Category Archives: Libertarian

Talk Business & Politics: Recession and talking with Libertarian Ricky Dale Harrington Jr. about Arkansas Governors race  KLRT - FOX16.com

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Talk Business & Politics: Recession and talking with Libertarian Ricky Dale Harrington Jr. about Arkansas Governors race - KLRT - FOX16.com

Larry Sharpe, Libertarian write in candidate for NY governor, urges voters to back their independent parties on Nov. 8  WPTZ

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Larry Sharpe, Libertarian write in candidate for NY governor, urges voters to back their independent parties on Nov. 8 - WPTZ

Libertarianism is a philosophy centered on liberty. People that believe in these philosophies are known as libertarians, and libertarians believe in political freedom and freedom of choice. Libertarians believe that a person should be able to use their judgment when it comes to choices in their own life. In other words, a person would be able to make their own choices without government interference.

Throughout the world, some nations show signs of libertarianism. For example, in many nations around the world, marijuana has been legalized or at least decriminalized. However, there are no true libertarian countries. The nations that have legalized marijuana, for example, may have very high taxes or laws that restrict other activities, such as prostitution.

Since there are no true libertarian countries, but several countries have libertarian ideals. The United States has the Libertarian Party (LP), which has the slogan "Minimum government, maximum freedom." Because U.S. states have control over many of their own laws and regulations, some states are considered more libertarian than others. The most libertarian U.S. states are Florida, New Hampshire, and Indiana. One such nation is England. After leaving the European Union, the nation no longer has a higher government than its own federal government. England no longer has to pay taxes and tariffs imposed by the EU, but other regulations, such as drugs, are illegal. Several nations do not impose income taxes on its citizens. This includes Andorra, which has no income tax for individuals or companies, and Monaco, known as a "tax haven" for its lack of income tax.

If you live in a country like the United States, prostitution is illegal. However, it is legal in some nations. In Germany, for example, brothels are regulated by the government, must obtain licenses, and pay taxes. The Netherlands also has legal prostitution and has become known for its red-light district. In some nations, drugs are also legal or decriminalized. In Portugal, possessing any drug for personal use has been criminalized. Portugal also has government-funded therapy programs to help drug addicts. In North Korea, marijuana and opium are not considered drugs. However, the use of other drugs could result in severe penalties, including death.

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Libertarian Countries 2022 - worldpopulationreview.com

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) For the first time since 2002, Libertarians are on the ballot in Alabama, and their gubernatorial candidate is taking a unique campaign approach.

Jimmy Blake is biking across Alabama all month, stopping in towns along the way to talk to voters.

Im 71 years old, and Im still active. Thats what we really ought to do. If people want to be healthy, I think having political officials instead of handing out cash, show people how to live, Blake said at a stop in Montgomery.

The physician and former Birmingham City Councilman wants people to have a different choice outside of red or blue. If elected, he says hed prioritize more market forces in education, lowering state spending, freezing government hiring and lowering taxes.

How many people out there feel like theyre getting their moneys worth out of that? I think most people dont. And if they dont, they need to start thinking about a different approach in terms of politics., Blake said.

Blake acknowledges his party wont have the same backing as Republicans or Democrats but says the goal is staying on the ballot.

Im confident we will retain ballot access. Thatll give us the same kind of head start that Democrats and Republicans do to get organized, recruit candidates and raise the money that is necessary, Blake said.

Blake will be up against incumbent Gov. Kay Ivey, who just this week was listed by Morning Consult as the governor with the 7th highest approval ratings in the country.

Ivey was not available for an interview but in a statement, she touted low unemployment, infrastructure investments and record funding for schools under her watch, saying The best is yet to come.

Democratic candidate Yolanda Flowers was not immediately available for an interview Thursday.

Political analyst Steve Flowers estimates the Libertarian candidates will get between 2 to 3% of the vote.

If the Libertarian were not running, if Jimmy Blake were not running, shed get 63, but shell get 60-40, Flowers said.

