has seven
Road Commissioners who each represent the entire county without any district
representation. There is also the judicial
position of Cheboygan County Probate Judge and two State House Representatives
who represent portions of Cheboygan County up for election.
Partisan and nonpartisan
candidates must file nominating petitions (or fees if applicable) and an Affidavit
of Identity for the August primary by April 24, 2018. Individuals seeking
office as an independent candidate, with no political party affiliation may
file as late as July 19, 2018 for the November General Election. All filing
dates have a 4 PM cut-off. Judicial and candidates for House Representatives
have some different filing requirements and file via Lansing.
Cheboygan County District 1 encompasses
Mackinaw, Hebron, Beaugrand, Munro, and Burt Townships. Chris Brown resigned to
move out of Cheboygan County in 2017 and the Board of Commissioners appointed Incumbent
Karen Johnson-Republican to complete his term. Ms Johnson had not filed as of
April 12th. A challenger, Vincent J Lumetta has filed as a Democat.
District 2, the City of Cheboygan and the existing 425 Agreement area in
Inverness Township including Huron Estates, is represented by Rich Sangster-Republican,
who had not filed as of last week. David W Martin, a Democratic challenger
filed on 3/16/18. District 3 includes Benton and Aloha Townships. Incumbent
Mike Newman-Republican filed on 1/26/2018. Mr Newman is facing two challengers.
Rob Ross, a Democrat, and Andy Evans, a Libertarian candidate, has also filed.
District 4 includes Inverness and
Mullett Townships. Incumbent Cal Gouine-Republican filed for re-election on
2/8/2018 and has no declared challengers. District 5 includes Grant, Koehler,
and Waverly Townships. Incumbent Roberta Matelski-Republican was appointed to
serve the district after her husband Commissioner Tony Matelski passed in 2017.
Commissioner Roberta Matelski has filed for 2018 and there are no declared
challengers. District 5 includes Tuscarora and Mentor Townships. John Wallace,
a Republican who has filed for another term, had no challengers as of last
week. District 7 includes Wilmot, Ellis, Nunda, Walker, and Forest Townships. Robert
Bolinger-Republican is the incumbent and faces another Republican candidate, Steve
Warfield, on the primary ballot
Road Commission Board members Ken
Paquet who lives in Aloha Township and Clarence O’Connor who resides in Benton
Township have terms expiring in 2018. Neither had filed to run as of last week.
No challengers have filed at this time for the two seats that have a six-year
term. The two candidates with the two highest vote tallies will fill those
countywide positions. The other incumbent Road Commission Board members not up
for election reside in Benton, Benton, and Inverness Township.
Cheboygan County Probate Judge
Robert J Butts is retiring. Current Cheboygan County Prosecuting Attorney Daryl
Vizina has filed to run as a Democrat.
Many House Representatives for the
State of Michigan serve multi-county geographical districts. Incumbent House
Representatives Sue Allor and Lee Chatfield, serving two different areas of
Cheboygan County, have each filed for re-election. In the 106th District, Republican
Sue Allor faces two Democratic challengers, Lora Green and John E Norton III, both
from Alpena. The 107th District Republican Lee Chatfield to this
date faces a single Democrat, Kurt Perron from Brimley.
Candidates for the judicial
position and House Representatives must file documents in Lansing.
For those seeking local seats, be
sure to file your nominating Petition and required Affidavit of Identification with
Cheboygan County Clerk Karen Brewster, 870 S Main St, Cheboygan, MI. before 4
PM on April 24, 2018. County Clerk Brewster is also your best local source for
election information. Thanks go out to her for contributing up to date information
and knowledge. A complete source of candidate information for anyone
contemplating throwing his or her hat in the ring is available at this link.
