Redistricting has stretched the number of representative districts in Washtenaw County from four to seven. It used to be that the 52nd, 53rd, 54th and 55th districts were all fully contained within the county borders. The newly drawn seven districts that now cover Washtenaw County now have some that extend into neighboring counties.
The 23rd House District covers much of downtown Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan’s central campus. It extends east into Ann Arbor and includes Superior and Salem Townships, South Lyon, Northville and Plymouth Townships in Wayne County. Tuesday’s primary races for the seat were uncontested. Current Washtenaw County Commissioner Jason Morgan has advanced. The Ann Arbor democrat will face Republican Richard Sharland of Plymouth.
There were contested Democrat and Republican primary races in the 31st District. That district covers a large area, mostly in Wayne, Monroe and Lenawee Counties. It does include Milan and Augusta township and a piece of York Township in Washtenaw County. Reggie Miller of Belleville beat Glenn Morrison Jr. of Van Buren in the Democratic primary. He’ll take on yesterday’s GOP winner Dale Biniecki of Milan. In November. Binieki defeated Holli Vallade of Milan on Tuesday.
The new 32nd house district is largely centered on Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township but also includes a part of Superior Township along MacArthur Boulevard as well as a section of Pittsfield Township. It was a crowded ballot in Tuesday’s Democratic primary with six candidates, all hailing from Ypsilanti. Jimmy Wilson Jr. managed to secure enough votes to advance, beating out Roderick Casey Sr., Robyn Lynn McCoy, Marshall Averill, Isaac London and Carol Smith. Wilson will be challenged by Republican Martin Church in November. Church was unopposed yesterday.
The 33rd district primaries were unopposed. Democrat Felicia Brabec is considered the incumbent. She is seeking a 2nd term in the state house. Right now, she represents the 55th district. Republican Robert Borer the Third was also unopposed and those two run off in November for the right to represent an area that includes much of Ann Arbor south of Michigan Stadium. It also covers Saline, most of Pittsfield Township as well as Saline, Bridgewater and Lodi Townships and a part of York Township.
There was a GOP primary in the 46th house district. Kathy Schmaltz of Jackson won the runoff with Kimberly Sheppard Hugle of Michigan Center. Schmaltz advances and will face Democrat Maurice Imhoff in November. The Jackson democrat was unopposed Tuesday.
The new 47th State House is rather expansive and, as such, there were contested primary races for both major parties. The 47th covers the western portion of Ann Arbor, the entirety of the cities of Dexter and Manchester as well as Scio Township. It also extends to more rural areas of Washtenaw County including Lima, Freedom, Sharon and Manchester Townships while also looping in the southeast section of Jackson County. Carrie Rheingans of Ann Arbor defeated James Johnson Jr. of Clarklake in the Democratic Primary. She’ll face either Republican Tina Bednarski-Lynch of Grass Lake or Teresa Spiegelberg of Freedom Township in November. Bednarski-Lynch leads early this morning, but the race remains too close to call.
There was only a GOP primary race to be decided in the 48th State House District. Howell’s Jason Woolford leads Whitmore Lake’s Jason Negri in a race that remains to close to call. The winner will face Ann Arbor Democrat Jennifer Conlin in November. Conlin was unopposed Tuesday. The general election winner will represent a district that covers the northern part of Ann Arbor and Ann Arbor Township, the northern part of Washtenaw County including Northfield, Webster, Dexter and Lyndon Townships. It also stretches further north to include a piece of Livingston County, including Pinckney and reaches up to I-96. The district also extends west into Jackson County.
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