August primary election includes several contested county races

HILLSDALE COUNTY — The deadline for candidates to file for office on the August primary ballot has passed.

Political hopefuls on the local level had until 4 p.m. Tuesday to file necessary paperwork with the Hillsdale County Clerk’s Office for their name to appear on the ballot.

This year’s primary will include several contested races for the county clerk’s position, sheriff, county road commissioner and each of the county commissioner seats.

With Neal Brady’s announced retirement as Hillsdale County Prosecuting Attorney, his chief deputy, Jamie Wisniewski, a North Adams-Jerome alum, is running unopposed for the top law enforcement seat in Hillsdale County.

Incumbent Sheriff Scott Hodshire is being challenged by Jon-Paul Rutan, a constitutionalist and America First candidate who ran unsuccessful campaigns for sheriff in 2012, 2016 and 2020 on the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officer’s Association platform.

The former embattled Adams Township clerk, Stephanie Scott — who was successfully recalled from office in heated controversy including claims of election fraud in the 2020 presidential election which culminated in a search warrant being executed to recover missing election equipment — is seeking the county’s top clerk position against Abe Dane, the current chief deputy clerk of Hillsdale County endorsed by retiring Hillsdale County Clerk Marney Kast.

Robert Eichler, Mark Kline, Michael Parney and Chris Wingate are competing for two six-year road commissioner terms while former Hillsdale County Commissioner Kathy Schmidt is running unopposed for a partial two-year term.

For the county commissioners District 1, incumbent Doug Ingles is being challenged by Red Ritter, an America First candidate, and Kevin Slack.

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Kevin Collins of Litchfield and Doug Corona will face off to fill a void left by outgoing District 2 Commissioner Steve Lanius who did not seek re-election.

Gina Fosdick of Reading is challenging Commissioner Chairman Mark Wiley in District 3 while America First candidate Lance Lashaway of Osseo seeks office against incumbent District 4 Commissioner Brad Benzing.

Brent Leininger, the District 5 commissioner, has two challengers in the primary; Mary Lou Rolak of Hudson and Daniel Stevick of Cement City.

— Contact Reporter Corey Murray atcmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @cmurrayHDN.