Flowers says Blake does have some name recognition that could help his vote count.

Hes a colorful character. I think Blake has got some name identification, and hes such a colorful person historically and currently that hell notch a couple percentage points. Hell get the maximum the Libertarians can get, Flowers said.

This morning Blake was headed to Tuskegee, but hell be biking around the state all month with plans to finish in Birmingham on Oct. 28.

More here:

Libertarian candidate biking across state as party gets ballot access for first time in 20 years - WKRG News 5

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.

More:Alanson library welcomes Mike Frampus as new director

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.

Excerpt from:

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

AUSTIN The top three Texas statewide positions - governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general - receive much of the general attention, but there are several other statewide races voters will see on the ballot this November.

Below is a breakdown of all statewide positions and candidates that will appear on the Nov. 8 ballot. The symbol (I) indicates incumbent.

GOVERNOR

Role: The states chief executive responsible for outlining budget recommendations for the legislature and leading the state and its military forces during emergencies.

Candidates: Republican Greg Abbott (I), Democrat Beto ORourke, Green Party Delilah Barrios, Libertarian Mark Tippetts

LT. GOVERNOR

Role: Head of the state senate, the lieutenant governor establishes all special and standing committees, appoints all chairpersons and members, and assigns all senate legislation to the committee of his choice.

Candidates: Republican Dan Patrick (I), Democrat Mike Collier, Libertarian Shanna Steele

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Role: The states chief legal officer responsible for defending the state of Texas and its duly elected laws by providing legal representation to the state.

Candidates: Republican Ken Paxton (I), Democrat Rochelle Garza, Libertarian Mark Ash

COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

Role: The states chief financial officer works as the states tax collector, chief accountant, chief revenue estimator and chief treasurer for all of state government, as well as administrator for a number of other programs.

Candidates: Republican Glenn Hegar (I), Democrat Janet T. Dudding, Libertarian V. Alonzo Echevarria-Garza

COMMISSIONER OF GENERAL LAND OFFICE

Role: Head of the state agency focused on maximizing and diversifying revenue sources for the Permanent School Fund and expanding the development of renewable energy on state lands, among other things.

Candidates: Republican Dawn Buckingham, Democrat Jay Kleberg, Green Party Alfred Molison, Jr.

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE

Role: Head of the state agency that promotes agriculture production, consumer protection, economic development and healthy living.

Candidates: Republican Sid Miller (I), Democrat Susan Hays

RAILROAD COMMISSIONER

Role: Head of the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry, gas utilities, pipeline safety, among other things.

Candidates: Republican Wayne Cristian (I), Democrat Luke Warford, Libertarian Jaime Andres Diez, Green Party Hunter Wayne Crow

TEXAS SUPREME COURT

Role: The nine-member court is the court of last resort on civil matters.

Place 3 candidates: Republican Debra Lehrmann (I), Democrat Erin A. Nowell, Libertarian Thomas Edward Oxford

Place 5 candidates: Republican Rebeca Huddle (I), Democrat Amanda Reichek

Place 9 candidates: Republican Evan Young (I), Democrat Julia Maldonado

TEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS

Role: The nine-member court handles appeals on criminal matters.

Place 5 candidates: Republican Scott Walker (I), Democrat Dana Huffman

Place 6 candidates: Republican Jesse F. McClure, III (I), Democrat Robert Johnson

Other state positions that are elected based on location are all State Board of Education members, and all state senators and state representatives. The length of term for each position varies.

Voters will also be electing their U.S. Congress House of Representatives, which serve two-year terms.

Voters can also expect to see local positions such as district attorneys, county judges and commissioners, district and county clerks and constables on their ballots. Each of the local positions serve four year terms.

Early voting runs Oct. 24-Nov. 4. Election Day is Nov. 8.

Those who are eligible and wish to vote by mail must first submit an application, or ABBM, to their countys Early Voting Clerk by Oct. 28.

