Voter turnout high for Tuesday’s primary

VanSickle loses commissioner seat to challenger

By Allison Scarbrough. OCP Editor.

HART — Voter turnout was high for Tuesday’s primary election with over 21 percent of registered voters in Oceana County casting ballots at 18 precincts.

Of 19,167 registered voters in Oceana County, 4,029 came to the polls.

Long-time county commissioner Larry VanSickle lost his seat on the board to challenger Andrew Sebolt, gaining 207 total votes to VanSickle’s 174. The republicans were vying for the Fourth District, which includes Colfax, Elbridge, Ferry and Leavitt townships.

Dean Gustafson won the republican bid for the county’s First District, which includes Crystal, Pentwater and Weare townships, over Terry Dykema 350-193.

Incumbent Robert Walker won the republican bid for the Seventh District, which includes Grant and Otto townships and a portion of New Era, over challenger Charles Simon 176-111.

The only democrat on the ballot for the total seven county districts was incumbent Evelyn Kolbe of the Second District, which includes Greenfield and Newfield townships, and she was unchallenged.

Senator Goeff Hansen (R-Hart) defeated challenger Nick Sundquist 2,011-923 for the 34th District, which includes, Oceana, Newaygo and Muskegon counties. Hansen faces Cathy Forbes, who ran unchallenged in the primary, in November.

In the democratic race for state representative of the 100th District, Mark Balcom surpassed Bill Valko 506-215. The district includes, Lake, Newaygo and Oceana counties. Balcom faces Republican incumbent Jon Bumstead in November.

Allen Blohm gained 1,421 votes over Walter Wheeler’s 1,163 for a partial term on the Oceana County Road Commission.

All local millage requests passed, including the Mason-Oceana 911. See: 911-millage-passes

Benona, Golden, Greenwood, Newfield, Pentwater and Shelby townships all passed fire millage renewals. Benona’s passed 207-72; Golden’s won 262-117; Greenwood 83-24; Newfield 323-53; Pentwater 380-69; and Shelby 364-99. Golden also passed a road millage renewal 278-101. Grant Township’s road millage renewal passed 184-158.

Hesperia Community School’s millage renewal passed 351-128, and Hesperia Community Library’s millage renewal also passed 366-111.

All election results are unofficial. Results do not become official until certified by the Oceana County Board of Canvassers, which meets Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 1 p.m.