No big surprises in Detroit primary results

There were no big surprises in Tuesday night’s primary election results posted on the local Fox 2 News website.

As predicted there was a low turnout — about 15 percent according to the City Clerk’s office. The usual turnout in Detroit for the August primary is about 20 percent. But voter fatigue from the two elections already conducted this year to fill the disgraced ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s post may have deterred voters.

As expected, incumbent mayor Dave Bing breezed through the primary with 75 percent of the vote. His challenger in the Nov. 3 primary will be accountant Tom Barrow who came in second with 11 percent of the vote, which also was expected. Bing was elected on May 5 in the special election to serve the rest of Kilpatrick’s term.

The city council race didn’t have any shockers either. It may come as a relief, however, that former city councilwoman Monica Conyers who was convicted of conspiracy and resigned this year won’t be on the next ballot.

A poll conducted by East Lansing political consultant Mark Grebner last month accurately predicted the order of the top three council candidates. Former Fox 2 reporter and radio personality Charles Pugh lead the pack of 168 candidates with 9 percent of the vote. Incumbent City Council President Kenneth Cockrel Jr. came in second with 7 percent and police whistle blower Gary Brown was third with six percent.

Martha Reeves was the only incumbent (aside from disgraced Monica Conyers) who won’t be on the Nov. ballot.

Otherwise incumbents fared well, with Brenda Jones, who is known on the council as “the quiet one” coming in 4th, Kwame Kenyatta 6th and JoAnn Watson right behind him at 7th. Alberta Tinsley-Talabi just made the top ten, ranking as the ninth highest vote getter.

Because there are only nine council seats, if this was the general election Detroit would have four new council members. In the top nine aside from Brown and Pugh were former city council aide Saunteel Jenkins and restaurateur Jai-Lee Dearing.

The Charter Commission race shaped up what was otherwise an ambiguous slate. Former deputy mayor and recent mayoral candidate Freman Hendrix came out in front with ten percent of the vote. Behind him with six percent voter support were attorney and former Wayne County Commissioner Rose Mary Robinson and former State Rep. Teola P. Hunter.

The Detroit Public School Board of Education race landed all incumbents in the top three. Incumbent Ida C. Short lead the group of 15 candidates followed by Margaret L. Betts and Rev. David Murray. State Rep. Lemar Lemmons took the fourth slot. Marie Thornton will be the only other school board incumbent on the November ballot placing 7th on the list.

City Clerk Janice Winfrey enjoyed a comfortable victory margin, taking 82 percent of the vote. Former Charter Commissioner Joyce Moore, who came in second and got 11 percent of the vote, will challenge Winfrey in the general election.

Below with candidates ranked from who got the highest to lowest number of votes are the Nov. 3 choices for Detroit City Council and Charter Commission according to Fox 2 reports:

City Council Candidates:
Charles Pugh
Ken Cockrel, Jr. (i)
Gary Brown
Brenda Jones (i)
Saunteel Jenkins
Kwame Kenyatta (i)
JoAnn Watson (i)
Jai-Lee Dearing
A. Tinsley-Talabi (i)
Andre L. Spivey
James Tate
Lisa Howze
Shelley I. Foy
Fred Elliott Hall
Raphael B. Johnson
Mohamed Okdie
David J. Cross
John K. Bennett

Charter Revision Commission Candidates:
Freman Hendrix
Rose Mary C Robinson
Teola P. Hunt
Ken Coleman
Jenice Mitchell Ford
John Johnson
Jeffrey D. Robinson
Reggie Reg Davis
Jonathon C. Kinloch
Cara Blount
Ken Harris
John R. Eddings
Tonya Myers-Phillips
Patty Fedewa
Sarah D. Lie
Olumba John Olumba
Warren A. Crockett