See the rest here:

Here is who is running for Texas' statewide positions - cnhinews.com

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) Despite all the money spent by the two major party candidates attacking each other in the U.S. Senate race, Pennsylvania voters do have other choices on the ballot.

As KDKA-TV political editor Jon Delano reports, this year there are three third-party candidates running for Senate.

When U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R) ran for reelection six years ago, he defeated Democrat Katie McGinty by just 86,000 votes out of 6 million votes cast. The Libertarian Party candidate got 235,000. Put another way: McGinty lost by 1.5 percent, but the Libertarian got 3.9 percent, more than double the winning margin.

"The interesting thing about elections this close is anything can be a spoiler," says Prof. Kris Kanthak at the University of Pittsburgh.

It's not clear third-party candidates take votes away from the major party candidates, but more voters in this region in the last competitive Senate race voted third-party than, say, in the Philadelphia region.

In the last Toomey race, the Libertarian got 4.4 percent of the vote in Allegheny County, 6.1 percent in Beaver County, and 7.8 percent in Indiana County, well above the state average and the margin of victory.

"We know that independent candidates have made a difference in Pennsylvania," says political analyst Larry Ceisler.

In a close election between Democrats and Republicans, third-party choices can be critical. Besides Democrat Fetterman and Republican Oz, voters have other choices: Libertarian Erik Gerhardt of Montgomery County, Keystone Party candidate Daniel Wassmer of Pike County, and Green Party candidate Richard Weiss of Allegheny County.

Ceisler thinks while the Green Party could hurt Fetterman, the Libertarian is more likely to hurt Oz.

"The Libertarian brand is probably more known and more lethal to Republicans," says Ceisler.

But most third-party candidates reject the notion that they are spoilers, saying they bring voters to the polls who would never vote for either Oz or Fetterman.

Delano: "Do you see yourself as a spoiler in this election?"

Wassmer:"No. Not at all. That's one of the biggest misconceptions of third parties completely."

"I would never be voting for any GOP candidate. I have the same problem with the Democratic candidates."

Wassmer, a former Republican, says he will never vote Republican again, while Weiss says his appeal is to voters unhappy with both major parties' environmental views.

"We believe we are not taking votes away from the other parties. We're bringing new people to the polls," says Weiss. "They both are going to continue expanding fracking and drilling for oil and really what we have is a climate emergency."

Gerhardt has a different take.

"We're going to take votes away from both of them," Gerhardt said. "A lot of people aren't happy with the Democratic candidate and how left they're going, and the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate isn't the strongest."

While voters have five choices on the ballot, control of the U.S. Senate really depends on whether Fetterman or Oz wins, not the others.

The election is four weeks from today.

Jon Delano is a familiar face on KDKA, having been the station's political analyst since 1994. In September 2001, Jon joined KDKA full time as the Money & Politics Editor and this region's only political analyst who covers national and local issues that affect hometown residents.

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Third-party candidates could make a difference in a close race between Oz and Fetterman - CBS Pittsburgh

IONIA COUNTY Voters in Ionia County will have a lot to consider in the Nov. 8 general election. Ballots include statewide, congressional, municipal and school board positions, along with a handful of statewide proposals.

Heres a rundown of candidates and topics on the ballot in the Ionia County area Tuesday, Nov. 8. To view your sample ballot, visit michigan.gov/sos/elections.

Statewide and Congressional

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, is seeking a second term. She faces Republican Tudor Dixon, who emerged from acrowded 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.

Ionia County will vote in Michigans newly drawn 2nd Congressional District. Republican John Moolenaar, who currently represents the states 5th Congressional District, is running against Democrat Jerry Hilliard and Libertarian Nathan Hewer.

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

Proposal 22-1aims 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 22-2deals 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.

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.

Michigan Legislature

In Michigans 18th Senate District, Thomas Albert, R-Lowell, will face Kai Degraaf, D-Ada. The district covers the western and southern portions of Ionia County including the villages of Saranac, Clarksville and Lake Odessa. Albert currently is the representative of the 86th House District.

