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Turnquist, Keith, Korhorn, Powers take primary spots
Lucky draw to settle tie vote for Grant Township trustee
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Keweenaw County Clerk
Marilyn Winquist, left, and Joyce Pavolich, former deputy county clerk, total primary votes Tuesday night at the
Courthouse in Eagle River. The votes were counted by machine.
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EAGLE RIVER -- In Tuesdayís primary election Keweenaw County Commissioner Jeff Turnquist, Democratic incumbent, has apparently retained his seat by defeating Scott
Laurie, since there is no Republican challenger. Voters chose a Republican challenger -
Don Keith - to run against Democrat Lyle Peterson, incumbent county board chairman,
in November. With no Democratic opposition, two Republicans - Ken Korhorn and
Richard Powers - took contested Grant Township seats. However, one trustee position
remains undecided until a lucky draw breaks the tie. Voters approved county level tax
renewals for medical care and police protection but rejected a requested tax increase for county operating costs.
Of 1,739 registered county voters, 847 voted. This 49 percent rate was a smaller
percentage of voters than is usual for the primary, in spite of the increase in the total
number of registered voters, according to County Clerk Marilyn Winquist.
"Itís easy to register, but do they get out and vote?" Winquist asked. "In the past older
people really got out and voted. Now that many have died, could that make a difference? Thatís what makes me wonder."
Winquist noted percentages of registered voters who voted in the primary were higher in
recent past elections, e.g., 54 percent in 1996 and 59 percent in 1992. According to the
last three census counts the population of Keweenaw County decreased from 2,200 in
1970 to 1,963 in 1980 and to 1,701 in 1990. The present number of registered voters -
1,739 - indicates that the 2000 census will show an increase in population.
For whatever reason, fewer than half the registered voters determined the candidates
who will run for Keweenaw county and township offices in November.
Keweenaw County Commissioner Jeff Turnquist, who "resigned" and then resumed his
position recently, received a confidence vote from District 2 voters. He defeated fellow
Mohawk resident Scott Laurie (68 to 34 votes by unofficial tally as of Tuesday night).
Both ran as Democrats on the primary ballot, which did not allow a split party vote. District 2 covers the west side of Mohawk.
In the Republican contest for county board chairman, Eagle Harbor resident Don Keith
defeated James Regis of Central (120 to 86 votes by unofficial tally). Keith will oppose
incumbent Board Chairman and Democrat Lyle Peterson of Phoenix in the November
election. Both Keith and Regis are veterans and have records of public service. Keith is
chairperson of the Eagle Harbor Township Wellhead Protection Committee and has
served as a trustee on the township board. Regis is chairman of the Keweenaw County Zoning and Planning Commission.
In the Grant Township Republican contest, Lac La Belle resident Ken Korhorn defeated
incumbent Tom Beveridge of Copper Harbor for the position of township supervisor (by
an unofficial tally of 55 to 46 votes). The four-candidate Republican race for two trustee
positions was a close one. Richard Powers of Copper Harbor received the greatest
number of votes; Gary Barker of Lac La Belle is tied with incumbent trustee Clyde H.
Wescoat II of Copper Harbor for the second position. (Tuesdayís unofficial tally gave
Powers 53 votes, Barker and Wescoat each 48 and Sandra Britton of Lac La Belle 39.)
The tie is to be settled by a drawing once the Board of Canvassers has made an official count of the votes.
In two other township races primary voters selected party candidates. In the three-way
Democratic Eagle Harbor Township race for two trustee positions, the unofficial vote
tally was 71 for Richard M. Lantz and 56 for Thomas Gries Ellis - both defeating
Richard Harrer with 26. In the Allouez Township Democratic contest for constable,
Michael H. Keranen defeated Victor Tanskanen by 165 to 123 (unofficial) votes.
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Election workers assist
Allouez Township voters at the Allouez Community Center.
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Two county millage proposals, A and C, passed. Proposal A will impose a 1.5 mill tax ($1.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) from 2001 through 2004 for Keweenaw County
residents eligible for care in the Houghton County Medical Care Facility. Keweenaw
County does not have such a facility at present. Proposal C will renew the .5 mill tax for
police protection from 2000 through 2004. Proposal B, a 2 mill increase for the countyís
general operating costs, was rejected (by a vote of 418 to 352 - unofficial tally).
Township millage proposals all passed.
Eagle Harbor Township voters approved a 3 mill renewal for the townshipís general
operating expenses for 2001 through 2003. In Houghton Township voters chose to
renew a 3 mill tax for general operating costs from 2001 through 2005. Allouez
Township voters (not including those in Ahmeek Village) approved a 2 mill tax for township fire department needs from 2001 through 2005.
In Sherman Township voters approved two millage requests for general operating costs
- Proposal A will renew a 3 mill tax from 2000-2004; Proposal B will renew a 1.9 mill tax from 2001 through 2004.
- Michele Anderson
August 9, 2000
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