Find out what’s on the Nov. 8 ballot in Emmet County – Petoskey News-Review

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story is updated with the correct information for the U.S. House Michigan District 1 race.

EMMET COUNTY Voters in Michigan will have full ballots in the November 2022 midterm election. Ballots will include statewide, congressional, municipal and school board positions, along with a handful of statewide proposals.

Here's a rundown of candidates and topics on the ballot in the Sturgis area Tuesday, Nov. 8. To view your sample ballot, visit michigan.gov/sos/elections.

Statewide and Congressional

A trio of prominent statewide offices governor, attorney general and secretary of state will be on Novembers ballot.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, is seeking a second term. She faces Republican Tudor Dixon, who emerged from a crowded primary in August. Third party candidates include Mary Buzema (Libertarian), Donna Brandenburg (U.S. Taxpayers), Kevin Hogan (Green) and Daryl Simpson (Natural Law).

Democrat Dana Nessel is seeking reelection as attorney general against Republican Matthew DePerno. Joseph McHugh Jr. (Libertarian) and Gerald Van Sickle (U.S. Taxpayers) are running as well.

Candidates for secretary of state are Democrat Jocelyn Benson, Republican Kristina Karamo, Libertarian Gregory Stempfle, Christine Schwartz of U.S. Taxpayers and Larry Hutchinson Jr. from the Green Party.

Voters in Emmett will vote in Michigans 1st Congressional District. Candidates are Jack Bergman (Republican), Bob Lorinser (Democrat), Andrew Gale (Libertarian), and Liz Hakola (Working Class Party).

Three statewide proposals to amend the states constitution will also be decided in November.

Proposal 22-1 aims to change the states term limits. If adopted, the proposal will limit state legislators to 12 years of service, which can be served entirely in either the state house or senate, or in a combination of both. The proposal also adds financial disclosure requirements for legislators, the governor, secretary of state, attorney general and lieutenant governor.

Proposal 22-2 deals with voting laws. If approved, the constitutional amendment would add nine days of in-person early voting, allow voters to verify their identity with photo ID or a signed statement, allow voters to use a single application to vote absentee in all elections, require state-funded absentee-ballot drop boxes and postage for absentee applications and ballots, make it so post-election audits may only be conducted by election officials, require military or overseas ballots to be counted if postmarked by election day and more.

The final proposal, Proposal 22-3, deals with reproductive rights. It would add a constitutional amendment to establish new individual right to reproductive freedom for all decisions about pregnancy including childbirth, abortion, postpartum care, contraception, prenatal care and infertility. It would also invalidate state laws conflicting with the amendment.

More: Michigan's Proposal 1 would change term limits, require financial disclosure for lawmakers

More: The abortion rights amendment made Michigan's ballot. Here's exactly what it says

Voters will also choose two members of the state board of education, two regents of the University of Michigan, two trustees for Michigan State University and two governors of Wayne State University.

Judicial Races

A handful of spots on the bench will be contested in statewideraces. Two seats on the Michigan Supreme Court are up for election, with incumbents Richard Bernstein and Brian Zahra facing Kyra Bolden of Southfield, Paul Hudson of Kalamazoo and Kerry Lee Morgan of Redford.

Emmet County

Closer to home, voters in Emmet County have a number of contested local council, commission and school board races to consider before Nov. 8.

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Board of Commissioners

There are contested races in districts 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 for the Emmet County Board of Commissioners.

In District 1, Democrat Mike Adams and Republican Charles Laughbaum are competing for the seat. In District 3, the race is between Democrat Anne Serafin and Republican Don Mapes. District 4s race is between Democrat Jeffrey Boda and Republican Rich Ginop. In District 5, Democrat Cyril Drier is facing off against Republican Brian Gutowski. The final contested race in District 6 is between Democrat Jaime Jankowski Brants and Republican David White.

Incumbents Neil Ahrens and Matt Koontz are running opposed in Districts 2 and 7, respectively.

More:Pot retail in Petoskey: What to know about the recreational marijuana proposal in November

City of Petoskey

Voters in the City of Petoskey will be asked to consider the issue of recreational marijuana on the Nov. 8 ballot.

