Voters favor incumbents in Oakland County races

OAKLAND COUNTY — In Oakland County, current officeholders ranging from the county executive to the sheriff and more held onto their seats in the general election Nov. 5.

 

Oakland County executive
Two candidates were on the ballot for a four-year term as the county executive. The salary for this position is $221,336.

The Democratic incumbent, David Coulter, won with 416,742 votes (56.68%).

His Republican opponent, Nik Gjonaj, received 317,444 votes (43.18%).

There were 1,051 unassigned write-ins, accounting for 0.14%.

Coulter, 64, has been the Oakland County executive since 2019. Prior to that, he was the mayor of Ferndale from 2010 to 2019, and on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners from 2002 to 2010. He has been a Ferndale resident for 33 years.

“By working across party lines, I have made balancing the budget and preserving Oakland County’s AAA bond rating a top priority. I have also secured key investments in public safety, water quality and educational opportunities,” Coulter told C & G Newspapers in his election profile. “We are working to lower costs by making housing more affordable, improving public transportation, expanding mental health services and protecting women’s health care.”

Gjonaj did not respond to profile questionnaires or immediately return a request for comment by press time. According to his campaign website, Gjonaj is a Detroit native who was born and raised in a union household to Albanian immigrants. He currently works in the insurance industry.

He campaigned on strengthening support for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and cutting government spending at the county while reducing property taxes. A stated top priority was directing more resources to schools and mental health services.

Neither candidate answered a request for comment by press time Nov. 6.

 

Oakland County sheriff
Two candidates competed for a four-year term as the county sheriff. The salary for this position is $170,295.

The Republican incumbent, Michael Bouchard, prevailed with 445,165 votes (60.25%).

The Democratic challenger, Amrit Kohli, came up short at 292,454 votes (39.58%).

There were 1,248 unassigned write-in votes, accounting for 0.17%.

Prior to his current role as sheriff, Bouchard, 68, also served as a state senator, state representative and on the Beverly Hills Village Council. He has lived in Bloomfield for eight years.

In an election profile for C & G Newspapers, Bouchard previously said that as sheriff, “My top goal is to ensure the safety and security of everyone in Oakland County. I will continue to focus on keeping kids and our schools safe, reducing crime, improving emergency response times, enhancing mental health resources in law enforcement, and boosting training. By building strong community partnerships and investing in cutting-edge training and technology, we’ll protect our neighborhoods while maintaining the trust and transparency in the Sheriff’s Office. Public safety is not partisan.”

He did not answer a request for additional comment at press time Nov. 6.

His opponent, Kohli, 50, said in an interview that he originally wanted other Democrats to run, and that at one point he planned to drop off the ballot. But when it was too late to make that change, he decided he would continue to make himself available as an option.

A Ferndale resident since 2006 — during which time there was a 10-year stay working in politics in Oakland, Calif., returning in 2011 — Kohli is a musician and software engineer with a cybersecurity degree. He ran on issues such as incarceration reform, including jail debt forgiveness so that inmates aren’t billed for their time there, reduced cost of commissary so third-party vendors don’t overcharge for basic items while in jail, and reduced cost of collect calls out of jail, which he said are too expensive for family members receiving them.

He also ran on a promise of police reform.

“First, expose the count of lawsuits filed against and won against the Sheriff’s Office for wrongful deaths, as well as drug overdose statistics and incidents of police violence, and how many officers were involved in those incidents. I would want to expose whatever I can, legally,” Kohli said. “Really, I want more insight into any violence happening with the Sheriff’s Office, because we simply don’t know. And then we should modify policy so it’s harder for police to use excessive force.”

 

Oakland County prosecuting attorney
Two candidates ran for one four-year term as the county’s prosecuting attorney, a position that pays a salary of $191,281.

The Democrat incumbent, Karen McDonald, received 419,935 votes (57.63%), while her Republican opponent, Scott Farida, received 307,681 votes (42.23%).

There were 1,000 unassigned write-ins, accounting for 0.14%.

Prior to her current role as prosecuting attorney, McDonald, 54, served as a judge in the Oakland County Circuit Court. She has been a resident of Birmingham for 16 years.

In her election profile for C & G Newspapers, McDonald said that her goals are “keeping Oakland County safe by working with law enforcement to keep dangerous criminals off the streets” and “holding criminals accountable, including the Oxford High School shooter and his parents, while also fighting for justice for crime victims and their families,” as well as focusing resources on groups addressing gun violence, human trafficking and hate crimes.

In an email Nov. 6, McDonald said, “I’m grateful to all of the people who supported and voted for me.  I’m humbled and thankful that hundreds of thousands of Oakland County voters have again put their trust in me. The prosecutor plays a critical role in keeping the community safe, and I am committed to ensuring justice for all.”

Farida, 34, an attorney who has lived in West Bloomfield for about 30 years, said in his election profile that he wants to “depoliticize prosecution” and refocus the prosecutor’s office on matters of public safety and victim advocacy.

