Meet the 2024 Candidates: County Commissioners, More File for Office

Candidates running for key positions across Grand Traverse County – including county commissioner, sheriff, clerk, treasurer, drain commissioner, register of deeds, prosecuting attorney, probate judge, and the supervisors/ clerks/treasurers/trustees across all local townships – submitted paperwork by Tuesday’s 4pm filing deadline to appear on the August 6 primary ballot. Primary winners within each party will proceed to the November 5 election. The Ticker has the full list of candidates running in each local race, plus key takeaways from the overall field.

Highlights
All nine Grand Traverse County commissioners are running for reelection this year, with only one – Commissioner Scott Sieffert in District 8, a Republican – enjoying an unopposed race. The remaining eight candidates will face at least one and sometimes two opponents, likely making for competitive campaigning in the coming months. Six new Democrats will challenge Republican-held districts, while four new Republicans will challenge Democrat-held districts. “We are excited about our 2024 county commission candidates,” says Grand Traverse Democrats Chair Chris Cracchiolo. “Led by our terrific incumbents, I believe that we have a stronger field than anytime in the last eight years.”

Republicans strongly dominate in the remaining countywide races. The offices of prosecuting attorney, sheriff, county clerk, county treasurer, drain commissioner, and register of deeds – which has four new candidates vying for the role long held by Peggy Haines, who isn’t seeking reelection – are all Republican-only races. One former Republican county commissioner who was embroiled in controversy before leaving office – Ron Clous, who was sued for displaying a rifle in a live-streamed meeting – has emerged to throw his hat in the ring for county drain commissioner against incumbent Andy Smits.

Perhaps unsurprisingly in a county that skews red in rural outlying areas and blue in the urban core, township candidates across Grand Traverse County are also overwhelmingly Republican. Not a single Democrat is running for supervisor in any of the 13 townships, and only two of those races are even contested – with two Republicans challenging each other for township supervisor in Peninsula and Whitewater townships. Several townships don’t have Democrats running for any elected positions. “We certainly wish more Democrats came forward to run for township trustee positions,” acknowledges Cracchiolo. The most evenly politically divided (and crowded) race is in Peninsula Township, where 10 candidates – five Democrats and five Republicans – are competing for four trustee openings.

Grand Traverse GOP Chair Kathleen Haueisen – who is herself running for county commission in District 7 as one of two Republican challengers to incumbent Democrat T.J. Andrews – says the party is “excited to see how many Republicans have come forward to serve their communities by running in local township, county, and state races. Of course, we always wish we had more sensible Republicans, but believe that good governance is rooted in a balance of ideas between right and left.” Haueisen says Rebublican candidates “are eager to persuade their constituencies that a good idea can lead to a better community for everyone, and the campaign process is where it all begins.”

Both Cracchiolo and Haueisen say their parties will be focused on efforts to support their Grand Traverse County candidates in the coming months, ranging from canvassing neighborhoods to hosting candidate forums to organizing voter registration drives. All candidates on the list have until Friday (April 26) to withdraw. After that time, the candidate list will become official, according to County Clerk Bonnie Scheele.

Grand Traverse County Candidate List
Grand Traverse County
Probate Judge: Jennifer L. Whitten (non-partisan)
Prosecuting Attorney: Noelle Moeggenberg (R)
Sheriff: Charlie Jetter (R), Michael D. Shea (R)
County Clerk: Bonnie Scheele (R)
County Treasurer: Jamie Callahan (R), Sarah M. Gum (R)
Register of Deeds: Terri R. Boven (R), Barb Lund (R), Scott Rokos (R), Joseph G. Underwood (R)
Drain Commissioner: Ron Clous (R), Andy Smits (R)
County Commissioner, District 1: Brian McAllister (R), Linda Maginity (D)
County Commissioner, District 2: Daniel G. Smith (R), Lauren Flynn (D)
County Commissioner, District 3: Brian A. Hagerty (R), Ashlea Walter (D)
County Commissioner, District 4: Brad Jewett (R), Fern Spence (D)
County Commissioner, District 5: Robert D. Hentschel (R), Trenton Lee (D)
County Commissioner, District 6: Darryl V. Nelson (R), Jan Wyant (D)
County Commissioner, District 7: Kathleen Haueisen (R), Darcie C. Pickren (R), T.J. Andrews (D)
County Commissioner, District 8: Scott Sieffert (R)
County Commissioner, District 9:  Penny Morris (R), Lance Boehmer (D), Pamela Kaiser (D)

