Oakland County voters will see four candidates on their ballot under the race for Oakland County executive.

Oakland County Executive David Coulter and Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner are seeking the Democratic nomination with former state legislator Mike Kowall and Jeffrey Nutt, a Troy-based attorney, seeking the Republican nomination.

The Oakland Press reached out to each candidate with questions pertaining to their candidacy for the county's top elected office. Responses to those questions, as well as background information on the candidates, is detailed below.

The state's primary election is being held on Tuesday, Aug. 4.The county executive position comes with a $205,217 a year salary.

For complete coverage of other Oakland County races including sheriff, prosecutor, clerk/register of deeds, treasurer, and water resources commissioner, visitwww.theoaklandpress.com/news/elections/.

Coulter, 60, the former Democratic mayor of Ferndale, was appointed to the position on Aug. 16 by the Democratic majority county board of commissioners to finish out L. Brooks Patterson's term, which expires Dec. 31, 2020. Patterson, 80, died Aug. 3, 2019 following a months long battle with stage four pancreatic cancer.

Coulter, a Ferndale resident, announced his intentions on running for a full, four-year term in October 2019 at Brass Aluminum Forging in Ferndale, a manufacturing company he helped bring to the city.

David Coulter

He has a long history with Oakland County including serving as the mayor of Ferndale from 2011 through 2019 and as an Oakland County commissioner from 2002 through 2010.

During his time as mayor, Coulter also worked full-time as director of external relations for the Children's Foundation of Michigan.For 13 years, he was employed by the Michigan Consolidated Gas Company, which is now DTE Energy.

According torecent campaign filings, Coulter has raised around $446,000 and has over $70,000 cash on hand.

OP: What are some of the biggest challenges that face Oakland County and how would you help to remedy/combat those issues? Challenges unique to COVID-19 pandemic?

OP: Recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and preventing a second spike of the virus is our top priority right now. Oakland County has led during the pandemic, announcing health orders to keep residents and employees safe, getting grants to small businesses and community organizations, helping workers laid off during the shutdown, and increasing testing for residents and senior living facilities. I am committed to leading the recovery and continuing to implement our Oakland Together agenda to expand health care, improving economic opportunity, protecting our environment, increasing diversity initiatives and maintaining our strong fiscal practices.

OP: What are the main reasons as to why you want to be elected to a four-year term as Oakland County Executive?

Coulter: Oakland County is in the middle of a dangerous pandemic that we must continue to manage and recover from economically. I want to continue to lead Oakland County as Executive to maintain our science-based approach to suppressing the virus so we do not go backward, support our residents hard hit by the economic downtown, help our small businesses recover and our schools reopen safely. I also want to continue the progressive change that my Administration has started including transforming our county health clinics to provide primary care and mental health services, create a new economic development and workforce strategy that brings opportunity to all of our residents, a new housing strategy that provides rental assistance, and an environmental policy that creates a sustainability office and addresses climate change. I have achieved results while maintaining strong fiscal policies, approving a three-year balanced budget and retaining the countys AAA bond rating.

OP: What are your greatest strengths? How will they help you if elected to a four-year term as Oakland County Executive?

Coulter: These times call for a leader who listens, works well with people, and has the executive experience to make decisions on a wide range of pressing issues. I was a unifying voice after the passing of L. Brooks Patterson and my collaborative leadership style has allowed my team to move quickly to achieve results and pull everyone together during the pandemic. The road ahead calls for a County Executive who is already implementing the plans to address our challenges and seize our opportunities and who has built of foundation of relationships around the county to deliver results.

OP: Why, specifically, should Oakland County voters support you on August 4?

Coulter: It is an honor to serve Oakland county residents and businesses as Oakland County Executive. I ask voters for their support on August 4 based on my record in office and the service we have provided during the pandemic. I took early steps to stabilize small businesses with $14 million in grants and 10,000 re-opening kits with personal protection equipment, safety protocols and social distancing signs. Now, we are creating larger recovery grants focused on areas hard hit by the pandemic. Our health division is working closely with Oakland Schools and is hiring five dozen nurses to help them openly safely. I also set aside county CARES Act dollars for local governments because they have been active partners in our response and hard hit by the costs of the pandemic. I am proud to be the only candidate in the Democratic primary that has endorsements from the majority of county officials I work with every day.

Meisner, 47, has served as county treasurer since 2009. He announced his candidacy for office at Ferndale's Rust Belt Market back in March 2019.

