What’s on your ballot? A county-by-county guide for mid-Michigan

Michigan State University professor Rashida Harrison, a Democrat from Lansing, is seeking a seat in the Michigan Senate. She will face Republican nominee Julie DeRose of DeWitt in the 28th Senate District, which is currently held by state Sen. Sam Singh, D-East Lansing.

State Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, a Democrat from East Lansing, is facing a challenge from Republican nominee Frank Lambert of Haslett in the 75th House District.

In the 77th House District, state Rep. Emily Dievendorf, a Democrat from Lansing, is facing a challenge from Republican nominee Sally Jo Nelton of Grand Ledge.

DeWitt Township Supervisor Brian Ross, a Republican, faces a challenge from Democratic nominee Joshua Taft.

Voters in Bath Township will be asked to increase the township’s general operating millage by 1 mill, bringing the total millage to a rate of 4.548 mills. The increased millage would apply through 2035. The proposal would increase the township’s annual tax revenue by about $609,500.

DeWitt Public Schools is seeking to borrow $157 million to build a new multi-purpose field house, improve other athletic facilities and playgrounds, purchase school buses and remodel or expand school buildings.

St. Johns Public Schools is seeking to borrow $40 million to build a new transportation building and additions to school buildings, remodel school buildings, building and improving athletic facilities and playgrounds and purchase school buses.

Charlotte Mayor Kevin Fullerton is seeking re-election for a partial term ending in 2028. He faces Joseph Chin Jr. in the nonpartisan race.

Eaton Rapids Mayor Pamela Colestock is also up for re-election, facing off with Paul Malewski in the non-partisan race.

Grand Ledge Mayor Keith Mulder is challenged by Andrew Spagnuolo in his race.

The Eaton County Transportation Authority is seeking to restore its millage to the previously approved rate of 0.25 mills for five years, through 2031. The millage would raise about $1.3 million in its first year.

Eaton County voters will also decide whether to fund road and bridge repairs at a rate of 1.5 mills for a period of 10 years, through 2035. The millage would generate approximately $7.8 million in revenue during the first year.

Grand Ledge Public Schools is seeking to borrow $123.5 million for the purposes of remodeling and expanding school buildings, purchasing school buses and improving playgrounds, athletic facilities and parking areas.

Former Lansing NAACP President Harold Pope of Holt is seeking to represent the 74th House District as a Democrat. Kara Hope, a Holt Democrat, is not seeking re-election. Pope will face Republican nominee Clinton Tarver of Lansing.

In the 73rd House District, state Rep. Julie Brixie, a Democrat from Okemos, is facing a challenge from Republican nominee Joshua Jon Rockey of Webberville.

Three candidates are seeking two seats on the Lansing Community College Board of Trustees. Incumbents Hope Lovell and LaShunda Thomas are joined on the ballot by Dominica Palacio.

Eight nonpartisan candidates are vying for four seats on the Mason City Council as a potential data center development has sent shockwaves through local politics in the city. The candidates are Leon Clark, Kelly Hannon, Rex Hauser, Robin Case Naeyaert, Shawn Sodman, Mike Waltz and incumbents Jon Droscha and Jerry Schaffer.

Incumbent Mason City Councilmember Elaine Ferris will also have to defend her seat after residents successfully organized a recall. She will face Daniel Giganti and Pamela Oliver.

Voters in the city of Lansing will be asked to renew a millage funding essential city services, including police and fire protection and maintenance of roads and sidewalks, at a restored rate of 20 mills, which has been reduced under millage rollbacks required by the Michigan Constitution.

Lansing voters will also be asked whether the city should establish a Citizens’ Advisory Healthcare Action Board that would be tasked with creating a Lansing Health Action Plan and making recommendations to address healthcare costs and accessibility. Efforts for the proposal were led by a mystery nonprofit organizing similar proposals in several Michigan cities who will not have to report their donors, even while attacking Republican candidates for office.

