Few surprises in primary election results for Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners

Washtenaw County Commissioner Ronnie Peterson spent most of Election Day in federal court, defending himself in a sexual harassment civil lawsuit.

Although that case isn't yet decided, he emerged victorious in the election, defeating challenger Mark Namatevs in the Democratic primary by a margin of less than 200 votes.

Peterson, who is the secretary and treasurer of the Huron Valley Central Labor Council and represents the 6th District on the county board, got 1,151 votes or 54.24 percent. Namatevs, a manufacturers' representative who has been vice chairman and finance committee chairman for the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority, got 964 votes or 45.43 percent.

Peterson will take on Republican David Raaflaub in November. Raaflaub got 511 votes in the Republican primary.

But that race wasn't the most dramatic among the 11 county board decisions. That honor went to the 11th District, where Yousef Rabhi pulled off a one-vote victory.

Here's a look at the results from each of the races:

1st DISTRICT

Democrat Adam Zemke and Republican Rob Turner will square off in November to replace Republican incumbent Mark Ouimet, who vacated his seat to run for the state House.

Zemke had 1,310 votes (69.98 percent). Other Democrats running were Eric Borregard, who got 282 votes (15.06 percent); and Reid McCarthy, who got 275 votes (14.69 percent).

Turner got 2,221 votes (58.66 percent) in the Republican primary, while Kathy Keinath got 1,552 votes (40.99 percent).

Keinath is a small business owner and civil engineer. Turner is an electrical contractor and owner of Turner Electric Service Inc. Borregard is the president of EB Graphics/Artech LLC. Zemke is an aerospace manufacturing engineer and assistant business development manager.

2nd DISTRICT

Democratic incumbent Ken Schwartz is seeking reelection to his 2nd District seat. He faced no opposition in the primary and got 1,744 votes.

He will be up against Dan Smith, who defeated Ben Colmery in the Repubican primary. Smith got 2,028 votes (70.51 percent) and Colmery got 830 votes (28.86 percent).

Colmery is a veterinarian and past president of the Ann Arbor Western Kiwanis. Smith is a software engineer with experience on the Northfield Township Board of Trustees, Downtown Development Authority and Zoning Board of Appeals.

3rd DISTRICT

Republican incumbent Jessica Ping withdrew her name from the running in final hour in May to let her sister file in her place. With no other candidates on the ballot, Republican Alicia Ping ran unopposed in the primary and faces no opposition in the general election.

Alicia Ping got 3,777 votes Tuesday.

4th DISTRICT

Democratic incumbent Wesley Prater, who is retired from the Ann Arbor Fire Department, defeated one challenger Tuesday in the form of Rick Roe, secretary-treasurer for UAW Local 898 at the Ford Rawsonville Plant.

Prater got 1,441 votes, while Roe got 1,089 votes.

Prater will take on Republican Robert Van Bemmelen, a pharmacist and entrepreneur, in November. Van Bemmelen got 2,415 votes in the Republican primary.

5th DISTRICT

Democratic incumbent Rolland Sizemore Jr., the current board chairman, got a free pass in Tuesday's primary. He got 1,701 votes running unopposed in the Democratic primary.

That won't be the case in November, when he'll face Bill Emmerich, who defeated Daniel Benefiel in the Republican primary. Emmerich got 588 votes (54.49 percent) and Benefiel got 487 votes (45.13 percent).

Benefiel is a semi-retired teacher, athletic director and basketball and soccer coach. Emmerich is an information technology manager.

7th DISTRICT

Democratic incumbent Kristin Judge didn't have a challenger in the primary, but she'll face off against Republican Sean Gray in November.

Judge got 1,355 votes in the Democratic primary, while Gray got 1,634 votes running unopposed in the Republican primary.

8th DISTRICT

Democratic incumbent Barbara Levin Bergman didn't have a challenger in the primary, but she'll face off against Republican Melinda Day in November.

In the Republican primary, Day got 634 votes, while Levin Bergman got 1,695 votes in the Democratic primary.

9th DISTRICT

Democratic incumbent Leah Gunn didn't have a challenger in the primary, but she'll face off against Republican Mark Tipping in November.

In the Republican primary, Tipping got 829 votes, while Gunn got 2,412 votes in the Democratic primary.

10th DISTRICT

Democratic incumbent Conan Smith defeated Democratic challenger Danielle Mack. He advances unopposed in the November general election.

Smith got 2,563 votes (66.24 percent), and Mack got 1,284 (33.19 percent) of the vote.

Smith is the executive director of the Michigan Suburbs Alliance. Mack is a street minister to people who are homeless and has worked with Camp Take Notice.

11th DISTRICT

The four-way race to replace incumbent Jeff Irwin, who vacated his seat to run for the state House, came down to one vote.

Yousef Rabhi received 998 votes, inching past Mike Fried, who got 997 votes. Two other candidates were in the race - Alice Ralph got 281 votes and LuAnne Bullington got 108 votes.

Ralph is an architect, Rabhi is a University of Michigan student and community activist, Fried is the former chief of administration for the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, and Bullington is retired from a career in computer information services and education.

With the win, Rabhi moves on to the November general election, where he will face Republican Joe Baublis, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary and got 611 votes.