Acme Township
Supervisor: Doug White (R)
Clerk: Lisa Swanson (R)
Treasurer: Amy Jenema (R)
Trustee (4 positions available): Dave Hoxsie (R), Paul Scott (R), Dale G. Stevens (R), Aaron J. Wylie (R), Ryan Jon LaMott (D)

Blair Township
Supervisor: Nicole Blonshine (R)
Clerk: Lynette Wolfgang (R)
Treasurer: Tracie J. Campbell (R)
Trustee (4 positions available): Lisa M. Bradley (R), Carl Kucera (R), Andy Nickerson (R), Preston Taylor (R), Roger E. Zeits (R), Dennis Fitzpatrick (D)

East Bay Township
Supervisor: Beth Friend (R)
Clerk: Susanne M. Courtade (R)
Treasurer: Tracey Bartlett (R)
Trustee (4 positions available): Matt Cook (R), Matt Courtade (R), Glen K. Lile (R), Mindy D. Walters (R), Andrea Cassell (D)
Park Commissioner (7 positions available): Zachary Endres (R), Susan LaRose (R), Stephanie L. Studzinski (R), Ryan Walsh (R), Allison Hettmer (D), Garrison Reardon (D)

Fife Lake Township
Supervisor: Lisa L. Leedy (R)
Clerk: Leigh Ann Gifford (R)
Treasurer: Cathy Lee Sorrow (R)
Trustee (2 positions available): Jayme Werner (R), Dawn A. Zimmerman (R)

Garfield Township
Supervisor: Joe McManus (R)
Clerk: Lanie McManus (R)
Treasurer: Chloe Macomber (R)
Trustee (4 positions available): Molly Agostinelli (R), Chris Barsheff (R), Jessica Brutzman (R), Chuck Korn (R), Denise Schmuckal (R), Laurie Lapp (D), Beryl Striewski (D)

Grant Township
Supervisor: Crystal Marie Breithaupt (R)
Clerk: Lisa Willett (R)
Treasurer: Elizabeth Svec (R)
Trustee (2 positions available): Douglas E. Moyer (R), Kyle Rector (R)

Green Lake Township
Supervisor: Marvin D. Radtke (R)
Clerk: Judith L. Kramer (R)
Treasurer: Andy Marek (R)
Trustee (4 positions available): David Bieganowski (R), Paul Biondo (R), Pat McDonald (R), Sherry West (R), Adriann Woodward (R), Tim Kramer (D), Sarah Lee Sullivan (D), Roy W. Volkening (D)

Long Lake Township
Supervisor: Ron Lemcool (R)
Clerk: Ronda Robinson (R)
Treasurer: Kendra Balderach (R)
Trustee (4 positions available): Cris Crew (R), Michael J. Rademaker (R), Duane W. Schaub (R), Kevin C. Severt (R), Dan Wagner (R), Linda Wheelock (R), Kay Ingraham (D)

Mayfield Township
Supervisor: John Emerald Ockert (R)
Clerk: Jamie L. Hanson (R)
Treasurer: Dean Bott (R)
Trustee (2 positions available): Brian P. McManus (R), Gregory Thon (R)

Paradise Township
Supervisor: Rob Lajko (R)
Clerk: Lisa K. Gulliver (R)
Treasurer: Anne E. Smith, Carol L. Stocking (R)
Trustee (2 positions available): Jennifer Graham (R)

Peninsula Township
Supervisor: Kelly J. Clark (R), Maura Sanders (R)
Clerk: Rebecca W. Chown (D)
Treasurer: Katie M. Clark (R)
Trustee (4 positions available): Kate Jerman (R), Mark Luea (R), J.P. Milliken (R), David K. Sanger (R), Fred Swaffer, Jr. (R), Julie Alexander (D), Dennis Arouca (D), Warner Queeny (D), Armen B. Shanafelt (D), Isaiah S. Wunsch (D)

Union Township
Supervisor: Douglas Mansfield (R)
Clerk: Sheryl Tillitson (D)
Treasurer: Amy Rose (R)
Trustee (2 positions available): Janine Jung (R), Kellie Fuelling (D)

Whitewater Township
Supervisor: Ardella M. Benak (R), Linda Slopsema (R)
Clerk: Wendy Hoeksema (R)
Treasurer: Jill Koester (R), Lois MacLean (R)
Trustee (2 positions available): Tim Arends (R), Brandon Hubbell (R), Randy Mielnik (R)