The nonprofit organized a similar proposal in East Lansing, where voters will also decide whether to amend the city charter to create the advisory group that would make non-binding recommendations to City Council. The committee would gather public testimony and analyze data to assess the impact of federal, state and local policies on healthcare costs and accessibility.

Another petition-initiated charter amendment in East Lansing would move all city elections to even years. Doing so would extend the terms of current officeholders by one year. Even if the proposal passes, City Council would have to take action to finalize the change in election dates.

Other proposed amendments to the East Lansing City Charter would allow the police chief, city clerk and city attorney to appoint designees to attend City Council meetings and perform some duties, like approving meeting minutes and city contracts.

Road construction will be on the ballot in the city of Leslie, where the city is seeking a new millage at a rate of $5 per $1,000 of taxable property value for a period of 20 years, through 2046. If approved by voters, the millage would raise an estimated $284,245.40 in the first year.

In Delhi Township, funding for first responders will be on the ballot. A millage for fire protection and emergency medical services would be restored to its original rate of 1.5 mills and renewed for eight years, through 2033. A separate millage for police services would also be restored to its original rate of 1.5 mills and renewed for eight years, through 2033. Each millage would raise more than $1.8 million in the first year.

Funding for police and fire protection services are also up for a vote in Meridian Township as a single millage, which would be renewed at its rolled back rate of 1.4563 mills for a period of 10 years, through 2036. The millage would raise about $3.7 million in 2027.

A millage to fund park development, maintenance and operations in Meridian Township is also up for renewal at its rolled back rate of 0.6503 mills for a period of 10 years, through 2035. The millage would raise about $1.6 million in its first year.

Dansville Schools is seeking to renew its operating millage at a rate of 19.5798 mills, which would be levied at the maximum statutory rate of 18 mills, for a period of 10 years, through 2037. The millage would raise approximately $1.1 million in its first year being renewed.

Holt Public Schools is similarly seeking to renew its operating millage at a rate of 18.6176 mills for a period of 10 years, through 2036. The 0.6176 would only be levied to the extent necessary to offset reductions, keeping the collection at its full statutory rate of 18 mills.

Voters in the city of Jackson will elect a new mayor. The non-partisan candidates are former Mayor Derek Dobies and fourth-time candidate John Wilson.

Jackson County residents will be asked to double the charge on landline, wireless and voice over internet protocol services from $1.50 per month to $3 per month to increase funding for 911 emergency call answering and dispatch services. A portion of the funds would be used to replace 10-year-old radios for police and fire first responders.

Also in the city of Jackson, voters will decide whether to amend the city charter to make the city treasurer an appointed position rather than electing them.

Liberty Township residents will decide whether to approve 1.25 mills of new funding for three years to replace a fire engine and equipment.

Norvell Township is also seeking a new public safety millage. The 2 mills of funding would be used to operate, equip, purchase and make capital expenditures for police, fire and emergency medical services. The millage would last 10 years, through 2035, and would generate approximately $391,000 in its first year.

Residents in the Village of Cement City will be asked to renew an operating millage at a previously approved rate of 4.9665 mills for a period of two years, through 2028. The millage would raise about $55,450 in its first year.

Blackman Charter Township is seeking to renew its park funding millage for 10 years, through 2037. The millage is at a rate of 0.25 mills and would raise an estimated $173,538 in its first year.

Road funding will be on the ballot in Concord Township, where voters will be asked to renew a millage at its reduced rate of 0.8870 mills for six years, through 2031. The millage would generate about $104,000 in its first year.

Concord Community Schools will ask to renew its operating millage at a rate of 19.5461 mills for a period of 11 years, through 2038. The millage would be levied at the maximum statutory rate of 18 mills, with the remaining 1.5461 mills only being used to offset future legally required rollbacks. It would generate about $861,087 in its first year.

