Eastpointe had its third ranked-choice voting election, and first that I was a candidate. The first was the November 2019 general election, second was the November 2020 special election, and third this one. Two City Council seats were up for election, with six candidates running.
A charter amendment to create a Mayoral primary was on the ballot, and passed.
Also, a renewal millage for the library was on the ballot.
On November 3, 2020, there was a partial term City Council ranked-choice voting election. Rob Baker had been appointed to City Council, and this election was to fill the rest of the term that Rob Baker was appointed to. Sylvia Moore won the special election, and her term ends November 2021.
Four seats on the Eastpointe School Board were up for election, and there were three names on the ballot. Jon Gruenberg, Robet Roscoe, and Edward Williams were reelected, and Mary Hall-Rayford was elected via write-in candidacy.
Our District Court Judge seat was up for election also. Judge Carl Gerds decided not to seek reelection. Below are the results, with Kathy Galen winning and becoming our new District Court Judge.
Our County Commissioner Veronica Klinefelt was up for releection, and she ran uncontested.
The City of Eastpointe elected a new Mayor, as Mayor Suzanne Pixley did not run for reelection. And the City also conducted its first ranked-choice election and elected two Councilmembers. Turnout was 19.7% this time, which is much higher than our last Mayoral election in 2015 when 11.7% of voters turned out, although still below average in the County.
The City also had a Charter change on the ballot. I supported the Charter change, as we would have had a wider pool of qualified candidates to choose from when hiring a City Manager, but the people of Eastpointe voted against it.
Eastpointe Community Schools and South Lake Public Schools each had a Sinking Fund ballot proposal to vote on, and it passed in each District.
Plenty was on the ballot this November for the General Election. Below is a summary of how Eastpointe voted.
Eastpointe voted for Gretchen Whitmer and Garlin Gilchrist, the Democratic candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, over Bill Schuette and Lisa Posthumus Lyons.
Eastpointe reelected Veronica Klinefelt as their County Commissioner. She also represents a portion of St. Clair Shores, a portion of Warren, and a portion of Grosse Pointe Shores. Below are the results for Eastpointe only.
Eastpointe Community Schools had uncontested races, including two write-ins, for a total of five folks being elected. The three below were elected on the ballot (Julie Ann DeVita, Chineva Early, and Edward Williams), while Keith Ward (full term) and Robert Roscoe (partial term) were write-ins. Kelly Gattuso, Michael R. Damiani, and Renard Morey-Greer were elected to the South Lake Schools Board of Education.
There were three proposals on the ballot, and the results from Eastpointe only are below. Proposal 1 is regarding Recreational Marijuana, Proposal 2 gerrymandering, and Proposal 3 voting rights. 67.9% of those who voted, voted yes on Proposal 1, 69.8% on Proposal 2, and 79.4% for Proposal 3.
Access the statewide election results here, and the county-wide election results here.
There were two important local ballot initiatives:
Eastpointe Community Schools Operating Millage Proposal
This proposal renews for ten (10) years the previous millage that will expire on June 30, 2019 to enable the School District to levy the statutorily reduced rate of 17.7648 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law.
Shall the limitation on the total amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, situated within the Eastpointe Community Schools, Macomb County, State of Michigan, be renewed in the statutorily reduced amount of 17.7648 mills ($17.7648 for each $1,000 of taxable value) for a period of ten (10) years, 2019 to 2028, inclusive.
This operating millage, if approved and levied, would provide estimated revenues to the School District of four million and six hundred thousand ($4,600,000) Dollars during the 2019 calendar year, to be used for general operating purposes.
Macomb County Public Transportation Millage (SMART)
If approved, this proposal will renew and increase the .9926 formerly authorized, to 1.0 mills for the years 2018 through 2021, and allow continued support to the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) for a public transportation system serving the elderly, disabled and general public of Macomb County.
For the purpose of providing funds in support of public transportation serving the elderly, disabled, and general public, shall the limitation on the amount of taxes imposed on taxable property located within Macomb County, be renewed and increased from .9926 formerly authorized, to 1.0 mills for a period of four (4) years, being years 2018 through 2021? It is estimated that if approved this millage would raise approximately $27,080,581 in the first year.