The rest of the county will vote for Michigans 33rd Senate District. Incumbent Rick Outman, R-Six Lakes, Mark Bignell, D-Greenville, and Jay Gillotte, L-Lyons, are running for the seat.

State House races in Ionia County are in districts 78, 91 and 93.

District 78 will see Gina Johnsen, R-Lake Odessa, against Leah Groves, D-Lowell. District 78 covers the majority of Ionia County, including the Palo, Ionia, Portland, Saranac, Clarksville, Lake Odessa areas.

District 91 has Pat Outman, R-Six Lakes, facingTammy DeVries, D-Cedar Springs. District 91 comprises the Belding, Orleans and Smyrna areas in northwest Ionia County. Outman currently represents the 70th House District.

District 93 will see incumbent Graham Filler, R-St. Johns, face Jeffrey Lockwood, D-Saginaw. Voters in the Lyons, Muir, Pewamo and Hubbardston areas in northeast Ionia County will vote in the district.

Ionia County

In District One, voters will decide between incumbent Republican David Hodges and Democrat Michael Baker for the Ionia County Board of Commissioners. Hodges currently serves as board chair.

In District Three, voters will choose between Larry Tiejema and Democrat Michelle McCord. Tiejema currently serves as District Two commissioner and board vice chair.

In District Four, Republican Phillip Hesche will face Democrat Judith Transue.

Democrat Ally Cook and Republican Gordon Kelley will face each other for the countys District Five seat. Cook is the current District Four commissioner and Kelley serves as a First Ward council member on the Ionia City Council.

Scott Wirtz (District Two), Jack Shattuck (District Six) and Terence Frewen (District Seven) each won their respective August primary elections and face no opposition in November. They will begin their terms on the county board on Jan. 1.

More:2 Ionia County commissioners keep seats in August primary election, 1 voted out

Municipal

Voters in Belding willelect three candidates to the City Council. Mayor Pro Tem Jorel Davis will look to retain his seat. Shelley Gladding, John R. LaClear and Jeannine Hughes Leary are also on the ballot.

Lake Odessa area voters will choose three candidates to serve four-year terms on the Village Council. Current trustees Michael Brighton and Jennifer Hickey are eying another term while Charles Jaquays and Mary Yoder are also seeking spots on the council.

Proposals

Voters in the Lowell Area Schools District will consider a Headlee Override to return its operating millage to the full 18 mills. Rollbacks have reduced the millage to 17.0241 mills. If approved, the districts operating millage will be restored to 18 mills for 2023-2028.

Voters in the Lakewood Public Schools District will consider a bonding proposal. The district is placing a $64 million bond proposal on the November ballot while maintaining the previously approved 7-mill debt millage. The district is hoping to improve its facilities, including safety and security upgrades, and create spaces to improve student achievement and instruction.

The Ionia Community Library is asking voters in its district to approve a levy of 0.98 mills for 18 years, from 2022 to 2039, to renovate, operate and maintain a new library building. The millage will generate $426,000 in its first year if approved.

The ICL hopes to move from the Hall-Fowler Home at 126 E. Main St. to the National Bank Building at 302 W. Main St. The Hall-Fowler Home would then become a museum. A millage proposal for 20 years failed by 36 votes in the August election.

More:Ionia Community Library millage proposal fails by 36 votes

More:Ionia Community Library to place another millage proposal on ballot this November

School Board

Ionia, Portland, Belding, Lakewood, Saranac and Pewamo-Westphalia all have school board positions on the ballot next month.

Incumbent Ken Baker and Dayna Ellis will be elected to six-year terms on the Ionia Public Schools Board of Education. Incumbent Robin Marhofer and challenger Ray Shippey are running for a partial term on the Ionia school board ending in 2024. Tim Montgomery will be elected to a partial term ending in 2026.

Five candidates are vying for two seats on the Portland Public Schools Board of Education. Incumbents Linda Hoxie-Green and Douglas Logel Jr. are running againstSusan Moyer, Joe Polasek and Kurt Sandborn.