Republican Mike Murphy of Howell will seek to hold the 22nd Senate District for his party, facing a challenge from Democrat Robert Hower of Brighton. The seat is currently held by state Sen. Lana Theis of Brighton.

Handy Township is seeking a new millage to fund road and bridge repairs at a rate of 1 mill for a period of four years, through 2030. The millage would raise about $471,000 in its first year.

The Village of Pinckney Police Department is seeking to increase its millage to a rate of 2.5 mills for a period of three years, through 2029. The millage would generate about $248,100 in its first year.

Brighton Area Schools is seeking to borrow about $90.3 million to improve and expand school buildings, playgrounds and athletic facilities.

Hartland Consolidated Schools is seeking to replace its building and site sinking fund millage at a rate of 0.5 mills for a period of 10 years, through 2036. The sinking fund would be used for repairing school buildings and acquiring school buses, among other things. The millage would raise more than $1 million in its first year.

Howell Public Schools is seeking to renew its operating millage at a rate of 18.4411 mills for a period of 11 years, through 2038. The millage would be levied at the maximum statutory rate of 18 mills, with the remainder being used to offset future legally required rollbacks. The millage would generate about $21.7 million in its first year.

State Rep. Brian BeGole, a Republican from Perry, is up for re-election in the 71st House District. He faces a challenge from Stephen Schlaack, a Democrat from Owosso.

In Owosso, 12 candidates are vying for four seats on the City Council, including one incumbent: Councilmember Christopher Owens. The other candidates are Nicholas Albertson, Mike Cline, Lee Mills, Curtis Dowds, Jane Ferraro, Joseph Hammontree, Gil Humphreys, Susan Kofta, Richard Maurer, Galen Ponder and Sean Harrington.

Shiawassee County is seeking to restore an expired millage to fund senior citizen services at a rate of 0.4942 mills for a period of five years, through 2030.

Voters in Corunna will consider three amendments to the city charter.

The first would eliminate the requirement of four City Council members to be considered a quorum, instead basing the requirement on the total number of City Council members holding office at that time.

The second would eliminate wards, opting instead to elect City Council members at-large with no ward residency requirements.

The third would remove all gender specific terminology from the city charter, replacing it with gender neutral language.

Owosso voters will be asked to renew a millage of 0.5 mills to fund the city’s parks for a period of two years, through 2029. The millage would raise about $170,000 in its first year.

The city of Durand is seeking to increase funding for its parks and recreational programming to a rate of 0.4 mills for a rate of five years, through 2030. The millage would raise about $35,000 in its first year.

Also in Durand, voters will consider whether to increase the threshold before competitive bids and City Council approval is required for purchases or sales from $3,000 to $5,000.

Voters in Bennington Township will be asked to approve a millage of 0.3333 mills to provide public transportation from the Shiawassee Area Transportation Authority at a reduced cost. The millage would last two years, through 2028, and would generate around $50,540 in its first year.

Public transportation is also up for a vote in Owosso Township, where the Shiawassee Area Transportation Authority is seeking a millage at the same rate of 0.3333 mills for a period of four years, through 2029. The millage would generate about $59,207 in its first year.

Recycling services will be on the ballot in Hazelton Township. Residents already pay for trash collection but would pay an additional $63 per year for recycling. The contract would be for a period of three years, through 2029.

Voters in Hazelton Township will also decide whether to renew a road funding millage at a rate of 1.5 mills for five years, through 2032.

Road funding will also be on the ballot in Middlebury Township, where officials are seeking to reinstate an expired millage at a rate of 2 mills for a period of five years, through 2030.

Middlebury Township residents will also be asked to continue funding emergency services at a rate of 3 mills for a period of five years, through 2030.

Perry Public Schools is seeking to borrow $27.7 million to remodel buildings, including building a new addition to the middle and high school building.

Durand Area Schools is seeking to borrow $30.3 million to build and remodel school buildings, purchase school buses and improve or develop athletic facilities and playgrounds.