The Alger County Board of Canvassers, the local electors tasked with verifying the county elections, are looking for a new set of partisan electors for the second time in a matter of months.
Republican Richard Hale and Democrat Kay Powers will no longer be on the board after turning in their resignations earlier this month. This will require the board to find and install two new members before the elections can be verified.
“We’ll have to get a list of three new candidates from both parties to find the new canvassers,” said Joel VandeVelde, Alger County Clerk. “With two people just appointed, we will have a brand new board.”
VandeVelde said that Hale resigned, citing board changes as reason for his resignation. Hale’s wife Rita used to also serve as a canvasser for the Republican Party, but was not recommended by the party for the role again when her term was up. No official reason for resignation was given from Powers.
The appointees will join Republican Dave Lemere and Democrat John Tait on the board, who were appointed in September. Tait won the election held by the Alger County Commission on Sept. 18, but Lemere was appointed by VandeVelde after a tie amongst the commissioners.
According to VandeVelde, the two Alger County affiliates will have to submit another list of three possible names for the county commission. Katherine “Kappy” Laine lost the democratic seat to Tait unanimously. Dawn Rondeau and Rebecca Wilder were not selected from the Republicans after VandeVelde selected Lemere for his election training experience and leadership within the county GOP, but each received one vote as part of a three-way tie.
Rondeau would be capable of serving on the board of canvassers this year, but she may not be able to certify the election next year. Rondeau has a husband on the county commission and a child that serves on the Superior Central School Board. All five county commissioners will be on the ballot in 2024. Rondeau’s seat on the school board is up in 2026, but other members will be up for election next year. Rondeau’s husband did not vote for her during the first election in September.
Once the candidates are received by the county, the county commission will once again vote for the new canvassers at an open meeting. The voting procedure requires a silent vote, but the county commission decided to reveal the voting after the ballots were submitted due to confusing language overlap with the Open Meetings Act.
VandeVelde said that the election in November 2023 will be an easier election to verify, as there is one candidate running unopposed for the Munising City Commission and two millages are on the ballot in Burt Township. None of the elections are partisan, avoiding the common conflict in appointing boards of canvassers across Michigan after the 2020 presidential election.
“We have just a couple nice, small elections, so it will be a good first one to learn,” he said.