Three spots are up for grabs on the Belding Area Schools Board of Education. Incumbent Terry Boni is running against Keven Krieger, Jennifer Lien, Lary Richmond and Nichole VandenHout.

Four candidates are running for two seats on the Lakewood Public Schools Board of Education. Incumbent Wendy Behrenwald is running against Kay Jones, Paige OMara and Micah Steed. Trustee Jami Manszewski will be elected to a partial term ending in 2024.

There are four candidates running for three four-year terms on the Saranac Community Schools Board of Education. Incumbents President Sarah Doll, Treasurer David Price and Trustee Ted VanKuiken are running against Diana Naylor.

Several candidates are running for three open spots on the Pewamo-Westphalia Community Schools Board of Education. Candidates are incumbent President Jason Hafner, Evan Fedewa, Nicholas Martin, Lori Pung, Luke Thelen, Brad Weber and Tony Wirth, who is running as a write-in candidate.

Judicial Races

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.

Kathleen Feeney of Rockford and Raymond Voet of Ionia are vying for a six-year, non-incumbent position with the 3rd District Court of Appeals.

Judge Ronald Schafer will be re-elected to a six-year term in the Eighth Circuit Court for Ionia and Montcalm counties. Schafer is running unopposed.

Contact reporter Evan Sasiela atesasiela@sentinel-standard.com. Follow him on Twitter@SalsaEvan. Sentinel reporter Mitchell Boatman contributed to this report.

Read the original here:

Here's what's on the ballot in Ionia County this November - Sentinel-Standard

ATLANTA Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has opened a double-digit lead over Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams, according to a poll released Wednesday.

However, Georgias U.S. Senate race is in a dead heat, the Capitol Beat/Georgia News Collaborative Poll found in a survey of 1,030 likely general election voters conducted Sept. 15-Oct. 4 by the University of Georgias School of Public and International Affairs.

The survey found state Sen. Burt Jones, R-Jackson, with a slight lead for the open lieutenant governors seat over Democrat Charlie Bailey.

GOP incumbents hold a solid lead in both the races for attorney general and secretary of state, according to the poll.

Kemp drew the support of 51% of poll respondents to 40.7% for Abrams, giving the governor a lead of 10.3%. Libertarian Shane Hazel was a distant third with 2.3%, while 6% of those surveyed were undecided.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., was favored by 46.4% of the poll respondents, to 43.4% for Republican challenger Herschel Walker. Given the polls margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, the race is essentially tied. Chase Oliver, the Libertarian candidate, trailed at 4.1%, while 6.1% of those surveyed were undecided.

Support for Jones stood at 43.5%, with 38.8% of survey respondents favoring Bailey. Factoring in the margin of error left Jones with a slight lead over his Democratic rival for lieutenant governor. Libertarian Ryan Graham was third at 4.0%, and 13.8% of respondents were undecided.

While Kemp polled slightly above the 50%-plus-one margin needed to avoid a Dec. 6 runoff, the race for Senate and possibly the contest for lieutenant governor could be headed toward an extra round of voting.

The survey found Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger well ahead of state Rep. Bee Nguyen, 47.9% to 33.9%. Libertarian Ted Metz stood third at 6.3%, with 11.8% undecided.

Likewise, GOP Attorney General Chris Carr held a strong lead over Democratic state Sen. Jen Jordan, 47.4% to 38.8%. Libertarian Martin Cowen trailed at 3.6%, with 10.2% undecided.

Although both Raffensperger and Carr were short of the margin needed to win the Nov. 8 election outright, the large percentage of undecided voters left room for the two incumbents to get over the threshold.

Kemps lead over Abrams in the gubernatorial contest has widened over recent polls.

I think hes done a good job, said Misty Dunn, 45, an archaeologist from Meriwether County, a regular Republican voter who supports Kemp even though she disagrees with his staunch opposition to abortion.

I cant vote the other way on that one issue, Dunn said.

