By Jan Worth-Nelson
Chairs at City Hall may be filled differently after the November election. (Photo by Jan Worth-Nelson)
The Flint Charter revision, developed after two years’ work by a nine-member elected commission and a multitude of community hearings and forums, passed with a whopping 64% of the vote in the Tuesday election.
The new charter, set to take effect in January, calls for broad provisions to buttress ethical accountability, re-establish a long-dormant ombudsman’s office, set up new ethics standards and procedures, require clear statements of qualifications for city employees, coordinate mayoral and council elections with gubernatorial elections, prevent “raiding” of the city’s water and sewer funds, and require voter approval before city assets are privatized.
But there was nothing “whopping” about the turnout — only 7.46 percent.
The Flint City Council may be in for some changes. Primary elections in six of the city’s nine wards produced some strong challengers, who will compete with incumbents on Nov. 8.
The Second Ward will see a general election contest between incumbent Jackie Poplar and bluesman Maurice Davis, 324 to 255 votes.
In the Third Ward, it’ll be incumbent Kerry Nelson up against newcomer Santino Guerra, who pulled in 40 percent of the vote, 281 votes to 181 for Nelson.
Sixth ward incumbent Herbert Winfrey goes up against the strong showing of Chia Morgan, 316 for Winfrey to 241 for Morgan.
Heather Kale racked up 40 percent of the vote in the 7th Ward; incumbent Monica Galloway hung on to capture second place by 5 votes over Loyce Driskell. Votes were 536 for Kale, 280 for Galloway, and 275 for Driskell.
In the Eighth Ward, whazzup y’all–L. Allen Griggs is in first place, with incumbent Vicki VanBuren in third behind Joyce Ellis-McNeal by ONE vote. Will this stand? Votes tallies today showed 193 for Griggs, 162 for Ellis-McNeal, and 161 for VanBuren.
Ninth ward’s ever-popular veteran Scott Kincaid took 84% of the vote and will run against Eva Worthing in November; she took 10 percent but that’s second place, enough to earn her a primary berth. Vote totals were 483 for Kincaid and 62 for Worthing.
In the First Ward, there was no primary contest because incumbent councilman Eric Mays has only one challenger, Anita Brown.
In the Fourth Ward, the same condition: incumbent Kate Fields will face Michael Doan in November. And in the Fifth Ward, incumbent Wantwaz Davis faces Jerri Winfrey Carter.
EVM Editor Jan Worth-Nelson can be reached at janworth1118@gmail.com.
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