The proposal asks whether to initiate an ordinance to amend the citys code to allow and provide for the licensing of adult-use recreational marijuana retailers.

The ballot language reads:

The proposed ordinance would:

Public Schools of Petoskey

Five candidates are running for three open seats on the Public Schools of Petoskey Board of Education.

The candidates are Jennifer Attie, Elizabeth Flynn, Melanie Meengs, Jessica Nolff and Kathleen Reed. Nolff and Reed are both incumbents running for reelection.

Harbor Springs Public Schools

In the Harbor Springs school district, there are four candidates running for three open seats on the board of education.

The candidates are Brad Backus, Diane Novak, Michael Vandermus and Tom Varner. Incumbents Backus and Novak are running for reelection.

Harbor Springs Public Schools are also asking voters to consider two millage proposals on Nov. 8.

The first is a proposal asking for the renewal of the recreation millage for the community pool.

The ballot language reads:

Shall the previous voted increase in the constitutional limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property within the school district of Harbor Springs Public Schools, Emmet County, Michigan, be renewed in the amount of 0.13 mills ($0.13 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of four (4) years, 2023 through 2026, inclusive, to be used for public recreation purposes, specifically the operation, maintenance and equipping of the Harbor Springs Community Pool (such renewal is estimated to provide revenues of approximately $154,000 in 2023 and includes a renewal of previously authorized millage in the amount of 0.1243 mills ($0.1243 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) which will expire with the 2022 tax levy and a new additional millage of 0.0057 mills ($0.0057 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) to restore millage lost as a result of the "Headlee" reduction)?

The second proposal is for the districts operating millage, which excludes principal residences and other exempt property.

The ballot language reads:

This proposal will allow the school district to continue to levy the statutory rate of not more than 13.9911 mills against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to provide the level of funding authorized by the State School Aid Act.

Shall the constitutional limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, within the school district of Harbor Springs Public Schools, Emmet County, Michigan, be increased by 14.9911 mills ($14.9911 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of two (2) years, 2023 and 2024, to enable the school district to levy such part of the increase as is necessary to maintain a maximum levy of 13.9911 mills ($13.9911 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) to provide funds for school operating purposes (estimated to provide revenues of approximately $11,695,000 if 13.9911 mills are levied in 2023)?

More:Candidates talk millage, short-term rentals at Harbor Springs forum

City of Harbor Springs

Both mayoral and city council seats will be decided in the Nov. 8 election for the City of Harbor Springs.

Running for mayor are incumbent Matt Bugera and challenger Andrew Potter. Running for the two available city council seats are incumbent Nancy Rondel, Jeff James, Maggie Lacy and Jamie Melke.

The city is also asking voters to consider a public safety millage proposal.

The ballot language reads:

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be levied under Article IX, Sections 6 and 31 of the Michigan Constitution on taxable property in the City of Harbor Springs be increased by up to one (1) mill ($1 per $1,000 of taxable value) of new additional millage for a period of five (5) years, for the city's firefighting operations and equipment and for city police staffing, operations and equipment, to maintain the current levels of public safety for fire and police in the city, with the actual amount of the additional levy (subject to the one (1) mill maximum) to be set annually by the city council based on its determination of police and public safety needs? If the millage is authorized and fully levied, the estimated amount of revenue that would be collected in 2023 is $316,123.

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Littlefield Township

Voters in Littlefield Township will have one local proposal on their ballots this November.

The proposal is for a millage request for the Alanson Area Public Library.

The ballot language reads:

Shall the tax limitation on all taxable property within Littlefield Township, Emmet County, Michigan, be increased and the township be authorized to levy annually a new additional millage in an amount not to exceed .35 mill ($0.35 on each $1,000 of taxable value) for four (4) years, 2022 to 2025 inclusive, to provide funds for operating, maintaining and equipping the Alanson Area Public Library and for all other library purposes authorized by law? The estimate of the revenue the township will collect in the first year of levy (2022) if the millage is approved and levied by the township is approximately $51,000. By law, revenue from this millage will be disbursed to the Alanson Area Public Library.

Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com.

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Find out what's on the Nov. 8 ballot in Emmet County - Petoskey News-Review