Eastpointe

Klinefelt, Shafer to face off for county commission seat

By Sara Kandel
C & G Staff Writer

District 3 voters narrowed the race for their county commissioner seat to two candidates on Aug. 7.

Eastpointe resident Veronica Klinefelt won the Democratic spot with about 48 percent, or 2,637 votes, and St. Clair Shores resident Randell Shafer grabbed the Republican ticket with 51 percent, or 1,363 votes.

“It’s just one leg of the race, but it was exhaustive and I’m happy to be moving on to the general election,” Klinefelt said the morning after the election.

She spent the day taking down campaign signs. She’ll hit the streets to put them back up in a couple months, a few weeks before the general election.

“I’m really grateful for all the support that residents and area businesses have given me,” she said. “I’ve made a lot of friends through this and even though it’s been exhausting, it’s been very interesting too and I’m excited to begin focusing on the general election.”

Klinefelt was the only candidate on the Democratic ballot with experience serving in an elected public office, with six years as a trustee on the East Detroit Public Schools Board of Education and eight as a councilwoman and mayor pro tem for the city of Eastpointe.

Still, fellow candidate Kevin Hertel, of St. Clair Shores, was a close contender for the Democratic nomination throughout the race and came in second at the polls, receiving 2,382 votes.

“It was a great race,” Hertel said following the election. “(Klinefelt) has done an excellent job serving the Eastpointe community for many years and I will give her my support in the general election.”

Hertel is out of this election now, but he won’t be out of the public eye forever. He says he plans on running in the future. For what office, he didn’t say, but he wants to continue with public service.

“You run for these offices because you believe in public service and you believe you can be a good leader and representative of the people; losing this election doesn’t change that,” he said. “In fact, the support is motivation to run again.”

Shafer was not available for comment at press time.
 

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Sara Kandel at skandel@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1030.