Nov. 5 General Election Results

Lake Orion Village Council will have two new members

By Jim Newell

Managing Editor

OAKLAND COUNTY – Local government and school board races have been decided, with voters returning many incumbents to their seats. Some new members have also joined the Orion Township Board of Trustees and Lake Orion Village Council.

Voter turnout was relatively high, with 777,257 (72.92$) ballots cast in Oakland County on Nov. 5 out of 1,065,964 registered voters.

Oakland County voted Democratic overall, with 282,079 (53.26%) of voters casting straight party ballots for the Democratic Party and 202,300 (45.25%) casting Republican Party ballots.

With 100% of precincts reporting, vote totals are according to the unofficial results from the Oakland County Elections Division.

Local Race Results

Orion Township Board of Trustees

All seven seats on the Orion Township Board of Trustees were up for election, with all of the candidates running unopposed in the general election. Terms are for four years, beginning on Nov. 20, 2024.

There are three new members on the board: John Carson, Carrie Hilgendorf and Jack Lovat.

Supervisor Chris Barnett will serve a fourth term as township supervisor. Barnett received 16,189 votes (97.01%). There were 499 unassigned write-in votes (2.99%) cast.

Incumbent Trustee Julia Dalrymple will take over as clerk. Dalrymple got 16,022 votes (98.43%), with 255 unassigned write-in votes (1.57%) cast.

Incumbent Trustee Matt Pfeiffer will take over the treasurer’s office. Pfeiffer received 15,749 votes (97.95%), with 329 unassigned write-in votes (2.05%) cast.

Trustee Micheal Flood, Jr. won his reelection bid, getting 13,576 votes (24.95%). John Carson received 13,654 votes (25.10%); Carrie Hilgendorf received 13,669 votes (25.13%); and Jack Lovat received 13,060 votes (24.01%). There were 444 unassigned write-in votes (0.82%).

Lake Orion Village Council

There were four seats up for election on the nonpartisan seven-member Lake Orion Village Council with five candidates seeking the positions. Alex Comparoni, Jr., George Dandalides and Stan Ford will serve four-year terms on the council, while the fourth-place candidate, Michael Lamb, will serve a two-year term.

Alex Comparoni, Jr. received 637 votes (19.31%).

George Dandalides received 673 votes (20.41%).

Stan Ford received 761 votes (23.01%).

Michael Lamb received 635 votes (19.25%).

Matthew Szadyr received 568 votes (17.22%).

There were 24 unassigned write-in votes (0.73%) cast.

Lake Orion Community Schools Board of Education

Four-year term

Five candidates ran for four seats, each for a four-year term. Incumbents Danielle Bresett, Susan Flaherty, Birgit McQuiston and Scott Taylor retained their seats on the board.

Danielle Bresett received 10,297 votes (20.4%).

Joel Cole received 8,071 votes (16.06%).

Susan Flaherty received 11,075 votes (22.04%).

Birgit McQuiston received 9,886 votes (19.67%).

Scott Taylor received 10,562 votes (21.02%).

There were 367 unassigned write-in votes (0.73%).

Two-year term

Two candidates ran for one seat on the board with a term ending Dec. 31, 2026. Jeffrey Faber won the race.

Jeffrey Faber received 9,035 votes (53.49%).

Shawn Fox received 7,736 votes (45.8%).

There were 119 unassigned write-in votes (0.7%).

Orion Twp. Public Library Board

The nonpartisan library board has six members with all six seats up for election in the General Election. Terms are for four years. There are six candidates running for the seats, but three are running as write-in candidates.

Nathan Butki received 8,597 votes (32.01%).

Theresa Fougnie received 9,041 votes (33.66%).

James Phillips received 7,872 votes (29.31%).

There were 1,346 unassigned write-in votes (5.01%) cast.

Write-in candidates 

The results for write-in candidates James Abramczyk, Mary Pergeau and Mary Anne Thorndycraft were unavailable.

State Representative, 54th House District

Incumbent state Rep. Donni Steele (R-Orion Twp.) won her reelection bid against Democrat Shadia Martini of Bloomfield for another two-year term Michigan State Legislature.

Steele received 28,872 (52.35%) votes to Martini’s 26,204 (47.52%).

House District 54 includes the city of Bloomfield Hills, Orion Township, a portion of the city of Auburn Hills and portions of Bloomfield Township and Oakland Township.

County Commissioner, 6th District

Incumbent Commissioner Michael J. Gingell (R-Orion Twp.) easily won his reelection bid against Democrat Christina Joy Root from Lake Orion for a two-year term on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.

Gingell received 23,933 (59.88%) votes to Root’s 15,983 (39.99%). There were 51 unassigned write-in votes cast.

Oakland County Parks and Recreation Millage

The Oakland County Parks and Recreation Millage passed with 474,117 (69.4%) supporting the measure and 209,001 (30.6%) voting against.