From 2003 through 2009, the Huntington Woods resident served as a state representative in the 27th District. Whilein Lansing, he served as assistant democratic leader and vice-chair of the House Commerce Committee and Ethics, Oversight, and Campaign Finance Committee. He also served as a member of the Tax Policy Committee.

Andy Meisner

In the 1990's, Meisner served as apolicy analyst for U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak, working on gun violence prevention, criminal justice reform, campaign finance reform, and mental health policy.

According to recent campaign filings, Meisner has raised around $1.1 million and has over $184,000 cash on hand.

OP: What are some of the biggest challenges that face Oakland County and how would you help to remedy/combat those issues? Challenges unique to COVID-19 pandemic?

Meisner: The three biggest challenges facing Oakland County are (1) COVID, (2) expanding gender and racial equity, and (3) providing access to healthcare, mental health and prevention wellness services for every county resident, especially the uninsured and under-insured. On COVID, I will lead us out of the crisis by fighting on two fronts: health and the economy. On the health front, I will improve and expand testing, treatment and tracing to ensure that Oakland County's response is based on Governor Whitmer's lead and the guidance of responsible public health agencies. Currently, test results are taking weeks to come back if at all, and this needs improvement. On the economic front, we need to support our small businesses that are trying to get through this tough time, while expanding opportunity for new and aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women and People of Color. We will do this by building small business incubators that provide free space and wi-fi to small businesses, as well as coaching and access to grant and loan programs. We will expand gender and racial equity in Oakland County by bringing my success in hiring and promoting women and People of Color to the entire county, only contracting with companies that pay their female employees the same as men, and bringing about police and criminal justice reform by using the leverage of the Executive office to demand best practices, including zero tolerance for racial discrimination and excessive use of force and investing in prevention and community policing. COVID has shown us the value of our health, and as Executive I will make sure the County is doing all it can to make sure that every uninsured and under-insured person in Oakland County gets access to affordable prescription drugs and high-quality healthcare, mental health and overall wellness services to make all of us healthier and happier. We must achieve these goals while maintaining a balanced budget and fiscal discipline. I will be a leader as Executive who will bring us together as a county and a region to overcome all of our challenges, leading with innovation, progressive values and a constant reminder that our residents deserve equity and opportunity, no matter their ZIP code.

OP: What are the main reasons as to why you want to be elected to a four-year term as Oakland County Executive?

Meisner: As State Representative and County Treasurer, I have been an innovator and proven fighter for our pro-Choice, pro-racial justice, pro-environment and pro-labor progressive, Democratic values, writing Michigan's laws on stem cell research to help sick people get better treatments and cures, our drug treatment court law that takes mentally ill and addicted people out of prison and put them into treatment, helping 30,000 families save their home and protecting Oakland County's AAA bond rating. I have the right record of accomplishment, experience, vision and track record of winning elections countywide to represent Democrats as our nominee and to lead Oakland County into the future.

OP: What are your greatest strengths? How will they help you if elected to a four-year term as Oakland County Executive?

Meisner: My greatest strengths include my record of bringing innovation and transformational change to the offices of State Representative and Treasurer, my experience at the federal, state and county levels and my core Democratic values, all which I will bring to the role of Executive, leading us out of the COVID crisis, expanding equity for women and People of Color in Oakland County and fighting for our future.

OP: Why, specifically, should Oakland County voters support you on August 4?

Meisner: I'm asking Democrats voting in the primary election to vote for me because I am the only candidate born and raised in Oakland County and the only candidate with a track record of real results on the job and in previous elections. County voters trust me to be an independent voice and an outspoken leader for our values -- not a finger in the wind politician who tells different stories to different people. I want to help lead Oakland County into a brighter future that offers equity to women and minorities who have been held back, reform of our criminal justice system and greater access to healthcare, mental health and affordable prescription drugs to every resident of Oakland County, no matter their ZIP code.

Kowall, 68, served in the State Senate, including three years as Senate majority floor leader, from 2011 through 2018 representing the 15th District. He also served as a state representative from 1999 through 2002 representing the 44th District.

The White Lake Township resident announced his candidacy in April after scrapping plans to run for Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner. From 2004 through 2010, Kowall served as White Lake Township supervisor. He also served 13 years on the township's planning commission.

Mike Kowall

In 2019, Kowall was hired by then Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson to serve as an economic and legislative liaison with the Oakland County Department of Economic Development. He left that position in October.

