Royal Oak Sees Record Votes In City Election

ROYAL OAK, MI — Royal Oak is having an unprecedented election. According to City Clerk Melanie Halas, this election marks the highest amount of ballots issued for a citywide election.

That’s based on absentee ballots, which now Michigan residents can cast without reason. In Royal Oak, they have issued 8216 ballots and over 5,000 have been returned so far, the clerk said.
Not all cities are seeing this kind of turnout.

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In Dearborn, where there is only one non-contested race — a bond proposal — turnout is the same as usual for a city election. But in Royal Oak, with heated races, there is a record turnout this year.

So what’s on the ballot in Royal Oak?

Royal Oak Mayor Mike Fournier is running for re-election, facing Stephen Miller, a leader behind the city’s recent city center developments.

There are six candidates for three seats with a four year term on the Royal Oak City Commission. Incumbents Kyle DuBuc, Randy LeVasseur, and Patricia Paruch are running for re-election and Tom Hallock, Pamela Lindell, and Belem Morales are also on the ballot.