Eighty local Democrats representing all Benzie County precincts kicked off this year’s campaign effort on April 17. The Saturday luncheon meeting included review of election goals, recruitment of precinct delegates, and group discussions, by precinct, of organizational and campaign activities.

Coming up:

July 17 & 18 events

August 3 Primary Election

 
 
 
Benzie Photo Gallery What's New Get With It!
 
Benzie County
Party Officials

Officers

Kathy Ralston, Chair,
342-2155
kathy@kathyralston.com

Phil Kiteley, Vice Chair, 882-0594
phillipkiteley@charter.net

Diane Wilbur, Second
Vice Chair,
378-4362
dwilbur46@gmail.com

Katherine Ross,
Third
Vice Chair
kjf49617@hotmail.com

Lori Cota, Secretary
944-3594
benziedemsecretary
@gmail.com

Sara Meachum, Treasurer, 930-7297
smeachum@yahoo.com

Executive Board

Delores Berta
275-4115
jjames148@centurytel.net

Kay Boyne-Mead
882-4630
kayboyne@yahoo.com

Ted Curran
352-4159
curranted@hotmail.com

Anne Damm
882-9081
annedamm @sbcglobal.net

Valerie DeGroote
275-3760

Shauna Fite
651-9244 shaunafite@hotmail.com

Doreen Fitzgerald
352-7876
dodie.fitz@gmail.com

Virginia Griffith
882-9738
midnight@chartermi.net

Kristin Hollenbeck
352-9094
keliseh@yahoo.com

Fred Johnson III
johnson@hope.edu

Jill Kimball
275-5871
sunnyjill@hotmail.com

Susan Koenig
882-5722
koenig.esl@gmail.com

Chloe McGehee
882-9446
kcmcgehee@sbcglobal.net

Michael Moorman
378-4696
pere_marq@hotmail.com

Ray Nichols
882-4790
raynick@charter.net

Renee Osgood
352-8050
rosgood1@charter.net

Eric Pyne
651-4025
ericpyne@yahoo.com

Sue Pyne
882-5721
supine@charter.net

Dick Robb
352-9069
jbda17@yahoo.com

Karen Roberts
352-6579
karen
@mandrinfoservices.com

Tiyi Schippers
231-775-7977
tiyischippers
@hotmail.com

Mary Scholl
325-0085
mascholl@charter.net

Dan Scripps
386-7000
danscripps@house.mi.gov

Jim Sheets
882-4358
sheetsjr@att.net

Joyce Skinner
275-2553
jaskinner@centurytel.net

Sally Smeltzer
882-9367
sallysmeltzer@excite.com

Michael L. Smith
275-7083
mlsatty@aol.com

Don Tanner
882-7266

M. Carroll Volpe
231-709-6035 mcvolpe@charter.net

 

 

New mailing address for Benzie Dems:P.O. Box 403, Beulah, MI 49617

July 17 Walk for Dan Scripps

Benzie Dem volunteers take note: walkers and drivers are needed on Saturday, July 17, when we will be going door-to-door to talk with Benzie County voters about Dan and the coming election. For orientation and assignment of walking areas, we will meet at 11 a.m. in the parking lot of Inland Township Hall, which is on U.S. 31 between Reynolds Road and Lake Ann Road. We need your help to make sure Dan Scripps get re-elected.  This is the hard stuff of campaigns and it takes a lot of people to get this done.  Please come join us for the Walk for Dan in Almira and Inland Townships. Call Ray Nichols at 231-882-4790 if you can make it.

July 18 reception for two good candidates!
On July 18 we will gather in a delightful setting, the Betsie Valley Centennial Lily Farm, to support two important Democratic candidates: Fred Johnson, who's running for the U.S. Congress, 2nd District (fredjohnsonforcongress.com) and Roger Dunigan, candidate for the 35th District State Senate seat (dunigan4senate.com).

The reception, 3 p.m.to 5 p.m., is a cooperative fundraising event with The Manistee Democratic Party.  Admission to the reception is a donation to Johnson or Dunigan or both, if you choose (suggested donation $20). The Lily Farm farm is located at 17745 Moore Rd, Thompsonville, Michigan.

August 3 Primary Election
If you will be out of town, remember to pick up, fill out, and return an absentee ballot before August 3! Click here for more information on absentee voting.

Along with the primary election candidates, there are three Benzie County ballot proposals:

County  ambulance and advanced life-support program millage renewal
For the sole purpose of funding for the County Ambulance and Advanced Life-Support services Program in Benzie County, shall the tax limitation on general ad valorem taxes within the County of Benzie imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution be renewed at up to 0.5795 of one (1) mill, ($0.5795 per $1,000 of Taxable Value) for a period of six (6) years (2010-2015) inclusive?

(If approved and levied in full, this millage will raise an estimated $627,304 for County Ambulance and Advanced Life-Support Services purposes in the first calendar year of the levy.)

County Conservation District Millage
(This proposal was endorsed by the Benzie County Democratic Party Executive Board at their June meeting.)

