SAGINAW, MI — One incumbent and two newcomers survived three contested races for three seats on the 11-member Saginaw County Board of Commissioners.
Incumbent Commissioner Sheldon “Snap” Matthews as well as Republicans John Kaczynski and Jane Collins topped their respective opponents during the Tuesday, Aug. 6, primary election, according to unofficial results.
Matthews, a Democrat, defeated Eddie Jackson, 1,238 to 824 votes.
The victory means Matthews in the November general election will face Republican Herb Jankowsky for the District 4 seat, which largely covers Bridgeport Township as well as all of Spaulding Township and a slice of South Saginaw.
Jankowsky faced no primary opponent Tuesday.
In the GOP primary election for the District 7 seat, voters chose Kaczynski over Carol Ewing, 1,905 to 503 votes.
Kaczynski will face no Democratic opponent in the November general election for the District 7 seat, which represents the city and township of Frankenmuth; the township and village of Birch Run; and Taymouth Township.
Ewing served as a Saginaw County commissioner from 2020-22 after she defeated an incumbent, Democrat Cheryl Hadsall, for the District 7 seat four years ago.
But, two years later, the state redistricting process shifted Ewing into the same district as the board’s longest-serving elected member, Dennis Krafft. Krafft, a Republican, defeated Ewing in the 2022 primary.
Krafft did not seek reelection this time.
Kaczynski is no stranger to politics.
He was elected to the Frankenmuth City Council in 2022. For about a decade, he has served as executive director of governmental and community affairs at Saginaw Valley State University, a position that connects him with local, state and federal lawmakers in their dealings with the Kochville Township-based college.
On Tuesday, Collins defeated her GOP primary election opponent for the District 9 seat, Andrea Paschall, 529 to 403 votes.
The victory for Collins means the Republican will face incumbent Commissioner Christopher Boyd, a Democrat, in the November general election.
The chairman of the commission since 2023, Boyd faced no Democratic challenger Tuesday.
District 9 represents parts of northwest Saginaw and southeast Saginaw Township.
Election officials consider the initial election results as an unofficial tally. Official results will follow the certification process from state and county election officials.
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