CRYSTAL FALLS — The voters of Iron County overwhelming supported the Iron County Central Dispatch millage request in the Aug. 4 primary election.
According to results posted on the county’s website, more than two-thirds of the voters agreed to the 1 mill surcharge ($1 on each $1,000 property taxable value.) The vote tally was 1,868 to 864, or approximately 68 percent to 32 percent.
The millage will run for four years.
The other county-wide elections consisted mainly of incumbents running unopposed. Those winners included Melissa Powell (prosecuting attorney), Mark Valesano (sheriff), Julie Kezerle (county clerk/register of deeds), Melanie Camps (treasurer) and Thomas Karvala (mine inspector).
In the one closely contested county-wide race, incumbent Ernest Schmidt (709, 53 percent) defeated Ray Margoni (634, 47 percent) to remain in his post. Both candidates were running as Democrats. There were 161 write-in votes on the Republican side.
In the race for U.S. Senate, John James received 1,424 votes in the Republican primary, while incumbent Gary Peters logged 1,362 votes in the Democratic primary. The two will face off in the Nov. 3 general election.
For U.S. representative for the 1st District, Dana Ferguson (808) defeated Linda O’Dell (518) on the Democratic side in Iron County, while incumbent Jack Bergman accumulated 1,459 county votes in the Republican vote. Ferguson and Bergman also won the state-wide tallies so they will run against each other in the general election.
Incumbent Gregory Markkanen (R) received 1,413 votes on the Republican vote in the county, while Janet Metsa won both Iron County’s vote and the state-wide vote and will run against Markkanen in the general.
For Iron County Commissioner from District 1, incumbent Patti Peretto ran unopposed.
In township races, winners included:
● Bates Township
-- Township supervisor - Jon Oberlin (R)
-- Township clerk - Barbara Benson-Stafford (R)
-- Township treasurer - Teresa Nelson (R)
-- Trustee – Michael Franzene (R)
● Crystal Falls Township
-- Township clerk – Nancy Niemi (D)
-- Township treasurer – Jennifer Ketola (D)
-- Township treasurer (D) (vote for 2) – Joanne Seppala, Diane Kut
-- Delegate – Patricia Ashcroft (R), Lyman Echola (R)
● Hematite Township
-- Township supervisor – Sally Casiano (D)
-- Township treasurer – Ashley Haag (R)
-- Township trustee (R) – Jim Cihak, Carlyn Raduechel
● Iron River Township
-- Supervisor – Scott Tarsi (R)
-- Clerk – Amber Laturi (R)
-- Treasurer – Dawn Pisoni (R)
-- Trustee – Mike Sheehy (R)
-- Delegate –Linda Woeste (R), Warren Woeste (R)
● Mansfield Township
-- Supervisor – Frank Siewiorek (R)
-- Clerk – Arthur Bloomburg (R)
-- Treasurer – Deborah Strelecki (R)
-- Trustee – George Minerick (D)
● Mastodon Township
-- Treasurer – Sheri Skrzniarz (D)
-- Clerk – Jan Lemke (R)
-- Treasurer – Stacey Watters (R)
-- Trustee – Charles Skinner (D)
● Stambaugh Township
-- Supervisor – Kevin Isaacson (R)
-- Clerk – Theresa Baumgarner (D)
-- Treasurer – Sharon Rogers (R)
-- Trustee – Sherry Pangrazzi (D)
-- Constable – Shelly Losey (D)
The county reported that 3,074 of the 10,068 (30.5 percent) eligible voters in the county submitted ballots.