For the sole purpose of funding Benzie County Conservation District programs including assisting land owners in their efforts to protect, enhance and restore natural resources within the boundaries of Benzie County, shall the tax limitation on general ad valorem taxes within the County of Benzie imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution be increased by up to 0.1000 of one (1) mill, ($0.1000 per $1,000 of Taxable Value) for a period of four (4) years (2011-2014) inclusive?

(If approved and levied in full, this millage will raise an estimated $108,249 for County Conservation District program purposes in the first calendar year of the levy.)

Benzie County 911 Operating Surcharge Reauthorization
For the purpose of continuing funding for operation of 911 emergency telephone call answering and dispatch services within Benzie County, shall Benzie County be authorized to continue to assess to each 911 service user the current monthly surcharge of up to $3.00 in the monthly billings of landline, wireless and VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) service suppliers within the geographic boundaries of Benzie County for a period of five (5) years, effective from January 1, 2011 through December, 2016?

August 3 Primary Ballot information
Vote only 1 party section of the partisan section of the ballot: the Democratic Party section contains the following choices:
STATE: Governor (vote for not more than 1)
Virg Bernero
Andy Dillon

CONGRESSIONAL: Representative in Congress, 2nd District (vote for not more than 1)
Fred Johnson
Nicolette McClure

LEGISLATIVE: State Senator, 35th District (Vote for not more than 1)
Roger Dunigan
George E. Huffman III

REPRESENTATIVE IN STATE LEGISLATURE: 101st District (Vote for not more than 1)
Dan Scripps

COUNTY:

County Road Commissioner (Vote for not more than 1)
John Nuske
County Commissioner (This varies depending on the district in which you reside.)

DELEGATE: Democratic Precinct Delegate (Vote for not more than 4)
(This varies depending on the precinct in which you reside)

Hardworking Dems Honored
There was a full house as 100 Benzie Democrats gathered at Crystal Mountain Resort May 22 to honor six hardworking party members. Recognized at the Charlotte Robling Honoree Dinner for their contributions were Carroll Volpe, Joyce Skinner, Ted Curran, Marcia Curran, Dick Robb, and Sarah Meachum. The dinner is named in memory of a dedicated Democratic activist. Click here for event details and biographical sketches of the honorees.

80 meet to organize Benzie precincts
Eighty local Democrats representing all Benzie County precincts kicked off this year’s campaign effort on April 17. The Saturday luncheon meeting included review of election goals, recruitment of precinct delegates, and group discussions, by precinct, of organizational and campaign activities.

It was agreed that community canvassing will continue this year in an effort to listen to the concerns of all Benzie County voters and identify people who are interested in Democratic Party activities at the local level. As many residents as possible will be canvassed throughout the county during the coming months. To volunteer for this effort, contact precinct delegate coordinator Dick Robb, who can put you in touch with your precinct captain. The meeting was organized by Robb, and this year’s campaign coordinator, Ray Nichols. Carroll Volpe will be the campaign office coordinator. The event was photographed by Gordon Kells.

Voter info updates continue
To update your address, phone, email or other information, please contact our secretary, Lori Cota:benziedemsecretary@gmail.com.

Newsletter by Email
To save both trees and dollars, we are changing to email distribution of our newsletter to all those who have email addresses. If you also need a paper copy, or don't have an email address, contact benziedemsecretary@gmail.com.

Democratic Candidates, May 2010

Link to the Secretary of State web page with all candidates:  http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/candlist/10PRI/10PRI_CL.HTM

Governor
Andy Dillon: www.andydillon.com/home.aspx
Virg Bernero: www.votevirg.com
Alma Wheeler Smith: www.almaformichigan.com

Attorney General
David Leyton: www.davidleyton.com

Secretary of State
Jocelyn Benson: www.votebenson.com

U.S. Congress, 2nd District
Fred Johnson: www.fredjohnsonforcongress.com 
Nicolette McClure: www.nicolettemcclure.com

State Senate, 35th District
Roger Dunigan: http://dunigan4senate.com

State House, 101st District
Dan Scripps, Incumbent: http://danscripps.com

Benzie County Commission
6th District-Don Tanner, Incumbent: 231-882-7266 
3rd District-Kristen Hollenbeck, Incumbent, 231-352-9094, keliseh@yahoo.com 
4th District-Anne Damm, Incumbent, 231-882-9081, annedamm@sbcglobal.net 

 
Sign up to receive our Benzie Dems E-Newsletter
Name:
Email:
 

Your Democratic
Representatives

Donald Tanner
Donald Tanner

County Commissioner
District 7
231-882-7266

Kristin Hollenbeck
County Commissioner
City of Frankfort
231-352-9094
Email

Anne Damm
County Commissioner
District 4
Email

Dan Scripps
Dan Scripps
State Representative
House District 101
Click here

Carl Levin

Carl Levin
U.S. Senator
Click Here

Debbie Stabenow
Debbie Stabenow
U.S. Senator
Click here

Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer M. Granholm

Governor
Click here