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Primary Elections are Tuesday

Posted at 4:41 PM, Aug 01, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-01 16:41:56-04

Tuesday is Primary Election Day in Michigan and while the Aug. 2 primary hasn't attracted the attention that Michigan's March 8 presidential primary has, it's far more significant, argues political analyst Susan Demas.

All 110 state House seats are on the ballot, with roughly one-third of districts open, mostly due to term limits, says Demas, editor of Inside Michigan Politics.

Most of these state races will essentially be determined tomorrow, not on Nov. 8. That's because most legislative seats lean Republican or Democrat and aren't truly competitive in the general election, she says.

There are also eight counties in West Michigan with competitive races for sheriff.

Allegan County Undersheriff Frank Baker is running unopposed. He decided to run after Sheriff Blaine Koops announced he would not seek re-election.

In Barry County, two Republicans are running, including incumbent Sheriff Dar Leaf.

Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller faces one challenger on the Democratic side, while two Republican candidates will go head-to-head in the primary. The top finishers for each party will face off in the general election.

In Kent County, incumbent Larry Stelma faces three Republican challengers as he seeks his fifth term.

Three candidates are facing off in Montcalm County, including the current undersheriff and a county deputy. The two have come under fire after personnel files released by the county through the state's freedom of information law revealed one candidate managed to misplace roughly 10 grams of cocaine that being being used by the department during a training exercise, while another candidate had an extramarital affair while on the clock and couldn't be reached on duty because of it in one instance.

Newaygo's sheriff will face off against the current police chief for White Cloud and Grant.

Five candidates are vying to fill the seat that will soon be left vacant after the current Van Buren County Sheriff retires. It's a similar situation in Ottawa County where two Republicans are running to fill a seat left vacant by retirement. The winners won't face any Democratic opposition in the general election.

For the statewide measures, click here. You can check with your local clerk's office for local races - and just look for the yard signs.