Dan Kress
By: Dean Vaglia | C&G Newspapers | Published February 28, 2024
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Republican Dan Kress won the Feb. 27 election for the open Clinton Township Board of Trustees seat for a partial term which will be up for election again this August.
Kress won with a 51.9% majority and 9,906 votes, besting Democratic candidate Iona Means’ 8,267 votes and Libertarian candidate Mike Saliba’s 913 votes. Kress’ term lasts until Nov. 20, meaning he will have to run again in order to serve a full term on the board.
The trustee seat Kress won was originally held by Democrat Joie West, whose resignation in August 2023 kicked off a six-month political battle. Board Democrats were able to pass a rules amendment outlining the process to appoint a replacement board member, but a failure to reach a quorum among the remaining trustees before the appointment deadline left it to be decided by special election.
The election of Kress now leaves the board with three Republicans and four Democrats, though Democratic trustee Tammy Patton has voted along with board Republicans on items that were otherwise party-line votes. Assuming this trend holds, board Republicans will be the controlling faction through the end of 2024.
Call Staff Writer Dean Vaglia at (586) 498-1043.