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Elections Results 2017

By Kellie Rowe
Published  November 8, 2017 5:59pm EST
News
FOX 2 Detroit

On Tuesday, Detroit voters went to the polls to help shape the future of the Motor City.

Incumbent Mike Duggan has defeated Sen. Coleman Young II soundly, capturing more than 71 percent of the vote.  >>For more on the Duggan re-election, CLICK HERE.

The closet race of the night was for Detroit City Clerk which was a dead heat between incumbent Janice Winfrey (50 percent of the vote) and newcomer Garlin Gilchrist II (48 percent of the vote). Winfrey appears to have held on with a late push. By 10:40 p.m. she had 48,652 votes to Gilchrist's 46,891.

In the District 2 City Council seat race - retired Detroit police officer Roy McCallister, Jr. had 59 percent of the vote to former Sen. Virgil Smith's 38 percent.

In the District 6 City Council seat race - incumbent Raquel Castaneda-Lopez holds a narrow lead of 51 percent to 48 percent over challenger Tyrone Carter.

In the Detroit City Council at-large vote, Brenda Jones (71,317) and Janee' Ayers (48,114) won the two open seats, defeating Mary Waters (32,726) and Beverly Kindle-Walker (14,526).

Proposal A regulating medical marijuana Yes leads with 60 percent of the vote to No's 39. 

The proposal would shorten the minimum distance marijuana dispensaries must be from another dispensary and exempt religious institutions from 1,000 feet to 500 feet.  

It also allows dispensaries near beer, liquor and wine stores, child care centers, parks and arcades. Extends the hours dispensaries can be open from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. to 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Proposal B leads 58 percent to No's 41 percent.

That proposal would allow growers and secure transporters to be allowed to operate in the city's M1-5 industrial districts and B1-5 business districts.

In other races of local interest, incumbent Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly (6,018 votes) appears to have also won re-election over challenger Thomas Tafelski (5,266).

In Hamtramck, another incumbent won with Mayor Karen Majewski winning with 1,257 votes to runner-up Mohammed Hassan's 793.

In Flint, Mayor Karen Weaver survived a recall attempt that included a field of 17 challengers, winning with 52 percent of the vote. She will now be allowed to finish the final two years of her term.

Some looks at the races:

CITY CLERK

Janice Winfrey (incumbent)
- First elected in 2005
- Former 2016 Democratic candidate for U.S. House - 13th district
- Won primary with 51.3 percent of the vote
- Bachelor's in public administration from Eastern Michigan University
- Certification in Math from Wayne State University
- Cass Tech High School

Garlin D. Gilchrist II
- Second in primary with 19.6 percent of the vote
- Graduated from University of Michigan with two degrees - computer engineering and computer science.
- Software Engineer at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, WA
- Worked on Obama campaign as a social media manager
- Director of New Media at the Center for Community Change
- National Campaign Director of MoveOn.org
- First-ever Director of Innovation & Emerging Technology for the City of Detroit

Voters must also fill Detroit District 1's vacant seat in the Michigan House of Representatives. Back in February, former Rep. Brian Banks resigned after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor for filing false financial statements while three felony counts were dropped.

There are two marijuana-related proposals on the ballot - one that extends dispensaries' hours and where they can be located, and another that gives growers and transporters more freedom.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE

Tenisha Yancey
- Democrat
- From Detroit
- Bachelor's from Eastern Michigan University
- Worked at Wayne County Land Bank
- Graduated from University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
- Appointee in the Wayne County Executive’s Office
- Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Wayne County's Juvenile Division
- Appointed to the Harper School Board

Mark Corcoran
- Republican
- From Grosse Pointe Woods
- Home construction business owner
- Won Republican primary with 74 percent of the vote
- Self-described Tea Party activist

Gregory Creswell
- Libertarian
- From Detroit
- Graduated Chadsey High School in 1975
- Attended Wayne County Community College District
- Volunteers for his church and Brass Roots
- Detroit coordinator in 2006 for M.C.R.I. proposal #2 vote Yes!
- Has run for governor and for congress four times

RELATED COVERAGE:

PROPOSALS

Both petition initiatives were run by Citizens for Sensible Cannabis Reform.

Proposal A: Shortens the minimum distance marijuana dispensaries must be from another dispensary and exempt religious institutions from 1,000 feet to 500 feet. Also allows dispensaries near beer, liquor and wine stores, child care centers, parks and arcades. Extends the hours dispensaries can be open from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. to 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Proposal B: Growers and secure transporters would be allowed to operate in the city's M1-5 industrial districts and B1-5 business districts

RELATED COVERAGE:

 

CITY COUNCIL

District 1:
James Tate (incumbent)
- First elected to the Detroit City Council in 2009
- Re-elected to represent District 1 in 2013
- Second Deputy Chief for the Detroit Police Department
- Assignment editor at WXYZ-TV (Channel 7)
- Benedictine High School graduate
- Wayne State University graduate
- Detroit Zoological Society and Authority Health board member 
- Chair of the Task Force on Black Male Engagement
- Co-Chair of the My Brother’s Keeper Challenge

Tamara Smith
- Grew up in Detroit
- Attended Henry Ford High School

District 2:
Roy McCalister Jr.
- Investigator and legal aid for the Federal Defender Office
- Lieutenant detective for the Detroit Police Department
- Commanding officer of the Detroit Police Homicide Section
- Served in the U.S. Army and Reserves as a chief warrant officer IV/special agent
- 2014 Democratic candidate for District 10 of the Michigan House of Representatives

Virgil Smith
- Former Democratic member of the Michigan State Senate, representing District 4 from 2010-2016
- Former Assistant Minority Whip
- served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2002 to 2008
- Arrested May 2015 for allegedly assaulting ex-wife, pleaded guilty and accepted plea deal requiring him to resign February 2016, judge upheld plea deal but did not require resignation 
- Bachelor’s in political science from Michigan State University
- Master's in public administration from Western Michigan University

RELATED COVERAGE:

District 3:
Scott Benson (incumbent)
- Bachelor's from Hampton University
- Master's in urban planning from Wayne State University
- Graduated from the National Naval War College
- Served in the U.S. Coast Guard
- Working for Midtown Detroit, Inc.

