FeedsGebhardt, Thompson win primary vote
The closely matched battles that came to a head during the primary election on Tuesday ended with some new names headed onto the ballot this fall.
One of the most hotly contested issues on the ballot in Westland was the choice of candidates to represent the Republican and Democratic parties in the November General Election for District 12 Wayne County Commissioner. The seat, which includes Westland, Inkster, and part of Livonia, was a stronghold for former Commissioner Kay Beard for nearly 30 years until heath concerns forced her to resign earlier this year.
Residents of the district who chose to vote the Democratic ballot had their choice of eight candidates. At the end of the tightly matched race, voters chose to give Joan Gebhardt of Livonia (2,536 votes) the opportunity to progress to the next round while James Godbout of Westland came in a close second with 2,291votes. Vote totals for the other candidates include: Hilliard Hampton of Inkster (1,661), Ronaele Bowman of Westland (1,195), Wanda Harris-Foster of Inkster (575), Paul Citkowski of Westland (378), Danny Wilson of Westland (257), and Douglas Kaye of Livonia (182).
“I would like to thank all of my supporters,” said Gebhardt. “There are so many people who worked hard to get my message out there, and clearly, the voters in Westland, Livonia and Inkster have responded in a positive way.
“I can’t wait to get started,” she added.
Republican voters were asked to choose between Westland resident David James and Livonia native Thomas Thompson for the Wayne County Commission-District 12 race. After a neck-and-neck race in Westland and Inkster, Thompson’s efforts bore fruit when the majority of Livonia residents voted in his favor and provided the votes needed to win the endorsement. Between the three communities, Thompson ultimately earned 1,432 votes; James earned 1,366.
“It’s going to be a very big challenge going forward,” said Thompson. “I’m going to continue to let people know that there is someone out there that is concerned about what there problems are, and is ready to go about solving them.”
The vote tallies will remain unofficial for 30 days following the election as the board of canvassers certifies the results. Gebhardt and Thompson will now compete against one another in the November General Election for a two-year term as the next Wayne County Commission member. The election will also decide a variety of federal, state, and county positions. Current State Rep. Richard LeBlanc (D-Westland), who is also up for re-election, was unchallenged in the primary.
Staff writer Molly Tippen contributed to this story.