Aaron Williams, 42 of McDonough, who works for a telecommunications company, said he plans to vote for Abrams primarily because she is not a Republican, a party he has soured on.

The conservative side has gone full on hypocrisy, Williams said. I cant get behind a single conservative candidate.

Wendy Meehan, 72, of Madison County, said she will vote to elect Warnock to a full Senate term because her positions in favor of Medicaid expansion and against the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the constitutional right to abortion align with the Democrats.

Meehan said she doesnt believe Walker is qualified to serve in the Senate.

He should not be a Senate candidate, she said. Georgia could do much better than him.

Lisa Elias, 53, a business owner from Gainesville, said she liked Walker when she saw him speak at her church.

He seemed like a good man, Elias said. Im a Christian, and Im conservative in my values.

But some Republican voters are starting to have concerns about Walker following allegations of violence against his ex-wife and that he paid for a former girlfriends abortion.

If these things are true, thats horrible, said Sarah Simcox, 56, a kindergarten teacher in Forsyth County. But I think politically he might be better [than Warnock]. Im struggling with it. Its going to take a lot of prayer.

Black voters who responded to the poll overwhelmingly preferred Democrats Abrams and Warnock, not surprising since most Black voters support Democratic candidates. But Warnock outperformed Abrams among that group of voters, 89% to 80.7%.

Walker, a former University of Georgia football star, drew only 2% support among Black voters, while Kemp was preferred by 8% of Black survey respondents.

Kemp held a solid lead over Abrams among men, 58% to 33.3%. Walkers lead among men was strong but not as large as Kemps. Walker was supported by 52.5% of men who responded to the poll, compared to 37.7% favoring Warnock.

Warnock, however, enjoyed a huge lead among women, 53.6% to 36.3% for Walker. Women were much more evenly divided in the governors race, with 46.6% preferring Abrams to 45.4% supporting Kemp.

Broken down by age, Kemp held the edge among all groups except for those between the ages of 30 and 44. Among that group, Abrams led 50.6% to 39%.

Warnock led decisively among younger voters, those between the ages of 18 and 44. Walker turned the tables with a solid lead among the 45-64 age group and a smaller lead among voters 65 and older.

Kemp polled strongest among voters with a high school education or less, while Abrams biggest advantage was among college graduates.

The same was true in the Senate race, with Walker scoring highest among those with a high school diploma or less, and Warnocks best showing coming from poll respondents with a college degree.

The poll was conducted via telephone, about 90% through cellphone interviews and 10% over landline connections.

The survey results were weighted to represent respondents proportionally in terms of race, sex, age, and education.

Staff writer Rebecca Grapevine contributed to this report.

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.

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Kemp leading Abrams by double digits; Warnock and Walker tied | - Capitol Beat

What does Wisconsins secretary of state do?

Wisconsins secretary of state oversees the acts of the governor and the state Legislature, manages public records and serves on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. The SOS would act as governor if the current governor and lieutenant governor were removed from office or unable to serve.Whats at stake?

The race for secretary of state could determine the future of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Governed by six commissioners shared evenly between the Republican and Democratic parties, the WEC was created by Republicans in 2016. This commission provides support to local clerks and monitors compliance with election laws and accuracy. The WEC chairperson is responsible for certifying state and federal election results, excluding the presidential race, which follows a different set of rules. The commission faced heightened criticism after the 2020 presidential election. If a Republican SOS is elected, they may attempt to abolish the WEC and potentially seek to transfer its duties to the SOSs office.

Who are the candidates?

Neil Harmon

Biography: Neil Harmon joined the Libertarian Party in 2016 and is a former Democrat and Republican. He has worked in health care for over 25 years. Harmon serves as the vice chair of the state Libertarian party.

