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Oakland, Macomb primaries include some mayoral, council races; ballot issues
The polls have closed for the Aug. 5 primary in Oakland and Macomb counties, where clerks now will tally votes to see who will advance to the November election in several mayoral and city council races in a few communities and whether ballot questions passed or failed in others.
The Free Press will update this story throughout the evening and into the next day as results filter in.
Oakland County election results: Primary races, ballot proposals
Macomb County election results: Primary races, ballot proposals
In Oakland County, voters will narrow the field for mayor in one of the county's biggest cities, Southfield, as well as the county seat of Pontiac.
Ryan Foster and Sylvia Jordan, former Southfield city council president, are challenging Mayor Kenson Siver for the four-year mayoral term in Southfield.
In Pontiac, nine people are competing for the four-year mayoral term, with two of the candidates being write-ins. They are vying to replace Mayor Tim Greimel, a Democrat, who announced in April that he is running for Michigan's 10th District House seat in Congress.
Four people also are seeking one, four-year, at-large city council seat in Pontiac and 15 people, one of whom is a write-in, are competing for six seats on the city's library board, which are four-year terms.
In Macomb County, New Baltimore Mayor Tom Semaan faces challengers City Councilman Ryan Covert and Patrick Green, president of the Anchor Bay School Board, for the two-year term.
And in Sterling Heights, 13 candidates are running for six, four-year seats on the city council, including all six incumbents.
Public safety, libraries among ballot proposals
There were three issues on the ballot for voters in two communities in Oakland County. In Macomb County, two communities were voting on three proposals, all dealing with public safety.
In Novi, the city asked voters if it could borrow up to $120 million and issue bonds to pay for a new public safety facility, including police and fire facilities; two new fire department facilities to replace Fire Stations 2 and 3, and renovations to Fire Station 4. If approved, the estimated millage to be levied in 2026 is 1 mill and the estimated simple average annual millage rate required to retire the bonds is 0.95 mills, according to the ballot language.
Two library-related measures were on the ballot in Oakland Township. Voters were asked to renew a 0.1134-mill library millage, which expires this year, for four years. The revenue in the first year the millage would be collected, if approved, is about $235,000, according to the ballot language.
Oakland Township voters also were asked to vote on a new millage not to exceed 0.1412 mill for five years, starting this year, for library services for residents. If approved, the millage would collect about $289,000 in the first year. Revenue from both library millages may be distributed to the Rochester Hills Public Library pursuant to contract.
In Macomb County, Clinton Township residents were asked to vote on a 10-year proposal that would provide funds for acquiring new police apparatus and other pay for other costs for police. The 2.3766 mills would raise about $9.6 million when first levied in 2026, if approved, according to the ballot language.
Two, five-year, fire-related renewal millages were on the ballot in Ray Township. There was a 1.5-mill renewal for fire and rescue operations, to bring in more than $491,700 in the first year, 2026, if approved, according to the ballot language.
Another proposal in Ray Township asked voters about a 1-mill renewal to buy fire and rescue equipment and truck replacment. The millage would generate more than $327,800 in the first year, if approved.
School proposals before voters
Northville Public Schools asked voters to continue to renew the 0.9357-mill building and site sinking fund millage that expires with the 2025 tax levy for 10 years, beginning in 2026, for school buildings, school security improvements and instructional technology. The renewal would bring in more than $4 million in the first year if approved.
Armada Area Schools asked voters to borrow just over $12 million and issue bonds for school buildings, instructional technology and developing, improving and equipping sites.
Fitzgerald Public Schools had two proposals before voters. One asked to borrow more than $42 million and issue bonds for school buildings and other facilities; technology and technology infrastucture; an addition to a school building, and improving, developing, and equipping sites and structures, including playgrounds, playfields and athletic fields and constructing an outdoor learning area, according to ballot language.
The other proposal would authorize 3 mills for 10 years, starting July 1, 2026, to create a building and site sinking fund for school buildings; school security improvements; technology; student transportation, and maintenance of student transportation vehicles. The district would receive more than $1.6 million in revenue during 2026 if approved.
Contact Christina Hall: chall@ Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @challreporter.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Oakland, Macomb primary election: Races for mayor, city council, more
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