According torecent campaign filings, Kowall has raised around $39,000 and has over $15,000 cash on hand.

OP: What are some of the biggest challenges that face Oakland County and how would you help to remedy/combat those issues? Challenges unique to COVID-19 pandemic?

Kowall: All levels of government & school systems will face significant financial challenges as a result of the Pandemic. Any entity reliant on sales or income tax will be more profoundly and immediately impacted. Oakland County will feel the impact through loss of sales tax-related revenue sharing from the state, a much lower increase in taxable property values than forecasted, and the very real possibility that many homeowners and businesses may not be able to pay their property taxes on time. Oakland County will need to do some very serious fiscal planning with a firm, conservative approach for the next 3-4 years. To help spur the economy, continue the initiatives Brooks left us, such as Main Street Oakland & Medical Main Street. Review and revise the highly successful Emerging Sectors program in light of current economic conditions, including disrupters. Continue to help develop talent with Tech 248, Manufacturing Day and MiCareerQuest Southeast & other workforce development programs.

OP: What are the main reasons as to why you want to be elected to a four-year term as Oakland County Executive?

Kowall: I decided to run for County Executive after observing the conduct of the Democrat majority on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, and their unelected County Executive. They are wasting our hard-earned taxpayer dollars on pet projects, self-promotion, and are exploiting the COVID-19 crisis as a vehicle for their own reelections. As your elected County Executive, I will turn my experience into action for Oakland County. I will fight any proposal that adds additional taxes on Oakland County Citizens for new programs, or ill-conceived Transit Systems. I will maintain our countys AAA bond rating by implementing fiscal responsibility and planning out three-year balanced budgets. I will support economic growth by promoting the emerging technological, IT, and medical sectors that will pay dividends for our residents for years to come. As County Executive I will use my experience to make sure Oakland County receives its equitable share of road funding and lead the effort to modernize our countys infrastructure.

OP: What are your greatest strengths? How will they help you if elected to a four-year term as Oakland County Executive?

Kowall: In short, experience and bi-partisan collaboration. As Township Supervisor, I bucked the Great Recession and grew the economic footprint of White Lake Township. In 2010, when I was elected to the Michigan Senate, I was asked by newly elected Governor Rick Snyder to head up economic development for the state. Additionally, I worked across the aisle with Democratic Senator Rebekah Warren to create the legislation that regulates autonomous vehicles in Michigan, giving our automotive industry new life in the 21st century. Oakland County needs a leader who has a proven track record of working across the aisle to get results. I am the only candidate from either party with the record of bipartisanship and success.

OP: Why, specifically, should Oakland County voters support you on August 4?

Kowall: As a state representative and a state senator, I was a cheerleader for Oakland County and always kept the County uppermost in mind during policy and budgetary decisions. During my tenure in the legislature, I served in many leadership roles and came up with creative solutions for complicated problems. I have successfully taken on many difficult legislative issues, such as the autonomous vehicle bills I spearheaded. I stepped in to help out with controversial scrap metal legislation, bringing all parties together to enact responsible, sensible laws curtailing the problem of metal theft. I currently maintain many relationships within state government that will be beneficial to Oakland County. As White Lake Township Supervisor, I brought $95 million worth of new development to our township during the Great Recession. I worked collaboratively & have developed good relationship with most of Oakland Countys local elected officials and continue to do so, especially when we encounter an issue that unites us. I believe that in order to make Oakland County strong, we need to recognize & consider the input of each city, village and township in our County.

Nutt, a Troy-based attorney, serves as president of Jeffrey G. Nutt and Associates and online dean for One University of the Americas. According to recent campaign filings, Nutt has raised around $18,000 and has over $3,000 cash on hand.

Jeffrey Nutt

OP: What are the main reasons as to why you want to be elected to a four-year term as Oakland County Executive?

Nutt: First and foremost, to stop the systemic pain inflicted daily by the new Democrat County Executives inequitable COVID regulation causing inhumane and unnecessary sharp declines in social determinants of healthand to prevent economic harms from the pattern of my Republican opponent Mike Kowalls seven votes to raise the gas tax. I will not tolerate reckless policies that harm virtually every job creator in the county except gas stations. As a state bar Champion of Justice awardeelike L. Brooks Patterson was a seasoned lawyer when he was first elected County Executive until he passed August 5I have fought the abuse of power and can stand up to career politicians from Lansing to DC where I served high officials in 3 branches of government before returning to Oakland County to live after law school. The use of the language of fear to expand government control to suppress our freedoms and quality of life will end under my administration.

