Election night turns auspicious for Republicans

STERLING HEIGHTS — Republican Donald Trump’s win of a second term as president, the unofficial results of state and county elections and the fate of Sterling Heights’ millage proposal were made clearer by Nov. 6, the day after Election Day.

In the U.S. House of Representatives District 10 race, Republican John James won, earning about 51.1% of the vote compared to Democrat Carl J. Marlinga’s 45%, Working Class Party candidate Andrea L. Kirby’s 2.6% and Libertarian Mike Saliba’s 1.3%.

In the Michigan House of Representatives District 58 race, with all precincts reporting, Republican Ron Robinson won with 52.8% of the vote against Democrat Nate Shannon’s 46.5%.

In the Macomb County Board of Commissioners District 5 race, with all 18 precincts reporting, Democrat Megan Kola received 12,209 votes, or about 36.8%, and Republican Don VanSyckel received 20,758 votes, or about 62.6%.

In the Macomb County Board of Commissioners District 6 race, with all 22 precincts reporting, Republican Joseph V. Romano emerged the victor with 21,028 votes, or 58.6%, while Democrat Matthew S. Smith got 14,640, or 40.8%.

In a Michigan Supreme Court justice race for a partial term ending Jan. 1, 2029, with all precincts reporting, Kyra Harris Bolden won statewide with 61.5% of the votes compared to Patrick William O’Grady with 38.5%.

As for the 15-year, 0.95-mill Sterling Heights millage proposal, aka the Pathway to Play and Preservation, it narrowly won among city voters. With all 40 precincts reporting, 30,439 votes, or about 50.6%, were in favor, while 29,724 votes, or 49.4%, were opposed. That millage promised to raise $92 million to pay for sidewalks, trees, open space land purchases, and parks and recreation improvements, including a pickleball facility, among other things.

In a text message, Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor was excited about the proposal’s success.

These projects will improve overall quality of life for residents throughout the city, provide new recreational amenities and its effects will benefit the city for generations,” Taylor said.

“I think it succeeded because Sterling Heights residents want to see their city continually improved and trust that these investments in the community will benefit their families. I’m sure a lot of people saw how successful Recreating Recreation was and wanted more.”

At press time, voter turnout in Sterling Heights precincts ranged from 49.2% to about 79.1%. With all precincts reporting, the Macomb County average was 69.9%.

Learn more about local election results by visiting macombgov.org/departments/clerk-register-deeds/elections or by visiting mvic.sos.state.mi.us.