Political notebook: Who's running for the Ann Arbor City Council this year? Six challengers ready to go
(This story has been updated with new information about the filings.)
The city clerk's office originally determined two candidates who filed today — Democrat Marwan Issa and Republican Stuart Berry — failed to submit 100 valid nominating signatures, so their names weren't approved to appear on the city's ballots.
Upon closer review, the clerk's office determined Berry, of the 5th Ward, did have enough signatures. The clerk's office is still reviewing Issa's signatures in the 3rd Ward.
Here's a list of those who filed with the required 100 signatures:
1st Ward
- Sabra Briere (D-incumbent)
2nd Ward
- Stephen Rapundalo (D-incumbent)
- Tim Hull (D)
3rd Ward
- Stephen Kunselman (D-incumbent)
- Ingrid Ault (D)
- David Parker (R)
4th Ward
- Marcia Higgins (D-incumbent)
- Eric Scheie (R)
5th Ward
- Mike Anglin (D-incumbent)
- Neal Elyakin (D)
- Stuart Berry (R)
The primary is Aug. 2, followed by the general election in November. AnnArbor.com will have continuing coverage of the races as they unfold. Click here for past stories.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.
Comments
Tony Dearing
Thu, May 12, 2011 : 9:07 p.m.
Commenting on this story has been closed.
Roadman
Thu, May 12, 2011 : 6:58 p.m.
Has any candidate besides Ingrid Ault put up a campaign website yet?
Dog Guy
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 6:46 p.m.
Are the "R" candidates shills to split the opposition vote?
Roadman
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 4:44 p.m.
Are anti-Higgins Democrats going to line up behind Eric Scheie as an Anybody But Marcia (ABM) canddidate.? Eric Scheie is a libertarian-oriented member of the Washtenaw County Republican Party executive committee. He practiced law in California before coming to Michigan.
Alan Goldsmith
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 10:05 a.m.
You can learn more about 3rd Ward candidate Ingrid Ault, Executive Director of Think Local First, at: <a href="http://www.a2politico.com/?p=7410" rel='nofollow'>http://www.a2politico.com/?p=7410</a>
Tom Wieder
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 2:24 a.m.
@Roadman - "The straight-ticket Democratic Party vote will be Marcia's best shot at getting re-elected in November." Uh, Roadman, I think you're a little confused. In 2011, as in all odd years, the City Council position is the only race on the ballot, so Higgins IS the Democratic Party ticket. She'll have to win on her own merits and can't rely on people coming out to vote for other Democrats.
Roadman
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 2:41 a.m.
Well, well, Tom. It is so good to hear from you. I was relying upon you to continue going to the County Commission to act as the public's collection agent to get Conan and the other scofflaws to pay up those per diem overpayments. But we'll laeve that for another day. Perhaps I should have been more clear about the "straight-ticket" comment I made. In 2009, Marcia was aided by a millage vote that drew many liberal Democrats to vote who would not bother to vote for her by herself which aided her in her run against an independent who was a true ultraliberal (as you are). If there are other matters on the ballot that draw out liberal Democrats, Marcia will benefit yet again. Nice to hear from you again, Tom.
Joslyn at the U
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 1:20 a.m.
God knows we need a new council as well as mayor.
Susan Montgomery
Wed, May 11, 2011 : 12:56 a.m.
You can learn more about 3rd Ward candidate Ingrid Ault, Executive Director of Think Local First, at <a href="http://ingridforannarbor.com/">http://ingridforannarbor.com/</a> .
Macabre Sunset
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 11:44 p.m.
So, how much money would we save if we insisted that political parties paid for their own primaries? Seems a ridiculous use of public money.
xmo
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 11:22 p.m.
I am glad to see that some people think that this race will be interesting. I see it has a race between Liberal Democrats and Very Liberal Democrats. Not much of a choice. The two Republicans, who I do not know much about hopefully have a spine but that leaves only two contested races after the primary! I wonder how much longer I have to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune here?
Roadman
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 11:53 p.m.
Rapundalo and Higgins are both moderate former Republicans. Kunselman is a moderate Democrat as is Anglin. The only one with arguably "very liberal" or "liberal" credentials is Sabra Briere with her background in the ACLU and pro-choice activism.
bruno_uno
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 9:56 p.m.
whoever voted to lower the general fund parks budget lost my vote, our park could use that funding but instead you all coward down to the unions (park, fire, public servants, teachers)
Roadman
Tue, May 10, 2011 : 9:53 p.m.
The Fourth Ward race is going to be interesting. Marcia Higgins is a former employee of Rick Snyder's Ardesta Corporation and was initially elected as a Republican in 1999 by beating Democrat Larry Kestenbaum. She changed parties following 2003 and narrowly defeated Jim Hood,Jr., a GOP nominee in 2005 when Hood got some 49% of the November vote. She currently sits on the executive committee of the Washtenaw Democratic Party. She has a reputation as a political moderate and has been criticized by many as ineffective and invisible. Marcia currently is employed as an administrative assistant at the U-M Department of Engineering. She left Borders a little over a year ago where she also worked as an administrative assistant. The straight-ticket Democratic Party vote will be Marcia's best shot at getting re-elected in November. Eric Scheie has been vocal about the Stadium Bridge and has gotten a lot of attention about his positions recently. Expect Landsdownians to play an important role in getting Scheie votes in what is clearly the most conservative area of Ann Arbor.