Second, We must defeat the virus making sure all those infected enter care and all the non-infected enter their care while immediately taking steps to also make Oakland County an economic powerhouse again. An economic makeover is needed, and a makeover in national perceptions to restore Oaklands global prominence to attract investment. A simple state law reform described more fully below is vital, with deregulation and attracting new small businesses with high paying technology-driven jobs. Achieving unparalleled county economic milestones will propel Oakland County on a new trajectory of growth for not just better jobs, but great jobsand not just a better economy but the best economy Oakland County has had thus far, applying lessons from what President Trump achievedthe nations best economy everbefore the pandemic. Our success in achieving this priority has real potential to succeed with our success in achieving our other priorities here, including making sure we have the very best health, education/talent, transportation, and finance/government operations and the increased NEW federal transit funds linked to a simple state law reform county-borough based US Metro City entity with no new taxing power.

Third, to promote world-class K-16 education and career tech training with resources and talent from our neighborhoods and beyond. An Oxford Fulbright with a track record of expanding programs as an Executive Director of the only Neighborhood Legal Services program of its kind the in the USA due to its federally-funded permanent housing, education in more than 60 schools, and services to seniors, the abused, and to victims of the HIV virus in 7 counties including Oakland, I oversaw a plan to also help schools and programs control the waste of student time and resources and improve quality.

Fourth, a simple state law reform to draw down $100M+/year in NEW federal transportation funds Oakland County residents already paid in federal tax but which previously has benefitted cities/borough cities in a handful of other states. The NEW transportation funds will improve roads and technology to ease congestion with a new simple state law reform for a new US Metro City county borough entity like London or New York City but with no new taxing power. For the first time, Oakland County will exercise the power with the simple state law reform to choose to ensure an entity exists which retains county independence without a new taxing power legalizing the 1.3M+ county as a new US Metro City US Census-backed statistical area of 1.3M+ with measurable positive growth statistics that permanently overshadow any intermittent negative perceptions of decline near Oakland County. After 60 years of Oakland Countys national reputation being tainted by national media reports of decline or decay outside of the county, Oakland County will take control of its destiny while encouraging other local counties to be better or to form their own borough with their own separate apportioned federal NEW transit funds. I will fight to retain the AAA bond rating and improve financial accountability that declined under the current Democrat who allocated $500,000 to an affiliate of a billion-dollar global conglomeratePlanned Parenthood which should have been allocated to the countys under-insured COVID-19 victims.

OP: What are your greatest strengths? How will they help you if elected to a four-year term as Oakland County Executive?

Nutt: I am not a career politician beholden to special interests but a seasoned attorney, recognized as a state champion, with experience serving officials in high office in 3 government branches and Oakland County area and global businessesand in the words of the State Bar Journalcountless needy people since returning to my native Oakland County after law school. No candidate has more experience in providing both direct service and administering multimillion-dollar federally-funded programs serving as many youth, families, seniors, veterans, HIV virus survivors, abused, disabled, homeless, or unemployed individualsprotecting their rights and providing federally-funded permanent housing, education, Social Security, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-funded, Victims of Crime Act-funded solutions to complex socio-economic problems to lift people out of personal states of emergency. No other candidate has the Fulbright caliber perspective and worldly street smarts to transform Oakland County into a new global hub in the new knowledge economy brining knowledge from a U.S-U.K.Fulbright to Oxford and an ability to fight for IT and education businesses in 30 nations from our Oakland County basecamp to benefit every Oakland County resident and business, welcoming new businesses from around the globe and cultivating new talent from every school around the corner. Furthermore, because of my background, as documented in the attached, no other candidate has a track record of working since 1990 with as many local minorities. My wife happens to be an OB/GYN of Black/Spanish/Asian/Amerindian parentage, so I have a level of rapport with people of all colors that is unique. My CV is also attached as verification providing the specifics of the following summary:

Oxford Fulbright Scholar, State Bar Champion of Justice, Trump Supporter, I own a Troy, MI global legal and management services firm; helped individuals and 50+ local communities and businesses in Oakland County and 30 nations; served Chief Justice Warren Burger, 2 Senate Offices, State Department, and Oakland County court; spoke to 25,000+ youth and adults; National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts National Conference presenter; oversaw 20+ accounting departments, 7+ chief executives, and multimillion-dollar human survival, housing and advocacy programs. I am Fulbright Association Michigan Chapter President; Somerset North HOA City Liaison/elected President 5X. My wife Mayra -- an OB/GYN doctor trained in Panama, Paris, Detroit and Oakland County -- delivered 1,000+ local babies. An Oakland County native, I earned the Chamber Leadership Detroit XIX Certificate, was raised by a single mom, attended Gesu Catholic and Southfield Christian schools, worked assembly line/past UAW member, discovered in college my father was a 2 nd Generation Ford Motor Co. Whiz Kid; I filled a Supreme Court job once held by author Mark Levin and Prof. Clayton Christensen who later coined the term disruptive innovation. Oral Roberts University B.A.; American University J.D.; Goldman Sachs United Jewish Endowment funded scholarly legal studies.

My strengths were cultivated as 1 of 4 Americans then serving in a Judicial Intern position under Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger after work in 2 U.S. Senate Offices and a job writing 9 country environmental profiles for the U.S. State Department U.S. Agency for International Development Environmental Affairs Coordinator at the request of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and serving in a Farmington Hills court refined my skills in government. I was then selected as 1 of 6 Americans to then earn a U.S. - U.K. Fulbright Scholar Certificate at Oxford University concentrating in the law of the European Union where I would eventually also serve intellectual property IT and education business clientele as the owner of a legal and management services firm in Oakland County. Based on my public interest legal advocacy and executive leadership, I was named a State Bar of Michigan Champion of Justice. I won a national civil test case against drug dealers with Children's Law Center attorneys, was Executive Director with Elder Law Center programs, expanded programs from 5 to 60 schools, and have supervised more than 100+ professional employees/consultants, 7+ chief executives, and am the only U.S. lawyer to have administered 2 legal services-based HUD Continuum of Care permanent housing and support service grants to end homelessness. I led an HIV law program in 7 counties, including Oakland, in the epicenter of the viral epidemic long before the COVID-19 virus and understand how to fight the virus and promote prosperity throughout the community and how to best enhance the social determinants of health. I know how to recruit, retain and train talent having enrolled 300 volunteer lawyers to protect the abused and having trained the Oakland County area child advocacy attorney who wrote the Juvenile Code that was signed into law by President Karzai of Afghanistan. No one will protect the health and welfare of youth, families and seniors and stabilize and grow businesses, as I have done, as County Executive.

OP: Why, specifically, should Oakland County voters support you on August 4?

Nutt: Once in a while, it makes a world of sense to elect a non-career politician as a county executivesuch as me, a person known more as a tough, successful lawyer and community activist, aspiring to emulate a person previously known more as a tough lawyer than a career politician, L. Brooks Patterson, when he became county executiveand aspiring to emulate Abraham Lincoln known more as a tough lawyer rather than a career politician before he ascended to the presidency. Because the people of the county are in dire needand I am a tough lawyer who has no problem being called a tough Nuttthe county is in dire need of confidence in leadership that has been lacking since L. Brooks Patterson died. No other candidate has pre-COVID-19 experience as an Executive Director of a federally funded program to battle a virus, HI/AIDS in 7 counties, including Oakland. No other candidate has the local international experience or expertise to make the county an economic powerhouse in the new knowledge economy from my Oxford Fulbright scholarly study lasting 5 times longer than the current Democrat County Executives Harvard trainingand serving businesses in Oakland County and 30 nations as a 30-year resident and professional in Oakland County. This expertise is vital to bring in new businesses with valid, actual world-class education and health care expertise. The current Democrat County Executive refused to stand up to inequitable, excessive Lansing quarantine regulations causing great untold harm and lives due to the sharply declining social determinants of health (excessive unemployment, transportation problems, barriers to healthcare, housing crisis portended by the pandemic economic fallout that could have been minimized) and my Republican opponent backed a nearly $2B 2015 Proposal 1 increasing taxes with the first $800M going to special interests which was overwhelmingly defeated 80/20 by voters. No other candidate led 100+ professional employees/contractors prior to a county executive post, including administering a federally funded HUD Continuum of Care permanent housing and support services grant to end homelessness for individuals, families, and those fleeing abuse and violence. I care.

OP: What are some of the biggest challenges that face Oakland County and how would you help to remedy/combat those issues? Challenges unique to COVID-19 pandemic?

Nutt: These questions were previously answered.

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Election preview: The race for Oakland County executive - The Oakland Press