Local general election results

The biggest prize up for grabs Tuesday in St. Joseph County was claimed by Nottawa resident Kevin Kane.

Kane, 46, was the top vote-getter in the contest for St. Joseph County Probate Court judge. His opponent for the six-year, non-partisan position was Three Rivers native Kelly Ward.

Kane will replace 73-year-old David Tomlinson, who has aged out after a 12-year tenure.

A Centreville native, Kane is a Family Court director/referee with the county’s Family Court’s juvenile division.

Unofficial results show Kane received nearly 12,000 votes, while Ward earned more than 10,300.

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The other somewhat-contested county race Tuesday went to Chad Spence for sheriff.

Spence comfortably won the five-person primary in August, snagging more than 5,500 votes. On Tuesday, he was awarded the four-year term with nearly 23,000 votes.

Spence easily fended off write-in candidate Gordon Evilsizor, who earned slightly more than 500 votes.

Spence replaces Mark Lillywhite, who opted to not seek re-election.

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In Colon, crowded fields were featured in both the village council race and the Colon Community Schools Board of Education contest.

Seven people ran for three positions to the village council. The four-year terms were awarded to Keith Stickley, Carl Thornton and John Sterlini.

Meanwhile, two seats up for grabs to the school district’s board of education were claimed by Paige Smolarz and Kendra Ackerman. They led a group of six candidates in all, including longtime incumbent Deb Bordner.

The seats are for six years each.

In addition, Tim Trattles eked out a win over Angie VanderStraaten for a partial-term board of education seat in Colon. Trattles secured the post by a margin of 18 votes.

The seat expires at the end of 2026.

 

In Burr Oak, three people were competing for two seats to the Burr Oak Community Schools Board of Education.

Terrance D. Conklin and Jeanne Root were the winners, both earning more than 300 votes.

 

Village of Mendon residents were asked to choose between two candidates for village president and five contestants for three seats to the Mendon Village Council.

Aaron Olson secured the village president seat by a 42-vote margin over Michael Southworth.

Top vote-getters for the three council seats were Jerry Batten, Don Saunders and Darlene Watson.

 

A pair of six-year terms were available in Constantine, as its board of education race featured three candidates. The two, six-year terms were claimed by Jerry Gray and MaRinda Stamp.

In addition, the school district’s request to approve restoring its full operating millage of 18 mills failed by 29 votes out of nearly 2,000 votes cast.

Approval would have restored nearly half a mill and generated more than $61,000 annually.

 

In White Pigeon, Jeffrey Wagaman Jr. secured two-thirds of the vote over Paige Willis for the position of village president. Wagaman replaces Tyler Royce, who no longer lives within municipal boundaries.

Also in White Pigeon, a five-person group vied for three seats to the village council. The winning trio was led by Jennifer Wortinger, and followed by Dianne Fenner and Jeffery Miller.

 

Sturgis residents in Precinct 1 elected Rick Bir over Steve Shevick to the post of 1st District commissioner. Bir’s victory was by more than 200 votes.

Meanwhile, Sturgis city residents agreed to back a proposed ordinance amendment related to chickens.

The request, to determine if residents are allowed to keep as pets up to six hens per single-family, passed by a margin of 54 percent to 46 percent. The amended ordinance will not allow roosters, crowing hens or guinea chickens.

 

In Michigan’s 36th state house district, incumbent Steve Carra defeated Democratic challenger, Erin Schultes.