In Tuesday’s General Election, voters in Belleville, Van Buren, and Sumpter gave an enthusiastic thumbs up to their library, agreeing to tax themselves .7 mill for 12 years to support the Belleville Area District Library.
The unofficial total was 7,278 yes votes to 4,966 no votes.
They also elected the seven members of the new district library board, with newcomer Harry Van Gelder losing out as the eighth candidate.
Top vote-getter was interim board chairwoman Mary Jane Dawson of Belleville with 4,984 votes.
Others elected were Christina Brasil of Van Buren Township, 4,601; Elaine Gutierrez of Van Buren Township, 4,347; Joe Monte of Van Buren Township, 4,134; Michael Boelter of Sumpter Township, 4,016; Joy Cichewicz of Sumpter Township, 3,881; and John Juriga of Belleville, 3,621.
Van Gelder of Van Buren Township captured 3,070 votes.
New school board members
The big surprise locally in Tuesday’s election was that voters put two new people on the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education.
Sherry Frazier earned 5,049 votes to win a four-year term on the board, followed by Scott Russell winning the second open seat with 2,864 votes.
Frazier last served on the Van Buren School Board from 1986 to 1994. Russell is a newcomer to the school board.
They unseated incumbent board president David Peer, who came in third with 2,192 votes, and board secretary Victor Hogan, who came in fourth with 2,116 votes.
Also unsuccessful in their bids for a seat on the school board were former school board member Ralph Nodwell, with 1,858 votes, and newcomer Michael Miazga, with 1,768.
There are 3,038 registered voters in the City of Belleville and 1,240 cast ballots, a turnout of about 41%.
In Sumpter Township there are 7,329 registered voters and 2,890 cast ballots, a turnout of about 39%.
In Van Buren Township, there are 21,043 registered voters and 9,004 cast ballots, a turnout of about 43%.
In other local races, Republican Lori Levi was unsuccessful in her bid to unseat Democrat Dian Slavens in the 21st House District, losing by about 800 votes, which reportedly were picked up in Van Buren Township. Slavins won with 51% of the vote, over Slavins’ 49%.
In the 23rd House District, Republican Pat Sommerville outpolled Deb Kennedy.
Republican Pat Colbeck beat Democrat Kathleen Law with 52% of the vote to win the 7thDistrict State Senate seat.
John Dingell was elected to his 28th term in the U.S. Congress with 57% of the vote. He beat Republican challenger Dr. Rob Steele of Ypsilanti in the 15th Congressional District.
In the 11th Congressional District, Republican Thaddeus McCotter won over Democratic challenger Natalie Mosher.
In the Michigan Supreme Court race, Mary Beth Kelly and Bob Young were winners.
Top Michigan leaders are all Republicans, with Rick Snyder besting Democrat Virg Bernero with 58% of the votes. Also winning were Republicans Bill Schuette as attorney general and Ruth Johnson as secretary of state.
Voters turned down State Proposal 1 for a constitutional convention, but resoundingly passed Proposal 2 to keep convicted felons out of office.