Elections & Northern Michigan Politics

Candidates for Mayor and City Commission in Traverse City have been announced. Mayor Jim Carruthers will run for re-election against Shea O’Brien.

Five of the seven seats on the City Commission will also be open. Katy Bertodatto, Evan Dalley, Dave Durbin, Roger Putman, Amy Shamroe and Ashlea Walter are running for terms on the City Commission that run through November, 2023.

Tom Mair and Christie Minervini are running for partial terms that run through November, 2021.

Elections will be held on November 5, 2019.

Prosecutors want to delay the trial of State Rep. Larry Inman (R-Williamsburg) by 30 days in order to prepare for his defense.

The attorney for State Representative Larry Inman (R-Williamsburg) wants the charges against his client dismissed. Inman has plead not guilty to charges of extortion, soliciting a bribe and lying to the FBI. 

State Representative Larry Inman (R-Williamsburg) will seek treatment for long-term use of pain medications.

State Representative Larry Inman (R-Williamsburg) was in federal court Tuesday for an arraignment on multiple criminal charges.

Judges say Michigan’s 1st Congressional District was gerrymandered and needs to be redrawn. It was part of a federal court ruling announced Thursday.

Michigan's 1st Congressional District streches over most of northern Michigan and the entire Upper Peninsula. In their decision, the judges said the district was drawn to benefit Republican candidates.

Democrats in the state Senate will try to undo a controversial bill that passed during last year’s lame duck session. The bill was signed into law by Governor Rick Snyder in late December. 

Congressman Jack Bergman is donating his salary during the Federal Government’s partial shutdown.

In a statement yesterday, Bergman announced he’s giving his pay to local charities in Michigan’s First Congressional District.

UNOFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS: Updated 11/7/18 10:00 a.m.:

Governor: Democrat Gretchen Whitmer

Northern Michigan Rep. Jack Bergman took questions in Petoskey over the weekend. Bergman spoke at North Central Michigan College on Saturday.

He was asked about natural resources, immigration and health care reform.

Bergman said he wants to find solutions to improve health care but the problem is challenging, especially in rural areas.

 A new candidate entered the ring for Michigan Republican Secretary of State nomineeTuesday. Each political party will pick its nominee for Secretary of State at a convention in 2018. Stan Grot hopes the Republicans will choose him.

Grot is a former assistant Secretary of State and current Shelby Township clerk. One of Grot’s main focuses is election integrity.

Residents of Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties voted Tuesday for expanded bus service. Voters approved a millage increase for the Bay Area Transportation Authority that will give them an extra $1 million next year. BATA says it will use the money to buy new buses and expand routes.

Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Max Anderson says the vote shows that the community values the BATA service.

Voter turnout in northern Michigan on Tuesday was the highest it has been in at least two decades and Republican voters dominated the election up north. Donald Trump won every county but Marquette and Republican Jack Bergman won a resounding victory in the race for U.S. Congress.

Bergman won Michigan’s 1st Congressional seat by more than 55,000 votes over his Democratic opponent Lon Johnson. In 2012, this race—between different major party candidates—was decided by less than 2,000 votes.