Candidates line up to run for office in races across St. Clair County

With the filing deadline passed for many local and state elections with a primary, races for several communities and government boards are shaping up to be crowded contests come August.

Multiple municipalities will may have primaries later this year to help widdle down the competition ahead of November despite the non-partisan nature of representation on their councils and commissions.

In Algonac, 10 people were listed as candidates in the race for non-partisan seats on City Council, including incumbent members Michael Bembas, Cathy Harris, and Ray Martin, according to the St. Clair County clerk’s office.

Also listed were former councilmembers Terry Stoneburner and Jake Skarbek with Glen Carter, Bernie Ferris, Christina Halkias-Robb, Annie Ponessa, and Wendy Meldrum.

Marine City Mayor Jennifer Vandenbossche will face challenger Mike Hilferink, who was ousted as a commissioner last year. Three sitting City Commissioners, Lisa Hendrick, Bill Klaassen, and Brian Ross were all running with no listed challengers, according to the county clerk’s office.

In Marysville, there appeared to be no listed challengers for Mayor Kathy Hayman with City Council candidates Michelle Easter, Greg Bradley, and Shawn Winston for three seats.

In St. Clair, longtime official Bill Cedar was the only candiate listed for mayor, while Mike LaPorte, Bill Klieman, Kris Paul, Mitch Kuffa, Micah Volz, William Westrick, Erin Gottler, and Jon Watt were all listed as running for six council seats.

The city of Port Huron doesn’t have a primary, and so, its election filing deadline is in July. As of Wednesday, Mayor Pauline Repp was the only candidate listed with the St. Clair County clerk’s office.

According to the city clerk’s office, Repp was the only city candidate to turn in her petition, which was certified April 11, and Councilwoman Anita Ashford was the only other to have pulled materials to run for mayor.

In Port Huron City Council’s race, for which three seats were open, incumbent members Sherry Archibald, Teri Lamb, and Bob Mosurak had all pulled petitions for re-election, while residents Barbara Payton, Julian Ruck, Richard Carwile, Holden Gauthier, and John Middleton had pulled to challenge them.

St. Clair County races

For St. Clair County Board of Commissioners, Republicans Ken Cummings, David Hoffman, Steve Tebay, Jeff Pemberton, and Kerry Ange were all still listed as candidates to vie for an early primary win in District 2, which includes the city of Port Huron’s northern three precincts and all of Fort Gratiot and Burtchville Township. Current Commissioner Jorja Baldwin is running for state representative in District 64.

Commissioner Lisa Beedon, the board’s only Democrat, was being primaried by listed Dem. Darrin Rushing in District 3, which represents the rest of Port Huron. Cliff Schrader was running as a Republican.

Former county board member Duke Dunn, now a Marysville city councilman, was coming back for his former seat in the board’s District 4, which represents Marysville, Port Huron Township, and precinct 1 in Kimball, against Commissioner Joi Torello, who primaried him in 2022.

Resident Robert Fielitz, who’s spoke up about county landfill issues in recent months, was listed as a candidate against fellow Republican and board chairman, Jeff Bohm in District 5, covering the city of St. Clair, St. Clair and East China townships, and the three other Kimball precincts.

Tiffany Turke was also challenging Commissioner Dave Vandenbossche in the Republic primary in the downriver District 7.

Incumbent Commissioners Steve Simasko and Dave Rushing were the only candidates listed in districts 1 and 6.

St. Clair County Prosecutor Mike Wendling, Treasurer Kelly Roberts-Burnett, Drain Commisisoner Bob Wiley, and Surveyor Justin Rhein were the only candidates listed in their areas, while Sheriff Mat King would be face Yale Police Chief Warren Head and Clerk Angie Waters would face Debbie Rhein in the Republican primary.

In probate court, attorney Steven Heisler was listed as the challenger for Jennifer Smith Deegan, who was appointed to fill a judgeship.

Township supervisor races

Former Republican official Linda Schweihofer is listed against incumbent John Golan in China Township.

Paul Cassidy will face Republican Artie Bryson in Clay Township.

Republican incumbent Mary Agnes Simons is seeing a challenge from Greg Abbey in Cottrellville.

Incumbent Ernie Manoleas will face Jeffery Kern and Franz Neruda Clyde Township’s Republican primary.

Robert Cowan and Brad Smith were challenging Republican Supervisor Bruce Christy in Columbus Township.

Rob Montgomery, Thomas Schlitts, and Nathan Oprita were vying in the Republican primary in Fort Gratiot.

Eric Krikorian and John Engel, each Republicans, will face off in Greenwood Township, as will Republicans Jim Endres and Isaac Joseph in Ira Township.

It’ll be Bruce Downey versus fellow Republican Randy Schultz in Mussey Township, and Martin Cook and Al Titus, Republicans, who were listed for Riley Township.

Township clerk and treasurer races

The clerk races include:

• Angie Biringer and Michelle Norfleet in the Republican primary for Columbus

• Republicans Becky Wrubel and Andrewa Hines in Kimball

• Gary Hovis and Bonnie Morrish-DiNardo, both Republicans, in St. Clair Township

The treasurer races were listed as:

• Jerry Galka was challenging incumbent Kristi Hiltunen in Clay Township

• Phoebe Duncan and Kimberly Hetzel, both Republicans, in Columbus

• Fort Gratiot Republican George Wells would face primary challenger Michaela Garand

• Wendy Langolf and Rebecca Ramsey, both Republicans, in Greenwood

• Republicans Mike Rushing and Susan Hudema-Evans in Riley

• St. Clair Township Republicans Denise Klieman and Robin Hanrahan

Township trustee races

Ronald Beier, Barbara Golan, Catherine King, Edward Neiman, Vivian Sikowski, Dan Turke, Julia Rust, Mary Harris, and Lauren Martin were all running as Republicans for four seats in China Township, according to the county clerk's office.

Incumbents Chris O’Regan, Maureen Boury, Mark Borchardt, and Jon DeBoyer would face fellow Republicans Mike Booth, Justin Higgins, George Rose, David Mark Sluka, and  Brian Campbell for four seats in Clay Township.

Republicans Lisa MacKenzie, Eugene Moore, and Kris Rients for two seats in Cottrellville.

Jared Greenia, Michael Weaver, Tony Baczewski, Bretty Kielman, and Stan Dudek were all vying to move ahead in the Republican primary trustee in Columbus. Michael Haught, unaffiliated with either major party, was filed to head for November’s race for one of two seats.

Fort Gratiot incumbents Linda Bruckner, Scott Bradley, and Adam Armbruster would face fellow Republicans Michael LeVey, Mark Smith, and David Norris, as well as current Supervisor Rob Crawford in the township’s primary for four seats.

Doug Nowicki, Marvin James Roberts, and Benjamin Hulett, Republicans for two seats in Greenwood. Republicans Jeff Kegler, Bill Schultz, Jacob Standel, and Jacob Nemecek were listed as candidates for two seats in Mussey Township.

Democrat Steve Riehl, and Republicans Don Dudas, Dawn Fulk, John Reno, Joe Stoltz, and Patrick Pringle were all listed candidates for Port Huron Township.

Democrat Jarden Shirkey and Republicans William Karas, Jerry Leaman, Mike Boulier, Ryan Barck, Dale Kays, Evan Donald Rood, and Mark Sikora were listed for St. Clair Township.

For more information, contact or local clerk's office or visit https://stclaircountyclerk.org.

Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Candidates line up to run for office in races across St. Clair County