Clinton renews fire millage; Britton Deerfield rejects sinking fund

CLINTON — Voters in Clinton helped support a fire department millage renewal that will extend fire coverage in the area through 2035.

By heading out to the voting polls during the Aug. 4 primary election — or voting by way of absentee ballot or casting a ballot during early voting — Clinton-area voters made sure the Clinton Fire Department remains funded.

The tax renewal levy passed 700 “yes” votes to 147 “no” votes, according to a text message from Clinton Township Clerk Kim Scott, and through the Lenawee County Clerk’s Office’s online election results found at electionlenawee.com. The county clerk’s office finalized its unofficial voting summary just after 1:40 a.m. Wednesday.

The results still need to be confirmed by the county’s Board of Canvassers.

Clinton’s fire millage proposal was a straightforward renewal of the department’s current 1.6-mills funding structure — $1.60 per $1,000 of taxable value.

“As the Clinton Township clerk, I’m pleased to announce that the fire department renewal passed with an impressive 82% approval, with voter turnout reaching nearly 31%. This reflects strong community engagement,” Scott said. “Many residents expressed their appreciation for the early voting option at our precinct. While we experienced a brief backup between 5 and 6 p.m. on Election Day, primarily due to increased traffic after work, it was exacerbated by a statewide issue with the Qualified Voter Files. However, the overall election process went smoothly.”

Countywide, the Lenawee County Clerk’s Office shows that 20,756 voters participated in this month’s primary — which equates to about 25.3% of the county’s voting population.

Nearly every millage proposal on the ballot across the county passed with the exception of Britton Deerfield Schools’ sinking fund proposal, which sought 2-mills of funding from 2027 to 2030, with that money being used for construction and repair of school buildings, school security improvements, upgrading of technology, acquisitions and maintenance of school transportation vehicles, and other purposes permitted under sinking fund laws.

BD’s sinking fund proposal failed 445 “no” votes to 301 “yes” votes.

The district has had a sinking fund supported by a 2-mill tax since it was first approved in 2017 and this proposal essentially was asking to renew that tax. However, the ballot language referred to the levy as a new tax because the district expanded the potential uses of the funding to include buses and technology.

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of the unofficial voting results for local, regional and statewide races during the Aug. 4 primary election. The vote totals are for Lenawee County only. The winners of each party’s nomination advance to the general election in November.

Governor
Democrats: Jocelyn Benson, 8,211; Christopher Swanson, 1,702.
Republicans: John James, 5,412; Perry Johnson, 2,695; Mike Cox, 1,324; Aric Nesbitt, 154.
United States Senator
Democrats: Abdul El-Sayed, 5,065; Haley Stevens, 4,410; Mallory McMorrow, 583.
Republican: Mike Rogers, 9,203.
Representative in Congress, 5th District
Democrat: Christian Vukasovich, 8,842.
Republican: Tim Walberg, 9,032.
State Senator, 15th District
Includes Tecumseh city and township, Clinton village and township, Macon Township, and part of Washtenaw County.
Democrats: Felicia Brabec, 1,581; Michael White, 611.
Republican: Jason Rogers, 1,583.
State Senator, 16th District
Includes Raisin and Ridgeway townships and the rest of Lenawee County other that the areas in the 15th District.
Democrat: Deandre Barnes, 6,621.
Republican: Joseph Bellino Jr., 7,346.
State Representative, 30th District
Includes Ridgeway and Deerfield townships, the part of Blissfield Township north of Rouget Road, and the southern half of Monroe County including the city of Monroe.
Democrat: Omar Ferdin, 220.
Republican: William Bruck, 393. 
State Representative, 31st District
Includes Macon Township, the northwestern part of Monroe County, and parts of Washtenaw and Wayne counties including Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
Democrat: Shannon Wayne, 114.
Republican: Laura Perry, 195.
State Representative, 34th District
Includes most of Lenawee County except those areas covered by the 30th, 31st and 35th districts.
Democrat: Unresolved write-in, 1,645.
Republican: Nancy Jenkins-Arno, 8,238.
State Representative, 35th District
Includes the city of Hudson and all of Hillsdale and Branch counties.
Democrat: Jeff Cooley, 118.
Republican: Jennifer Wortz, 151.
County Road Commission
Democrat: No candidates filed; unresolved write-in, 1,228.
Republican: Mike Slusarski, 8,855.
County Road Commission; partial term ending Dec. 31, 2030
Democrat: No candidates filed; unresolved write-in, 1,136.
Republican: Todd Brown, 4,913; Tony Simpkins, 3,316.
Deerfield Township Clerk; partial term ending Nov. 20, 2028
Democrat: unresolved write-in, 13.
Republican: unresolved write-in, 50.
Raisin Charter Township Supervisor; partial term ending Nov. 20, 2028
Democrat: No candidates filed; unresolved write-in, 90.
Republican: Debra Brousseau, 710.
Raisin Charter Township Trustee; partial term ending Nov. 20, 2028
Democrat: No candidates filed; unresolved write-in, 105.
Republican: Kelly Williams, 706.
Britton Deerfield Schools sinking fund millage proposal
Yes, 301; No, 445.
Clinton Township Fire Department millage renewal
Yes, 700; No, 147.
Deerfield Township fire operations renewal proposal
Yes, 235; No, 65.
Deerfield Township fire equipment renewal proposal
Yes, 226; No, 73.
Deerfield Township roads renewal proposal
Yes, 205; No, 92.
Tecumseh Township fire, police and ambulance renewal
Yes, 331; No, 46.