Michiganders went to the polls Tuesday to cast votes in a wide array of primary campaigns and initiatives. Here are the results for the major races we were following.
Jump to results:
Detroit Mayor | Dearborn Mayor | Lansing Mayor| Detroit City Clerk | MI 8th State Senate | Proposal P
Mayoral Primaries
Detroit
6:05 a.m.: With all 623 precincts reporting, incumbent Mike Duggan won the race with 72.41% of the vote. Anthony Adams followed at 9.90%. See the full results here.
--------
Incumbent Mike Duggan was first elected mayor in 2013. In 2017, he was re-elected by a margin of nearly 44 points, defeating Coleman Young II (D) with 71.6% of the vote to Young’s 27.8%. Duggan said that, if re-elected in 2021, he would "work every day to continue to make sure every neighborhood has a future and every Detroiter has a true opportunity to achieve your dreams."
Anthony Adams is an attorney and served as deputy mayor of Detroit under former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (D). He was also an executive assistant to Mayor Coleman Young, was a board member and general counsel for Detroit Public Schools, and was interim director of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department.
Tom Barrow worked as a practicing certified public accountant, led the civic group Citizens for Detroit's Future, and was an advocate for changes to the municipal election system. This is Barrow's fifth mayoral run and the second time he has competed against Duggan.
Kiawana Brown is a native of Detroit and a graduate of University of Phoenix where she majored in Business Management. She assumed the role as Chief Executive Officer of Transforming Lives Community Training Center; which is the community outreach arm of Transforming Lives Ministries International of Detroit.
Myya Jones is a graduate of Cass Technical High School, alumna of Michigan State University, and 2021 graduate of Wayne State University’s Mike Ilitch School of Business. Jones previously ran for mayor in 2017 as a write-in candidate. Jones was found ineligible to appear on the ballot for technically not being registered to vote in Detroit for at least one year before filing for office.
Jasahn Larsosa said that one of his goals is to create more opportunities for people who were formerly incarcerated, stating that a large segment of the Detroit population has come into contact with the criminal legal system for nonviolent offenses. “Certainly [Mayor Duggan] has networks and expertise that can prove useful as we go into this new chapter. But it is important he follows the lead of those of us with lived experience. Equity mandates that much.” Larsosa said on his campaign website.
Charleta McInnis is a native Detroiter, single parent, raising three children and two legal guardianships. McInnis has spent time in the political realm behind the scenes as a former Precinct Delegate. She also spent time as the Second Deputy Fire Commissioner, according to her campaign website.
Danetta Simpson was a 2018 write-in candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 13th Congressional District of Michigan. Simpson was also an independent candidate for the special election for Michigan's 13th Congressional District in the U.S. House. Simpson was disqualified before the general special election scheduled for November 6, 2018. Previously, Simpson was a nonpartisan candidate for mayor of Detroit. Simpson was defeated in the primary election on August 8, 2017.
In 2020, Art Tyus ran for State Representative for Detroit’s 3rd District, also known as the northeast side of the city. His campaign website lists his priorities as: health and welfare of Detroiters; raising the voices of senior citizens; education; rebuilding neighborhoods; and reducing crime.
D. Etta Wilcoxon is publisher and editor of The Renaissance Observer. She recently told WDET she is running for mayor because “having spent more than 40 years of my life fighting on behalf of Detroiters and realizing that the residents are not being adequately represented, I decided, with a great deal of urging from others, that Detroiters need a voice.”
Dearborn
6:05 a.m.: With all precincts reporting, State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud has won the Dearborn mayoral primary with 42.01% of the vote (8,858 votes). Behind him is Wayne County Commissioner Gary Woronchak with 18.45% of the vote (3,889 votes). You can see the full results here.
At 11:35 p.m. Tuesday night, with 63% of precincts reporting, Hammoud gave a speech declaring his victory.
“Tonight’s results showed that Dearborn residents are demanding change from City Hall," Hammoud said in his speech. "I’m honored and humbled with today’s victory, and I will work just as hard to earn everyone’s vote in the general election this November. We need a mayor who will put our working families first and tackle the tough issues, like lowering property taxes, stopping speeding and reckless driving in our neighborhoods, and fixing our crumbling infrastructure. Thank you, Dearborn -- this is only just the beginning. Let’s get to work.”
