Wall reelected to third supervisor term
Waterford’s election results came in at about 9 a.m. Wednesday, and Republicans took the top elected positions.
Gary Wall, the Republican incumbent running for his third term as Waterford Township supervisor, had an early lead in the two and half hours of ballot counting after polls closed. Ultimately, in-person voting pushed Wall ahead of Democratic challenger John Paul Torres.
By Wednesday morning, with 100% of the precincts reporting, the results showed:
• Gary Wall: 23,041 (57.0%)
• John Paul Torres: 17,320 (42.9%) The difference in votes between the pair came via the in-person voting, which Wall won 10,741 to 4,525.
“I appreciate that the voters had enough faith in me to vote me in for a third time and I believe my accomplishments to this point made it easier for them to make that decision,” Wall said. “I know what I’ve done and I know what we’ve done as a board, and I think voters understand that too.”
Wall said his primary focus in this next term is the financials of the township followed by the redevelopment of the old Summer Place Mall into the Oakland County Business Center.
“We’re looking forward to seeing that go up. It’s late in the year, so we’re expecting to see that happen next spring. I had a recent meeting with the owner and all the approvals are in place. I feel confident that come spring, he will roll forward with the development. That’s a big area and a big tax base for the township,” Wall said.
In the end, Torres’ votes, though initially split almost evenly between absentee and in-person voters, were predominantly from absentee voters: 12,795 absentee to 4,525 in-person. Meanwhile Wall’s votes showed
12,300 absentee voters to 10,741 inperson voters. Initially, Wall’s votes came from in-person voting over absentee voters by a 2-1 margin, or 10,741 in-person and 5,019 absentee, in the first tallies. Torres’ just barely led with absentee voters by a 12,795-to12,300 margin.
Also in Waterford Township:
• The clerk’s race showed Republican Kim Markee defeating Democrat Justin Clarke by a 21,739 (54.9%) to 16,592 (41.9%) margin.
• The treasurer’s race showed Republican Steve Thomas defeating Democrat Eric Lindemier by a 21,915 (55.8%) to 17,299 (44.0%) margin.
In the race for the Board of Trustees, the top four — and winning — candidates were:
• Anthony Bartolotta: 21,631
• Marie Hauswirth, 20,782
• Janet Matsura, 19,236
• Mark Monohon, 19,476.
All four are Republicans.
The four Democrats on the ballot included:
• Cynthia Atiemo: 16,157
• Mary Craite: 16,738
• Jason Herr: 15,462
• Matthew McClure: 15,670. Torres, the Democratic candidate and a current member of the Waterford School District Board of Education, ended with 43% of the vote.
Waterford Township has 21 precincts, and turnout ranged from 62% to 79%.
Turnout by precinct showed:
• Precinct 1: 774 / 984 (78.7%)
• Precinct 2: 2,331 / 3,117 (74.8%)
• Precinct 3: 2,114 / 2,991 (70.7%)
• Precinct 4: 2,080 / 2,856 (72.8%)
• Precinct 5: 2,479 / 3,213 (77.2%)
• Precinct 6: 2,162 / 2,955 (73.2%)
• Precinct 7: 2,119 / 3,076 (68.9%)
• Precinct 8: 2,007 / 2,852 (70.4%)
• Precinct 9: 2,160 / 2,913 (74.2%)
• Precinct 10: 1,281 / 1,674 (76.5%)
• Precinct 11: 1,935 / 2,971 (65.1%)
• Precinct 12: 2,168 / 3,016 (71.9%)
• Precinct 13: 2,163 / 3,111 (69.5%)
• Precinct 14: 1,875 / 3,024 (62.0%)
• Precinct 15: 2,076 / 3,128 (66.4%)
• Precinct 16: 2,457 / 3,312 (74.2%)
• Precinct 17: 2,163 / 3,039 (71.2%)
• Precinct 18: 1,830 / 2,479 (73.8%)
• Precinct 19: 2,043 / 2,814 (72.6%)
• Precinct 20: 2,284 / 3,195 (71.5%)
• Precinct 21: 2,004 / 3,092 (64.8%)