Shelby Township, Utica Elections 2012: Republicans Sweep Local Races

Shelby Township swept red Tuesday with Republicans taking all seven open seats on the Board of Trustees.

Shelby Township incumbent Supervisor Rick Stathakis will hold the township’s top spot for another four years.  Stathakis beat Independent candidate David Erickson for the spot.

The township’s new treasurer is Trustee Michael Flynn, who ran unopposed. Stan Grot also ran unopposed for clerk. The Shelby Township Board of Trustees appointed Grot to the position at the end of 2011. 

Trustees will include incumbents Doug Wozniak, Paula Calvaruso Filar and current Treasurer Paul Viar. Newcomer Nick Nightingale will join them.

Voters were asked to choose four of the five candidates for the Board of Trustees. The lone Democratic candidate, Clarence Cook, had the least votes.

Utica did not have any city races.

Incumbent Republican State Rep. for District 30, Jeff Farrington, beat out Democrat Joseph Bogdan.

State Rep. for 36th District Pete Lund had won re-election. The Republican incumbent beat Democrat Robert Murphy.

Instant Replay:

Here’s a look at highlights from the elections in Shelby Township and Utica.

10:30 p.m.

Utica election results are in: Romney won the small city by 31 votes.

Shelby Township Clerk Stan Grot says the township is still tabulating absentee ballots and updating the county website with results.

9:30 p.m.

Several current Shelby Township Board of Trustees gather at Hamlin Pub on 25 Mile Road to watch as the election results pour in.

Supervisor Rick Stathakis told Patch.com he's hoping the same board will be seated.

"I think the board as it stands has done a good job of creating more efficient services, reducing costs and increasing transparency," he said.

Joining Stathkis at Hamlin Pub were incumbent trustees and candidates, Paula Calvaruso Filar and Doug Wozniak, current treasurer, Paul Viar, who is seeking a spot on the board, and Trustee Michael Flynn, who ran unopposed for treasurer. 

8 p.m.

Polls across the country close. Stay with Shelby-Utica Patch for instant local results.

7 p.m.

Utica election inspectors say they too have had three times as many voters turn out for the presidential election than for the August primaries.

By 7 p.m. more than 330 people had voted in person at the Utica Library polling location.

"We're excited to share that we've had a lot of voters," said Inspector Rob Lootens, not to mention the several hundred absentee ballots.

3 p.m.

Shelby Township couple Tara and James Berner voted straight ticket Republican.

James Berner told Patch he wasn't happy with his choices, but he decided to go with Mitt Romney for president.

"As a voter, I feel like I'm frustrated with the state of affairs. I feel like I don't have much of a choice. I am voting for the lesser of two evils," he said.

James Berner said he is mostly concerned with national politics and making sure the economy is poised for long-term growth.

"As parents to five young children who will be working in the next ten years, we want to ensure they'll be able to provide for their kids someday," said James Berner.

1:30 p.m.

Precinct 23 and 24 Chairperson in Shelby Township, Judy Rosenthal, tells Patch this is the highest voter turnout she's seen since working the polls for half a decade.

To read the full story, click here.

 11:20 a.m.

Let Patch know how the lines are where you're voting. Also, send in a picture of you with your "I voted" sticker. Let's get a slideshow of faces and places of Shelby and Utica elections going.

10:10 a.m.

Shelby Township resident Holly Saco takes a break for campaigning on behalf of Carl Marlinga, candidate for Macomb County Probate Court Judge, to vote at Precinct 14.

Saco said she volunteered to campaign for Marlinga after she had him as a professor of law at Wayne State. 

"He went out of his way to help someone who was wrongly incarcerated. He's the kind of man that you look at and see kindness in his heart," she said.

10 a.m.

Patch catches up with Clarence Cook, the only Democratic candidate for the Shelby Township Board of Trustees before he casts his vote at Precinct 14.

"I hope people will understand to split the vote," said Cook, who added that Shelby Township has a lot of Republicans.

Cook said that he's hoping the residents are ready for a change.

"If they want a change, they have to change the landscape and go to the other side," he said.

Cook said he is hoping if he and Nick Nightingale are voted in, they can work together to make changes.

"Nick is going to need some help up there," he said.

(Picture to the left)

9:45 a.m.

Lines form at Precinct 14 as voters wait as long as 15 minutes outside to perform their civic duty. (Picture to the left)

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2012 SHELBY TOWNSHIP ELECTION RESULTS

Results are unofficial until confirmed by the county clerk.

2012 UTICA ELECTION RESULTS

Results are unofficial until confirmed by the county clerk.

All election results unofficial until verified.

For more election coverage, including results for the U.S. Congressional races, visit Michigan Election 2012.