--------
With the retirement of Mayor Jack O’Reilly, Dearborn primary voters will be casting a ballot for one of seven mayoral candidates. The two who get the most votes will be on the ballot for the general election in November.
Hussein Berry is an Associate Broker with RE/MAX Leading Edge. He has been practicing real estate in Southeast Michigan for more than 25 years. According to his campaign website, he has also served as a member of the Dearborn School Board and of the Henry Ford College Board of Trustees.
Susan Dabaja is in her second term serving the City of Dearborn as Council President. She graduated from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 2000. Dabaja graduated from the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law in 2004. She has been a Dearborn attorney for over 17 years, representing many Dearborn families and businesses while specializing in multiple areas of law.
Abdullah Hammoud has served in the Michigan House of Representatives for Dearborn’s 15th District since 2017. “I’m running to be Dearborn’s next mayor because we need someone who fights for working families and keeps them here. My administration will make it a priority to lower our property taxes and enhance our city services, to protect our community from reckless drivers, and to guide our economic recovery to build back stronger than ever,” said Hammoud.
Financial planner Jim Parrelly told the Dearborn Press & Guide he is running for mayor of Dearborn “to lead Dearborn into a new era of prosperity.” Parrelly said if he is elected, his number one priority from day one is to “assemble [a] team to immediately address the post-pandemic world we will live in.” According to his campaign website, part of that post-pandemic plan includes building more housing, attracting new business, and creating resident incentives.
Thomas P. Tafelski was elected to his fourth term on the Dearborn City Council in the November 2013 election. He was first elected to council in the November 2001 election and served as president from 2007 to 2013. Before his election to the city council, Tafelski was appointed by Mayor Michael Guido to the City Plan Commission from 1999 to 2001 and the City Beautiful Commission from 1998 to 1999.
Kalette Shari Willis is the first Black woman to run for mayor of Dearborn. Willis served 10 years in the Army National Guard. She came to Dearborn in the fall of 2016. Willis said she is “running to reverse the reputation of racism that this city has represented for many decades. I am running to initiate the shift to net zero emissions for our city. I am running because it's time for millennials to step up into leadership positions, and guide us through this new decade!”
Gary Woronchak is a former state representative and Wayne County commissioner. After being elected in to the Michigan House of Representatives in 1998, Woronchak began a two-year term in January of 1999. Woronchak won a second term in November 2000. He was unopposed in his 2002 election for a third term. In 2004, Gary was unable to seek re-election to the state House due to term limits. He ran for the Wayne County Commission, winning the seat that represents Dearborn, Allen Park and Melvindale.
Lansing
10:33 p.m.: With 100% of precincts reporting, incumbent Andy Schor advances to the general election for Lansing Mayor with 49% of the vote, along with Kathie Dunbar at 20% of the vote. You can view the unofficial results here.
"It is an honor to serve as the Mayor of Lansing, and I greatly appreciate the continual support of the residents of Lansing as shown in the primary election today," Schor said in a statement. "This campaign has shown that my administration has both the drive and the citywide support to carry us through to the general election. I am truly honored by the great number of Lansing residents who turned out to the polls in support of our vision."
--------
Incumbent Andy Schor currently serves as the 52nd Mayor of Lansing. Schor previously served as an Ingham County Commissioner for 10 years, followed by five years in the Michigan House of Representatives representing residents of the 68th District.
Last year, in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, protestors marched to Schor’s home demanding he enact a series of policies to improve the lives of Black residents or resign.
Kathie Dunbar has spent the last 16 years on the Lansing City Council. She said in a recent interview that her original plan for this election was to run to keep her seat on the city council but she feels called to do more. “I know city hall inside and out, and I also know the folks who need our help the most and I’m connected to them in a very, very tangible way and I will not forget that when I’m in office,” she said.
Community psychologist Melissa Huber says her top priorities are changing how things are handled at city hall, monitoring how our federal dollars are used, and making sure everyone is getting the services they need such as public safety, housing, and food assistance.
Larry James Hutchinson Jr. has run for elected office in the past, including for positions in Genesee County, the Lansing City Council and the 23rd Senate district as a Democrat.
