|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
August 4, 2002Avoiding spoilingPonder proposals and candidates, but don't split your ticketsBy KEITH MATHENYRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY -- Want to weigh in on that feisty three-way Democratic race for the gubernatorial nomination in Tuesday's primary election and also select a Republican in your state legislative district? If you do, your votes won't count. Ticket-splitting is politically incorrect in the August primary. Unlike the general election in November, Michigan law requires primary voters to cast their votes under only one political party. Casting votes in a partisan primary for both Republican and Democratic candidates invalidates the partisan section of the primary ballot. Non-partisan offices and proposals appear after the partisan section of the ballot. "We do have quite a few ballots spoiled for that," said Linda Coburn, Grand Traverse County's clerk. Such mistakes often are caught at the polling place because the machine that voters feed their ballots into will reject it if there's a split ticket. "The highest number of rejections we can remember for one voter was 10 because they kept splitting their ticket," Coburn said. "We're more than happy to issue them a new ballot and allow them to vote again." The problem, however, lies in absentee ballots. No second chance is available. If an absentee voter splits the ticket, only nonpartisan votes are counted, she said. Redistricting and term limits mean a slew of new faces in state races this year - or familiar ones seeking higher offices. Here's a rundown of candidates in contested races in northern Michigan legislative and congressional districts: STATE SENATE - 35th State Senate: Current state Rep. Dave Mead, R-Frankfort, faces challenges from fellow Republicans Michelle McManus of Lake Leelanau, a former state representative and local state Sen. George McManus' niece; and Morris Langworthy Jr., an Osceola County commissioner. The Republican winner faces Northport Democrat Carl Dahlberg in November. - 36th State Senate: Rep. Tony Stamas, R-Midland, faces fellow Republican and former House member Allen Lowe, who currently serves as Grayling's city manager; and former state Rep. Beverly Bodem of Alpena. The winner will then face Rep. Andy Neumann, D-Alpena, in November. STATE HOUSE - 101st State House: Republican challengers include Manistee County commissioner Jeffrey Dontz; teacher and Mason County commissioner Eugene Jorissen of Ludington; and David Palsrok, a Manistee businessman who narrowly lost to Mead in 1998. The primary winner will face Democrat Nick Krieger of Ludington in November. - 104th State House: Traverse City teacher and cherry farmer Michael McManus - George McManus' brother and Michelle McManus' father - faces a Republican primary challenge from Howard Walker of Traverse City, a local businessman and former Traverse City Area Public Schools board member. The winner will square off against Democrat Joel Casler in November. - 106th State House: The district, which joins Crawford County with five counties in northeast Lower Michigan, features the busiest election scramble, as candidates seek to fill the vacancy created by incumbent Rep. Andy Neumann's run for the Michigan Senate. Six Republicans and two Democrats will square off Tuesday for the chance to run as their party's candidate in November. Running as Republicans are Grayling Mayor Dave Wyman; Jerry Hayes of Grayling and Alpena residents Richard Fortier, Mark Hunter, David Karschnick Sr. and Thomas Mullaney. Running as Democrats are Matthew Gillard and Roy Spangler of Roscommon, who originally registered as a Republican but withdrew from that race. U.S. CONGRESS 1st Congressional: In the vastly reworked 1st Congressional District, Republicans Don Birgel of Gladwin and Don Hooper of Iron River face each other to determine who will go against incumbent Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, in November. Birgel is a retired insurance executive, teacher and coach, who also serves as the Gladwin County GOP chairman. He lost a 1994 state House race against then-Rep. Tom Alley, D-West Branch. Hooper is a retired trucking business owner who touts his conservative, Christian views. |
|
