By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Brandon Twp. — Area voters will find several new names when they head to the polls for the August Partisan Primary in Atlas, Brandon, and Groveland townships. Two of three incumbent township supervisors will not be on the ballots.
In Oakland County, Brandon Township will have all seven seats up for reelection and Groveland and Atlas townships will have all five seats up for grabs. The filing deadline for the Aug. 6 primary election was April 23. Candidates have until April 29 to withdraw their names.
After more than two decades, long-time Groveland Township Supervisor Bob DePalma will not seek another term. Republican candidates seeking four year terms Groveland Township include: Kevin Scramiln and Christopher Yuchasz will vie for the supervisor nomination; Incumbent Theresa Bills and challenger Shelly Kidd will seek the nomination for treasurer and incumbents Jim Christopher and Gina Muzzarelli are unopposed for trustees. Incumbent Township Clerk Jenell Keller will run unopposed.
In Brandon Township, Republican candidates seeking four year terms include Incumbent Supervisor Jayson Rumball, challenger and former Supervisor Kathy Thurman and Edward Charles Darbyshire. Incumbent Clerk Roselyn Blair is unopposed for the Republican nomination, while Vicki Hale will vie for the Democrat nomination. Dana DePalma will be unopposed for the Treasurer seat.
Five Republican candidates will vie for four Brandon Township trustee seats, incumbents Robert Marshall and Steven Unruch along with challengers Tony Candiloro, Deborah Ross and Scott Strangeland will seek the nominations.
In Atlas Township, Incumbent Supervisor Shirley Kautman-Jones will not be seeking another term. All candidates are Republican. Interim Supervisor Jim Busch and Katherine Vick will be seeking the nomination; Newcomer Toni Yaklin will run unopposed for township clerk; Incumbent Treasurer Ann Marie Moore will run unopposed.
Incumbent Trustee Barry June will not be seeking a another term. Four candidates will vie for two Atlas Trustee seats, Incumbent Patrick Major, challengers Mike Varacali, Traci Sasser and Tracy Butcher will seek the nomination.
For Genesee County Commissioner 5th district-four year term, Incumbent James Avery will seek the Democratic nomination and John Wellington will seek the Republican ticket this fall.
Oakland County Commissioner 7th District Incumbent Republican Bob Hoffman is unopposed for the nomination. Democrat Derek Marshall will seek the party nomination.
Genesee County Prosecuting Attorney Incumbent Prosecutor David Leyton will be challenged in the primary by fellow Democrat Trachelle C. Young.
Incumbent Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, a Democrat, is unopposed in the primary. He will face Republican challenger Jeffrey Salzeider in the general election.
State Representative 68th District Republican Incumbent Josh Schriver will be challenged by Randy LeVasseur and Jeffery Omtvedt for the two-year term.
State Representative 66th District Republican Incumbent David Martin will run unopposed. Democrat Tim Sneller will seek the party nomination for the November election.