“Every single person in our community, regardless of race, sex, religion, sexual orientation or any other identifier, has the right to live their life free from being victimized,” Farida said previously. “Our community has seen huge spikes in crime, and some of the worst offenders undercharged or pleaded down. My goal is to be fair and proportional, not to trade one political extreme for another.”

Farida could not be reached for comment by press time Nov. 7.

 

Oakland County clerk/register of deeds
Two candidates were on the ballot for a four-year term. The salary for the position is $170,761.

Lisa Brown, the Democratic incumbent, won with 406,615 votes (56.55%).

Brown’s Republican challenger, Barb Pallotta, received 311,267 votes (43.29%).

In an election profile for C & G Newspapers, Brown shared that her goal is to “continue running a Clerk/Register of Deeds office that serves as a model for the state, receiving local and nationwide acclaim for excellence and innovation.”

Pallotta previously served as the clerk for Independence Township.

In her election profile, she stated that one of her goals is to advocate for election integrity and local control of elections.

She also shared that she wants to initiate “immediate alerts about potential fraud activity to secure all Register of Deed property records 24/7” and “Reassess online services and the merit of associated fees to improve access to public records.”

 

Oakland County treasurer
Two candidates were running for one four-year term. The salary for the position is $170,761.

The Democratic incumbent, Robert Wittenberg, won reelection, garnering 383,503 votes (53.52%). His Republican opponent, Donna Blake, received 331,837 votes (46.31%).

Wittenberg, 43, has been a resident of Huntington Woods for 29 years. He stated in his election profile for C & G Newspapers, “We accomplished a lot during my first term (lowest tax foreclosures, updated investment policy, increased efficiency/transparency, etc.), but the work is not done. My top priorities will continue to be protecting the financial security of every resident in Oakland County, maintaining our AAA Bond rating, and keeping Oakland County a wonderful place to live and work. I will do all I can to secure taxpayer dollars, preserve property values, and prevent foreclosure.”

 

Oakland County Board of Commissioners District 3
Two candidates were running for one four-year term on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners representing District 3, which covers Madison Heights, Hazel Park and part of Troy. The position pays a salary of $45,131.

The Democrat incumbent, Ann Erickson Gault, defended her seat with 19,647 votes (56.41%), while her Republican challenger, Douglas MacLean, received 15,086 votes (43.32%).

Gault, 61, is an attorney who was appointed to the county board in November 2023 following the death of her predecessor Gary McGillivray. She previously served on the Troy City Council from 2019 through 2023. She is an attorney and has lived in Troy for 20 years.

Her goals include investing in communities by enhancing and expanding the park system, building affordable housing, increasing access to mental health and substance abuse treatment, and expanding public transit. She also wants to work on improving gun safety, ensuring water affordability, and improving environmental sustainability.

The morning after the election, Gault said in an email, “I am grateful that the people of Hazel Park, Madison Heights and Troy have shown their faith in me to represent them on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners. Regardless whether I earned your vote in this election, I will work for your best interests and fight for everyone in my district.” 

“Thank you Doug MacLean for campaigning with integrity and civility, which is so important in these divisive times,” she added. “Special thank you to my supporters, who worked tirelessly and helped me financially. I could not have won this without your help.”

MacLean, 82, is a retired police officer who has lived in Madison Heights for 80 years and served with the Police Department there. He served on the Board of Education for the Madison District Public Schools for around 17 years.

“I would like to say thanks to all who helped me along the way,” MacLean said via email Nov. 6. “May God bless each and every one of you for the help you gave me. And may God continue to bless America. This is why people fight and claw their way to get into this wonderful country of ours — the freedom this country gives is like no other. God has a reason for all of this to happen this way. Just have to wait and see what is going to happen next.”

 

Oakland County Board of Commissioners District 10
Democratic incumbent Kristen Nelson finished ahead of Republican challenger Gregg Marinelli, with Nelson coming away with 20,322 votes (53.89%), compared to 17,302 (45.88%) for Marinelli.

Nelson cited ensuring older adults receive high-quality services, promoting health and wellbeing by investing in improved access to mental health services and investing in green infrastructure as some of her goals for a C & G Newspapers voter guide earlier this year.

 

Oakland County Board of Commissioners District 11
Democratic incumbent Marcia Gershenson defeated Republican Johnnette Eggert, as she came away with 24,446 votes (57.54%), compared to 17,977 (42.31%) for Eggert.

Gershenson shared some of her goals for a C & G Newspapers voter guide earlier this year.

“My priorities for next term are to continue working with communities and landlords to secure more affordable housing,” Gershenson stated. “Also, I am committed to strengthen the mental health resources available for residents and working to expand our Health Department to address the needs of families through community Health Centers. In addition, I will continue my work promoting responsible gun ownership to keep our communities safe.”