Russ Bellant
- Served in the U.S Army. 
- Spent time working at the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department
- Served as chief of staff for State Representative Wendell Byrd (D)
- Treasurer for the 9th Police Precinct Community Relations Council
- President of the Helco Block Club
- Appointed member of the Detroit Library Commission
- Co-founder of the Save Lipke Recreation Center Committee

District 4:
Andre Spivey (incumbent)
- First elected 2009
- Re-elected in 2013 and serves as the Councilperson for District 4
- Chair of the Internal Operations Committee 
- Neighborhood Services Committee member
- Co-Chairs the Black Male Engagement Taskforce and the Immigration Taskforce
- A native of Detroit and graduate of Cass Technical High School
- Bachelor’s from Morehouse College in Atlanta 
- Master of Divinity Degree from Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, New York
- Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University

Latisha Johnson
- Bachelor's in finance from the University of Michigan
- Office manager at Franco Public Relations Group
- Senior sales manager at Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Senior sales executive for the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center

District 5:
Mary Sheffield (incumbent)
- First elected 2013 - youngest elected at the age of 26
- Native Detroiter
- Ran for the Democratic nomination for the 4th District in the Michigan State House of Representatives in 2010
- Member Detroit Association of Black Organizations
- Youth coordinator of the Detroit Ecumenical Ministers Alliance

Jewel Ware
- Democratic District 2 county commissioner in Wayne County 
- Bachelor's and master's from the University of Detroit

District 6:
Raquel Castaneda-Lopez (incumbent)
- First elected in 2013
- Born in Detroit
- Bachelor's in social work from the University of Montana
- Master's in social work from the University of Michigan
- Social worker, advisor and program manager at Wayne State University

Tyrone Carter
- Born in Detroit, and attended Southwestern High School
- Attended Central Michigan University, Wayne County Sheriff's Police Academy, the FBI National Academy, and the Michigan Political Leadership Program
- Retired in 2008 as an executive lieutenant after 25 years at the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office
- Assistant director of campus police for the Wayne County Community College District
- Community involvement specialist at Southwestern High School

District 7:
Gabe Leland (incumbent)
- First elected in 2013
- Grew up in Detroit
- Bachelor's in public administration from Central Michigan University
- Elected to Michigan House of Representatives in 2004
- Consultant in community affairs for the Detroit Medical Center
 - Created the Leland Scholarship Fund to help Detroit high school students attend college

Regina Ross
- 2016 Democratic candidate for District 9 of the Michigan House of Representatives
- Born in Detroit
- Bachelor's liberal arts, with a minor in political science, from Wayne State University
- Master's in administration/instructional technology and education from Wayne State University 
- Ph.D. in education from Ashford University
- Taught adult education in the Detroit Public Schools
- Moved to childhood education upon receiving her master's in education

At Large (2 open seats):

Janee Ayers
- Born and raised in Detroit
- Graduated from Renaissance High School 
- Earned a degree in Political Science/Public Policy from Bowling Green State University
- City of Detroit employee in the Department of Recreation
- Detroit Public Schools teacher
- Political director for UNITE HERE Local 24
- Vice president of Metro Detroit AFL-CIO

Brenda Jones
- First elected November 2005, elected again January 2010, elected president January 2014
- Chairperson of the Skilled Trades Task Force and Military Veterans Task Force
- Former President of Communications Workers of America, Local 4004
- Board member on Michigan Coalition for Human Rights and  the Detroit Metropolitan Interfaith Committee on Worker Issues
- Secretary for the Communications Workers of America National Minority Caucus
- Trustee of Michigan Minority Networking Women - Detroit Chapter
- Trustee of Elise Bryant Educational Scholarship Foundation
- 1st Vice President of the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) - Detroit Chapter
- Graduated from Detroit Public Schools, Wayne State University, and Wayne State University Labor School

RELATED COVERAGE:

Beverly Kindle-Walker
- Associate’s from Wayne County Community College
- Bachelor’s in community development from Central Michigan University
- Graduate certificate in public administration from Central Michigan University
- Worked as legislative assistant to Wayne County Commissioner Tim Killeen (D), and Detroit City Council members Brenda Scott and Clyde Cleveland
- Served as an elected Democratic precinct delegate for over 25 years

Mary Waters
- Graduated from Greenville High School
- Bachelor’s from the University of Michigan
- 2012 Democratic candidate for the 14th district of the U.S. House
- 2010 Democratic candidate for District 1 in the Michigan State Senate

DETROIT POLICE COMMISSIONER

These are 4-year terms.

MAYOR

Mike Duggan (incumbent): The current mayor of Detroit was sworn into office Jan. 1, 2014, defeating Benny Napoleon in a fairly close race. He served as the president & CEO, Detroit Medical Center from 2004-12, Wayne County Prosecutor from 2001-2003, Deputy Wayne County Executive from 1987-2000, and Assistant Corporation Counsel for Wayne County from 1985-1986.

Coleman Young II: First elected in 2010, Young is a Democrat in the Michigan State Senate representing District 1. Before that, he served two terms in the Michigan House of Representatives. He's the son of the city's first African-American mayor, Coleman A. Young, who served from 1974 to 1994. Young attended Wayne State University.