GRATIOT COUNTY — Five weeks before the Nov. 3 general election, the county clerk’s official results from the Aug. 4 primary show how few voters settled a long list of local tax questions: 7,987 of 27,294 registered voters cast a ballot, a turnout of 29.3 percent.
Twelve millage questions were on Gratiot County ballots that day. Every one passed.
Where people voted, and where they did not
Turnout was highest in the City of Alma’s Precinct 1, at 36.7 percent, followed by Fulton Township at 36.3 percent and Washington Township at 35.4 percent. It was lowest in Alma’s Precinct 3, at 20.8 percent, and in the City of St. Louis, at 23.6 percent. Alma alone spanned nearly the whole range: its three precincts came in at 36.7, 26.7 and 20.8 percent. The City of Ithaca was at 33.2 percent.
The two countywide renewals
- Senior Citizens Services millage renewal: 5,654 yes, 1,703 no (76.9 percent yes).
- Agricultural and Economic Development millage renewal: 4,908 yes, 2,453 no (66.7 percent yes).
Local questions
- Gratiot Emergency Services Authority fire and EMS renewal: 1,805 yes, 447 no.
- Pine River Township fire and rescue renewal: 444 yes, 99 no.
- Arcada Township fire and rescue renewal: 285 yes, 68 no.
- Ashley Area Fire Authority renewal: 440 yes, 137 no.
- Seville Township fire and first responder renewal: 308 yes, 143 no.
- New Haven Township roads, bridges, hall and cemetery renewal: 135 yes, 48 no.
- North Star Township road improvements renewal: 128 yes, 85 no.
- Ithaca Public Schools operating millage renewal: 1,123 yes, 552 no.
- Fulton Schools operating millage renewal: 495 yes, 343 no.
- Village of Ashley millage increase to restore its authorized operating millage: 59 yes, 52 no.
The Ashley village question was the closest, decided by seven votes out of 111. It was also the only one of the 12 described on the ballot as an increase rather than a renewal. The totals above are the votes counted in Gratiot County; school districts and fire authorities that cross county lines may have additional votes elsewhere.
Both parties’ nominees for county road commissioner were unopposed. Jennifer Lobdell received 3,096 votes in the Democratic primary and Aaron L. VanHorn Sr. received 3,705 in the Republican primary. They meet on Nov. 3.
What is next
The Nov. 3 ballot carries at least three more local money questions that this publication has reported on: a new county-wide transit millage, a 1-mill levy for the Alma Public Library building, and a $12.4 million Breckenridge Community Schools bond. General elections draw far more voters than August primaries, so those questions will be decided by a larger and different electorate.