Plymouth Township Voters Dump Old Regime in Aug. 2 Primary [UPDATED]

Updated. PLYMOUTH-CANTON, MI — Write-in candidate Kurt Heise, whose name didn't appear on Tuesday's primary election ballot after an Appeals Court judge ruled the current state representative hadn't properly filed his candidacy papers, mounted a successful campaign to defeat incumbent Supervisor Shannon Price by a margin of 57 percent to 43 percent, according to unofficial election results.. The write-in candidate received 3,036 votes, compared with 2,333 ballots cast for Price in the Republican-leaning township.

In Canton Township, community activist Linda Obrec won handily with 2,455 votes, compared with 1,400 cast for Thomas Lutkenhff, in the Republican primary for township clerk. The margin was 64 percent to 36 percent in the only contested primary on the Canton Township ballot.

Two other Plymouth Township officers were also defeated. Challenger Jerry Vovra defeated Clerk Nancy Conzelman, 62 percent to 38 percent. Vorva collected 3,361 votes, compared with 2,065 for Conzelman.

In the treasurer's race, Mark Clinton handily defeated incumbent Ron Edwards, 71 percent to 29 percent. Clinton had 3,907 votes, compared with 1,612 votes cast for Edwards.

Incumbent trustees Charles J. Curmi and Bob Doroshewitz were re-elected with 3,327 and 3,218 votes, respectively. Other candidates getting the Republican nomination were Jack Dempsey, with 2,386 votes, and Gary Heitman, with 2,095 votes.

Incumbent Michael Kelly received 1,716 votes. Other vote totals were: Mike Oliansky, 1,259 votes; Thomas Parrelly, 668 votes; Alexander Roehl, 360 votes; and Teresa Somercik, 1,156 votes. There were 1,288 write-in votes.

Our original story: Incumbent Plymouth Township Supervisor Shannon Price is facing a write-in challenge from Republican Kurt Heise, a term-limited state representative whose name was stricken from the ballot after a June Michigan Court of Appeals ruling, in Tuesday’s primary election.

Price, a former Wayne County commissioner who was appointed to the supervisor position last year, is seeking his first full term in the position.

Heise’s name was removed from the ballot on June 7 after the appeals court found he hadn’t properly filled out his candidacy paperwork with the secretary of state’s office, and he has since been campaigning as a write-in candidate.

In other contested races — all Republican — Jerry Vorva is running against incumbent clerk Nancy Conzelman, and Mark Clinton is running against incumbent treasurer Ron Edwards.

Republicans who running for the four township trustee positions are Charles J. Curmi (incumbent), Jack Dempsey, Bob Doroshewitz (incumbent), Gary Heitman, Michael Kelly (incumbent), Mike Oliansky, Thomas Parrelly, Alexander Roehl and Teresa Somercik.

In Canton Township, the only contested race is between retired Canton firefighter Thomas Lutkenhoff and community activist Linda Obrec in the Republican primary for township clerk. The winner will square off against Democrat Michael Siegrist, a Plymouth-Canton school board member, in the Nov. 8 general election.

Also on the ballot, Wayne County voters will decide whether to renew a parks millage that funds maintenance and operations of 37 county parks, two golf courses and a water park in Detroit.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Voter Information Center at www.michigan.gov/vote has answers to frequently asked elections questions, including finding your polling location and viewing a sample ballot.