Local activist Farhan Sheikh-Omar arrived in the U.S. as a Kenyan refugee 16 years ago. Sheikh-Omar has run two failed campaigns in his past, running for the House of Representatives — District 68 in 2018 and first Ward City Council in 2019. Sheikh-Omar is the youngest mayoral candidate on the ballot.
Lansing City Councilmember Patricia Spitzley would become Lansing’s first female mayor and the city’s first African-American mayor if elected. Spitzley told WKAR that some of her priorities include the economy and policing. “It’s a good time for someone who believes in fiscal responsibility," she says. "It’s a good time for...a person who is ready to transform our public safety.”
Detroit City Clerk Primary
6:05 a.m.: With all precincts reporting, incumbent Janice Winfrey won the race with 70.39% of the vote. Denzel Anton McCampbell followed with 15.26%. You can see full results here.
--------
Beverly Kindle-Walker is currently the legislative assistant to Wayne County Commissioner Tim Killeen. She told WDET she would like to “restore trust in the Office of Detroit City Clerk.”
Denzel McCampbell is an elected Detroit Charter Revision Commissioner and Communications Director for Rep. Rashida Tlaib. He also serves as a board member for the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice and the Mary Turner Center for Advocacy.
Michael Ri’Chard is a legislative aide to Wayne County Commissioner Monique Baker McCormick. Ri’Chard worked for the Department of Elections for 6 years and is a State of Michigan Certified Election Trainer.
Incumbent Janice Winfrey was elected as Detroit City Clerk in 2005. Winfrey was a 2016 Democratic candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 13th Congressional District of Michigan. Winfrey was defeated by incumbent John Conyers, Jr. in the Democratic primary.
MI 8th State Senate Seat Republican Primary
12:03 a.m.: With 100% of precincts reporting, Democrat Robert Martin Genter (70.5%) and Republican Douglas Wozniak (35.7%) both advance to the general election. You can follow along here.
---------
The special election for District 8 was called after Peter Lucido left office after being elected Macomb County Prosecutor on Nov. 3, 2020. The seat has been vacant since Lucido resigned on December 31. Lucido had served since 2019.
Mary Berlingieri is the director of Career Education for the College of Engineering & Science at University of Detroit Mercy. According to her campaign website, her core beliefs include improving election integrity and increasing government accountability and transparency.
Bill Carver is a former technical support representative. He says three key messages of his campaign are election integrity and trustworthiness, safely opening up Michigan's economy, and growing that economy.
Kristi Dean (no information was available for Dean)
Grant Golasa is an engineer from Shelby Township. He graduated from Michigan State University.
Pamela Hornberger has been a member of the Michigan House of Representatives since 2017, representing District 32. Hornberger was an at-large member of the L'Anse Creuse Board of Education in Michigan from 2010 to 2017.
Terence Mekoski has spent more than 30 years as a law enforcement officer. According to his campaign website, he has served with the Detroit Police Department, Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the DEA, and the FBI.
State Representative Douglas Wozniak has represented the 36th district since 2019. His campaign website lists his key issues as protecting seniors, election security, affordable insurance rates, lower taxes and less bureaucracy.
Proposal P
6:05: With all precincts reporting, 67.3% of voters have voted "No" against Proposal P. You can see full results here.
---------
A "yes" vote supports the adoption of a revised city charter for Detroit that makes changes to policy
regarding broadband access, police practices, healthcare, taxes and utilities, and reparations, among other topics. Michigan Radio previously reported on the lengthy legal battle to get the proposal on the August 3 ballot.
Michigan Radio’s Sarah Cwiek broke down why it became such a contentious issue:
Mayor Mike Duggan opposes the charter revisions. The main issue he’s stated publicly has to do with cost. Duggan has said the new charter will impose all sorts of “unfunded mandates” the city can’t afford without triggering renewed state financial control, and violating the terms of Detroit’s court-ordered post-bankruptcy plan of adjustment. A Duggan administration fiscal analysispredicts that charter mandates will end up costing the city $2 billion dollars over four years.
Last week, the Michigan Supreme Court upheld the placement of the ballot question. (You can find a full version of the charter changes, including revisions and commentary, here)
Want to support reporting like this? Consider making a gift to Michigan Radio today.
