Farmington Hills

Voters in Farmington Hills wait to cast ballots, choose races

By Tiffany Esshaki
C & G Staff Writer

It was a busy day in Farmington Hills Nov. 6 as residents poured into the polls and waited at times for more than two hours to cast their votes in the presidential election and other local races.

According to Farmington Hills Clerk Pamela Smith, the voter turnout was impressive at all of the precinct locations, with the peak coming in the earlier hours on Election Day.

“It was very busy,” said Smith. “It was a good turnout — almost 75 percent (of registered voters), so that was very good.”

Smith said the long lines that some voters encountered at a few polling locations could be attributed to impressive voter turnout, combined with the fact that many of the voters came to vote at the same time.

In all, 29,404 residents voted on Election Day, in addition to 15,380 absentee ballots. Nearly all of the absentee ballots were received before Nov. 6.

Farmington Hills residents agreed with the majority of Americans who voted to re-elect President Barack Obama. In Farmington Hills, Obama took 26,351 votes (59 percent) while challenger Mitt Romney received 17,784 votes (39.9 percent.)

On a more local level, three-time Democratic Congressman Gary Peters landed the 14th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. In Farmington Hills, voters agreed that Peters should take the seat, giving him 63.8 percent of the vote while Hauler took 33.4 percent.

Incumbent state Rep. Vicki Barnett, D-Farmington Hills, won out against Republican challenger Bruce Lilley in the race for the 37th District seat in the state House of Representatives. She received 61.6 percent of the vote in the city (26,291votes) while Lilley took 37.4 percent (15,983 votes.) Results from the countywide vote were almost identical.

All three incumbent candidates for Oakland County commissioner in Districts 13, 14 and 21 were able to keep their seats over their challengers. In District 13, Democrat Marcia Gershenson received 9,413 votes (62.4 percent) to keep her seat over Republican Al Zaparackas, who got 5,569 votes (36.9 percent). In District 14, Republican Bill Dwyer beat challenger Todd Stearn with 50.4 percent of the vote (9,413 votes). Stearn received 8,820 votes (49.1 percent). And in District 21, Democrat Janet Jackson grabbed 80 percent of the vote (5,182 votes) to keep her seat while Libertarian challenger Dick Gach took 19 percent (1,234 votes).

Like in the other races, the countywide results for the Oakland County commissioner seats were within a percentage point or two of the results yielded in Farmington Hills.

To see the results of other local races, including positions in Oakland County government, visit www.CandGNews.com and click on the election banner on the homepage.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Tiffany Esshaki at tesshaki@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1095.