2020 Local Elections: An Introduction

[XLFD]

If there weren't a few campaign signs out and about the county, you could be forgiven about forgetting that there will be quite a few elected positions being filled in the August and November elections in Mason County.  The Ludington Torch plans to attend a candidates forum 7 PM to 8:30 PM on July 14th down at Waterfront Park, but we will also be submitting questionnaires to the candidates of contested races in order to help the electorate better decide why they may want to choose one over the other.

Ludington

Ludington will have definite change in its future due to a couple of incumbents retiring from the field.  Brandy Miller did not file for her councilor at-large seat, but Planning Commissioner and famous veteran John Terzano did file and will win the seat, open to all Ludington citizens, by default.  First ward Councilor Joe Lenius retired and two candidates have filed for his seat.

The two First Ward combatants are Jeff Bielfuss who owns and runs various concessions at Ludington State Park and Ted May, who very little is known about at this time other than he's 67 and lives on Ferry Street.  

The candidates for 5th Ward are a lot more known in the community since they have both served as 5th Ward councilors for a couple of years.  Challenger Wally Cain brings his experience as an orthodox Ludington yes-man fully content with secret meetings and cameras in bathrooms, up against the outspoken and open Angela Serna, who has shown in the two years that she has served that she asks the questions that should be asked, makes decisions weighing in how it will affect her constituents as well as the corporation, and makes it clear why she votes as she does. 

This also sets her apart from her colleagues, so expect her to be targeted politically by other city officials, who would love more 7-0 votes made where the public is in the dark about what's going on.  In the Third Ward, Les Johnson will run unopposed for his third term.  If Johnson finishes his next term, he will have served nearly 14 years as Third Ward Councilor.

The only other elected position up is for the city treasurer.  Current treasurer, Tom Ezdebski, has decided not to throw his hat in the ring, this was known to city leaders at least as far back as April, probably longer.  It's a shame that it hasn't been announced so that people didn't file to run for that office.  Instead Ezdebski's term will continue until the end of the year, when a vacancy will occur and make the council appoint an interim treasurer for two years.  They will likely choose their deputy treasurer (appointed by Thievin' Steven Brock), who is serving an official position that was never created by council.  

All contested city seats will be decided in the November election.

County

Running unopposed for county office are incumbents Sheriff Kim Cole, Cheryl Kelly as clerk, Andrew R. Kmetz IV as Treasurer and Register of Deeds Diane Englebrecht. Also running unopposed for an open position because the incumbent did not file is Dan Rohde for drain commissioner.

Two incumbents decided not to run, and multiple candidates filed in both cases (hear that Ludington?).  John C. Schulke and James T. Nordland are running as Republicans for county surveyor, so the August 4 election will effectively decide the issue, both appear to be qualified.

The big county-wide race will be to choose the next prosecutor, both are also Republicans and will have their race decided in August.  Lauren Kreinbrink serves the current prosecutor as an assistant, and Chad DeRouin, who has Kreinbrink's position in Oceana County.   Both have similar qualifications, Lauren likely appeals more to those who want continuity of the present prosecutor, Chad would appeal to those who may want change.

All county commissioners are running for re-election, two will be decided in August, two in December and three are unopposed.  Incumbent Gary Castonia is being challenged by Jason Kirkpatrick (owner of Jump Around Fun) in the second county commission district which includes the City of Ludington’s fourth, fifth and sixth wards.  Both are Republicans.

Incumbent Charles Lange is being challenged by former Undersheriff Jody Hartley in the third district and this will be decided in the primaries as both are Republicans.

Incumbent Democrat Nick Krieger runs against Republican (and former commissioner) Susan Boes in the first county commission district that includes the City of Ludington’s first, second and third wards.  The seventh district features incumbent Republican Ron Bacon facing Mason County Democratic Party Chairman Ed Miller.  Both races will be decided in the fall.

Running unopposed are Republicans Lewis Squires, fourth district; Steven Hull, fifth district; and, Janet Andersen, sixth district. 

Township officers will also be on ballots for townships.

[XLFD]

After a couple of hours of question-crafting for the two prosecutor candidates and four county commissioner candidates who will have their races decided in August, I looked for their contact information, as is normally available from the county, but not so this year.  So I sent an e-mail off to the county clerk for their information so that I could send them my questions, and received it in a few days.  

Unfortunately, during that time period my computer did one of its automatic updates/resets and the questions I had on a notepad were lost to the ether, even though I had thought it was saved.  Frustrated, I am not reconfiguring and sending questions out to the August candidates thanks to the clerk's office and my computer conspiring to protect them.  We still welcome Kreinbrink, DeRouin, Kirkpatrick, Castonia, Hartley and Lange the opportunity to make their case here or on our Facebook presence, and will offer our guidance the weekend before the election with links to their campaign pages so that you can make a better informed decision.

[Epictetus]

While I am not confident in their interest in utilizing either this forum or the Facebook page, I do hope we hear more from them about differences between candidates as well as any changes they would make. I would also say the same for City Council candidates as well with the turnover that could happen.

[XLFD]

I have had some success in the past with asking questions to county candidates and even some COL candidates, despite my questions being a lot more probing of their policies and political views.

I still intend on getting questions out to Ludington candidates in contested races so I can publish them something in October.  Since it looks as if John Terzano will be the new councilor-at-large, I hope to get something from him too.  

[Willy]

Thanks for your diligence X. I hope any new faces on the Council will be citizen friendly and will remember they are representing the voters and citizens not the moldy underbelly of corrupt elitists who run the City.