RC council race ends in tie; sweeping changes to Onaway school board
by Peter Jakey–
Managing Editor
Presque Isle County seemed to have lower than expected voter turnout in Tuesday’s general election, according to Presque Isle County clerk Ann Marie Main.
Approximately 7,349 of the 12,006 registered voters participated, or 61.21 percent.
“Overall, it was 50 to 60 percent in a majority of them,” said Main. “I was just shocked that it was that low.”
However, the vote count was not as decisive as some had expected with the race for one seat on the Rogers City City Council ending in a tie between Timeen Adair and Brittany VanderWall. Both candidates, who are seeking their first terms on the council, finished in a dead heat with 616 votes each.
Main said there will be no automatic recount. Unless a recount is requested with the candidate paying the required fee, it will come down to the drawing of a piece of paper with the words “winner” and “not winner” on it deciding who will get the four-year term.
Incumbent Kenneth Eugene Bielas had his four-year term locked up as the top vote getter with 870.
Also in Rogers City, incumbent mayor Scott McLennan won in a landslide with 1,056 votes compared to challenger Jenny Urban’s 290. It has to be considered a vote of confidence that the city is indeed headed in a better direction. He received a two-year term.
In Onaway, recent appointee David Trafelet was the top vote getter for the Onaway City Commission with 206 votes, followed by incumbent Ronald Horrocks with 180. Both win two-year terms. Larry D. Knerr had 72 and Lester J. Kooman finished with 54 to finish a distant third and fourth respectively.
Voters of the Onaway Area Community Schools cleaned house election night, removing five sitting members, including recent appointees.
Erin Chaskey, who is suing the school district in federal court, received 1,342 votes, the most of any of the candidates in three different races for the board. However, the lone incumbent that survived was school board president Michael Hart with 1,160 votes. Longtime incumbent Sharon J. Lyon had 1,090 is out. The fourth person in the race, Kanisha Perkins, fared well with 947.
For the two partial terms ending December 2026 it was John K. Palmer with the most votes (1,279) followed by former teacher Lisa Pochmara (1,020). Jessica M. Chandler had the second most votes but had to withdraw her name last month. Incumbent Michael Benson lost (893).
For the two partial terms ending December 2024, it was Lorrie Kowalski coming out on top (1,119) along with James R. Rieger (1,087), while three current board members lost including Joshua VanHuysen (848), Annette L. Porter (809) and John D. Burtch (516). The votes include both Presque Isle and Cheboygan counties.
Joining incumbents John Chappa, Mike Darga and August winner Wayne Saile Jr. on the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners will be Clifford C. Tollini, who defeated former county commissioner Wayne Vermilya, 858 to 448, in District 1.
In District 2 there were four candidates with Mary Ann Heidemann coming out on top with 378 votes. She was followed by Wendy Berg with a fairly close second at 332. Bringing up the rear were Gerald Wenzel (262) and James Haack (110).
Seats on the county board are two-year terms, but expand to four in two years.
Andrew Grambau received 2,136 votes in his uncontested run to the Rogers City Area Schools board of education. He receives a six-year term. There was an open spot for the other six-year term and 138 unresolved write-ins.
That was the same for a partial term ending December 31, 2026. There were 275 unresolved write-ins. Scott Orr and current board member Thomas Catalano had thrown their names in as write-ins. Results will be available when the county board of canvassers certifies the vote count in the coming days.
The votes in the uncontested seats for Posen Consolidated School District No. 9 board of education include Anna Soik, 728; Danielle Kowalski, 678; and Dennis Budnick, 624. Those terms are all four-years.
At the state level, earning re-election were Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel, although all three Democrats lost in Presque Isle County to the top Republican challenger.
Republicans that won include Jack Bergman (1st Congressional District); Michelle Hoitenga (state Senate 36th District); and Cam Cavitt (state House 106th District).
All three proposals were approved in Michigan; however, two and three were defeated in Presque Isle County.