MICHIGAN — With most of the focus on the Detroit Mayoral and city council races, many of the races in the suburbs and out-state races didn’t get as much coverage. Below is a breakdown of key races around the state:
Wayne County
Taylor Mayor Tim Wooley and Westland Mayor Kevin Coleman had good nights. Wooley easily won his primary for a second term and will face Butch Ramik in the fall. Although Coleman was not on the ballot, he endorsed the top 4 vote getters for City Council setting up allies to join him in governing in the Fall.
Oakland County
The big story of the night was in Pontiac as a primary to replace Mayor Tim Greimel who is running for Congress. Finishing with a commanding lead was City Council President Mike McGuinness who will face off against former City Council President Kermit Williams in the Fall.
Ann Arbor
Proposal A: A charter amendment allowing the City to sell two parcels (319 S. Fifth Ave. and 326 S. Division St.)—currently home to the Library Lane Parking Structure—to the Ann Arbor District Library (AADL) for $1, enabling a mixed-use development featuring expanded library services, housing, retail, and public open space. No new taxes were involved. Adoption of this amendment depended on the passage of Proposal B. The proposal passed with nearly 60%
Proposal B: A companion amendment to repeal a 2018 charter mandate that designated the site as a “Center of the City” urban park and civic space. Its passage was conditioned on Proposal A’s approval. This also passed with nearly 60% of the vote.
With both proposals passing:
-
The Ann Arbor District Library now gains the right to redevelop the Library Lane site.
-
Plans call for a mixed-use high-rise featuring a new downtown library branch, retail, housing (including affordable units), and public plaza/open space.
-
AADL Director Eli Neiburger emphasized community support despite campaign misinfo from some opponents. A development agreement is expected to follow once the City Council finalizes approval. The project timeline to ribbon‑cutting is projected at six to seven years.
Lansing
Incumbent Mayor Andy Schor claimed a commanding lead, capturing approximately 63% of the vote, totaling 9,230 votes. Kelsea Hector, a nonprofit consultant and LGBTQ+ rights advocate, finished a distant second, drawing 2,312 votes (about 16%) and advancing to the November general election against Schor.
Sault Ste. Marie Schools Bond
In what many are calling “third time’s the charm,” voters in the Sault Area Public Schools district approved a no-tax-increase bond measure aimed at modernizing vital school infrastructure.
Vote outcome: 1,892 YES to 1,523 NO, passing by a margin of 369 votes.
Voter turnout: Approximately 21 percent, with 3,415 ballots cast out of 15,971 registered voters.
This latest bond request came on the heels of two failed proposals—including a $57 million millage in 2023 and a $43 million request last November—which ultimately taught the district valuable lessons in alignment with voter concerns.
The refined bond plan, reduced to $20.5 million, promised necessary upgrades—while maintaining the current millage rate and avoiding additional tax burdens.
