The Independence Township voters decided it was time for change and elected Dave Wagner as their next township supervisor in the primary election Tuesday, Aug. 3.
Wagner defeated incumbent Dale Stuart by a 2,458 to 1,703 margin. Stuart was seeking his fourth term as supervisor
In the clerk race, Shelagh VanderVeen received 1,949 votes to defeat both John Lutz, 1,336 votes, and Tim Sievers, 869 votes received.
VanderVeen will replace current Clerk Joan McCrary who chose not to seek reelection.
The Independence Township residents also voted four members onto the township board. Voted onto the board were Dan Kelly, 2,377 votes, Larry Rosso, 2,033 votes, Dan Travis, 1,897 votes and Charles Dunn, 1,663 votes. Also running were Mel Vaara, 1,521 votes, J.C. Walker, 1,476 votes, Michael Kohut, 944 votes and Sam Moraco, 902 votes.
Township Treasurer Jim Wenger was unopposed in this election.
A total of 5,408 of the 24,730 ( 22 percent) registered Independence Township voters made it to the polls.
The residents of Springfield Township voted for all three incumbents in the supervisor, clerk and treasurer race.
In the supervisor’s race, incumbent Collin Walls defeated challenger Bill Sahutske by a 1,319 to 887 margin.
Current Clerk Nancy Strole earned another four years by beating Christine Reilly by a 1,381 to 832 margin. Incumbent Jamie Dubre won the treasurer’s race by receiving 1,132 votes to James Ashley’s 967 votes.
As for the board, the Springfield residents chose Dave Hopper, 1,429 votes, Dennis Vallad, 1,358 votes, Roger Lamont, 1,308 votes and Marc Cooper 1,247 votes.
Dean Baker received 1,203 votes.
Springfield Township had a 25 percent voter turnout.
Winners of the primary receive the office since no democrats in either township chose to run.
In the race for the 52-2 District Judge, Kelley Kostin, 5,675 votes, and Larence Kozma, 3,405 votes, advanced to face each other in the November general election. Candidates Colleen Murphy and Jonathon Douglass has 2,760 and 836 voters, respectively.