Party: Libertarian

Links: Facebook

Select endorsements: Libertarian Party of Wisconsin

Article worth checking out: Meet The Candidates For Secretary Of State: Neil Harmon (WORT)

Doug La Follette

Biography: Doug La Follette has served as Wisconsin's secretary of state for 44 years. La Follette started Clean Wisconsin and has focused on renewable energy since the 1970s. He helped Gaylord Nelson, a former Wisconsin governor and U.S. senator, organize the first Earth Day in 1970. La Follette was also appointed by President Jimmy Carter as the assistant director to the Mid-American Solar Energy Complex. He earned a PhD in organic chemistry from Columbia University and later became an assistant professor of chemistry and ecology at UW-Parkside.

Party: Democrat

Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Select endorsement: Our Wisconsin Revolution

Article worth checking out: What to know about Doug La Follette, the Democrat seeking another term as Wisconsin secretary of state (Journal Sentinel)

Amy Loudenbeck

Biography: Amy Loudenbeck was first elected to the Wisconsin state Assembly in 2010. Loudenbeck has served as vice co-chair of the Joint Committee on Finance, chairman of the State Capitol and Executive Residence Board, and is a member of the State Fair Park Board. She graduated from UW-Madison in 1991 with degrees in political science and international relations. In 2020, Loudenbeck attended the White House Summit on Human Trafficking and served on a panel to discuss human trafficking in Wisconsin.

Party: Republican

Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Select endorsements: Former Gov. Tommy Thompson, U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, state Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu. Additional endorsements listed on Loudenbecks website.

Articles worth checking out: Wisconsin SOS hopeful wants election control, won't say how much (Associated Press), What to know about Amy Loudenbeck, the Republican running for secretary of state in Wisconsin (Journal Sentinel)

Sharyl McFarland

Biography: Sharyl McFarland is a decades-long advocate for social justice and human rights. Her work focuses on such issues as voter suppression, racial inequalities, mass incarceration and homelessness.

According to the Wisconsin Green Party, McFarland rallied to close down the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility, sharing an anecdote about the mistreatment of her at-the-time 17-year-old son.

Party: Green

Links: Website | Facebook

Select endorsements: Wisconsin Green Party

Where do the candidates stand on the issue of election oversight?

Harmon: Harmon says elections oversight should be taken away from the Wisconsin Elections Commission and given to an elected, non-partisan body, according to an interview with WORT 88.9 Madison. He also believes the number of commissioners on that panel should be reduced from six to four, with the secretary of state serving as its leader.

I think if theres any kind of shenanigans or people having problems with access to voting that, thats where the secretary of state should be the overseeing figure of that, he told WORT.

La Follette: La Follette says the secretary of state's office is coming into focus as the newest battleground to save democracy.

On his website, La Follette writes: Far-right politicians have proposed stealing power over elections in the hopes that they can use it to overturn any result they don't like. The state of Wisconsin has been a pivotal battleground in several of the past presidential elections.

He hopes to keep the Wisconsin Elections Commission intact to continue its electoral duties.

Loudenbeck: Loudenbeck wants to abolish and replace the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

This isn't a power grab, Loudenbeck told the Associated Press. "The Legislature should explore a wide range of policy options to utilize this constitutional office that is directly accountable to voters and look at what other states are doing and talk about restoring some traditional responsibilities, including election oversight, if appropriate, to the office.

According to the AP, Loudenbeck has been vague about her views on election fraud and whether she believes President Joe Biden is the legitimate president; however, she did say that the government is obligated to ensure a secure elections system conceding that decertifying Biden's victory is not an option.

McFarland: McFarland says the integrity of elections is being questioned and people demand answers.

The only way to have free and fair elections is to have hand-counted paper ballots, with routine post-election audits to ensure that every vote is counted equally and fairly, she told the Wisconsin Green Party.

McFarland supports a non-partisan election commission to end the WEC rampage of discrimination against independent politicians. She also says the electoral college is a system that does not represent the people and that a winning candidate should be determined by the top vote-getter.

Wisconsin's midterm elections are Tuesday, November 8, 2022. If you have a question about voting or the races, submit it below.

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Wisconsin secretary of state: Your guide to the 2022 election & the candidates - WUWM