Jenson, Brown oust Blakita

By Dan DuChene
May. 5, 2009    ·    11:50 p.m.

Incumbent Andy Blakita was ousted by Joi Jenson and Anglesia Brown in the Willow Run Board of Education race Tuesday night.

The results are according to preliminary, unofficial results from Washtenaw County’s election page. Reported numbers will be made official after approval from the Washtenaw County Board of Canvassers later in the week.

Jenson came out with the most votes, at 593. Brown took 569, Blakita took 322 and write-in candidate John Brooks won 38 votes. Of the 13,666 voters in the district 1,328 ballots were cast, resulting in a 9.72 percent turnout rate.

Board President Claudette Braxton’s seat was the other contested board spot. She chose not to run in the election.

This was Blakita’s seventh election while serving as a board member for 24 years at Willow Run. Jenson and Brown, both parents in the district, were endorsed by the district teachers’ labor organization, the Willow Run Education Association.

Township proposals
Ypsilanti Township had four proposals on the ballot Tuesday. All of the proposals won with more than a 60 percent lead.

The proposals dealt with funding police, fire, recreation and refuse through property tax capture.

Of the 37,824 registered voters in the township 3,193 ballots were cast, resulting in a 8.44 percent turnout.

The first proposal, dealing with the fire department, took the most votes with 2,260. The second proposal, dealing with police funding, took 2,214 votes. The third proposal, dealing with recreation, took the fewest votes with 1,950. The final proposal, dealing with refuse, took 2,184 votes.

Please check back with the Ypsilanti Citizen as comments from election officials and candidates are collected.

Related story:
Willow Run election today