August 2024: Primary election preview

 If history is any guide to the Aug. 6 primary election this month, less than half of the city’s 2,900 registered voters will cast ballots. Perhaps I can convince a few more of you to turn out.


Perhaps the most important nomination up for grabs this year is the Republican nomination for county sheriff. With Current Sheriff Mike Morris retiring, three Republicans are on the ballot to replace him. Gratiot Democrats have not nominated a sheriff candidate, so our new sheriff will be elected Aug. 6. November will be a formality for whoever it is. Get out and vote if you want to have a say in whether Brett Baublitz, Tom Clark, or Joe Vozar get the nomination.


There are more choices for candidates vying to replace retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Hill Harper and Elissa Slotkin are looking for the Democrat nomination. Justin Amash, Sherry O’Donnell, Sandy Pensler and Mike Rogers seek the Republican nomination.


Republicans Marty Gibson, Aaron VanHorn Sr. and John Wilson are the only candidates for one county road commission seat. No Democrats are seeking that job.


Below the candidates on your August ballot will be three ballot proposals.


One is to renew a modest millage for the St. Louis Ithaca Pine River Transit Authority, which allows the Alma Transit Authority to serve St. Louis residents with dial-a-ride buses.


The ATC operates 11 buses and three vans that carried 72,316 passengers, including 11,306 from St. Louis, in the most recent fiscal year.


Another ballot proposal asks voters to renew for six years a millage levy of 0.4486 to support the sheriff’s office. 


The third ballot proposal asks for a 0.6 mill levy over six years to “provide essential technology and operations of the Gratiot County Central Dispatch 9-1-1 Center,” according to the proposal. If approved and levied in full, this millage will raise an estimated $1,194,935 over six years.


A small portion of the millages for the sheriff’s office and Central Dispatch is captured by the St. Louis Downtown Development Authority, so a vote for the millage supports the DDA as well.

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