Tuesday's Election Day!

GOGEBIC COUNTY, MI - Monday, November 03, 2008 - Don't forget that tomorrow is election day! Below is a list of major candidates and issues that concern citizens of Gogebic County:

  • PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES (4 Year Term)
    • John McCain (Republican)
    •  Barack Obama (Democrat)
  • U.S. SENATOR (6 Year Term)
    • Jack Hoogendyk (Republican)
    • Carl Levin (Democrat) (Incumbent)
  • 1st DISTRICT U.S. CONGRESS REPRESENTATIVE (2 Year Term)
    • Tom Casperson (Republican)
    • Bart Stupak (Democrat) (Incumbent)
  • 110th STATE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE (2 Year Term)
    • John Larson (Republican)
    • Mike Lahti (Democrat) (Incumbent)
  • I.S.D. MILLAGE RENEWAL Should the millage be renewed, not to exceed 9 mills, for 4 years for operations of the Intermediate School District?
    • YES
    • NO
  • SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION PROPOSAL Should the following school districts be unified into one school district? Those districts being Bessemer, Ironwood and Wakefield-Marenisco ?
    • YES
    • NO
  • WATERSMEET TOWNSHIP CLERK (1 Seat / 4 Year Term)
    • Kimberly Spedowski (Democrat)
    • Dudley Pierce (No Party Affiliation) (Incumbent)
  • WATERSMEET TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE (2 Seats / 4 Year Term)
    • Robert Brownell (Democrat)
    • Tom Church (Democrat) (Incumbent)
    • Fred Reimer (No Party Affiliation)
    • Martin Schutte (No Party Affiliation)
  • IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE (4 seats / 4 Year Term)
    • James Simmons Jr. (Republican)
    • Steven Boyd (Democrat)
    • Bernard Brunello (Democrat) (Incumbent)
    • Robert Fredrickson (Democrat)
    • Kathryn Maki (Democrat)

There are also two statewide proposals on the ballot:

Proposal 08-1: A Legislative initiative to permit the use and cultivation of marijuana for specified medical conditions.

The proposed law would:

Permit physician approved use of marijuana by registered patients with debilitating medical conditions including cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C, MS and other conditions as may be approved by the Department of Community Health.

Permit registered individuals to grow limited amounts of marijuana for qualifying patients in an enclosed locked facility.

Require Department of Community Health to establish an identification card system for patients qualified to use marijuana and individuals qualified to grow marijuana.

Permit registered and unregistered patients and primary caregivers to assert medical reason for using marijuana as a defense to any prosecution involving marijuana.

Should this proposal be adopted?

Proposal 08-2: A proposal to amend the state constitution to address human embryo and human embryonic stem cell research in Michigan.

The proposed constitutional amendment would:

Expand use of human embryos for any research permitted under federal law subject to the following limits: the embryos- are created for fertility treatment purposes; are not suitable for implantation or are in excess of clinical needs; would be discarded unless used for research; were donated by the person seeking fertility treatment.

Provide that stems cells cannot be taken from human embryos more than 14 days after cell division begins.

Prohibit any person from selling or purchasing human embryos for stem cell research.

Prohibit state and local laws that prevent, restrict, or discourage stem cell research, future therapies and cures.

Should this proposal be adopted?

Voting is a unique priviledge. As citizens we need to exercize our right to vote, and we need to go one step further -- we also need to take an active role in our government. Simply electing people isn't good enough. You need to actively participate in the process AFTER the election. You can't expect your elected officials to know how to vote when you don't let them know what you think.