By Evan Kreager
Ingham County Chronicle staff writer
For the past decade, Ingham County has had 16 commissioners. But beginning in January, there will be 14.
Cutbacks of commissioner seats and districts are based on the 10-year census. In the decade leading up to 2000, there were 13 Ingham County Commissioner seats.
Since each seat is assigned a district within the county, the number of districts can change every 10 years as well. According to Marty Colburn, Mason city administrator. This redistricting, or gerrymandering, is basically decided upon by four people: the county clerk, county treasurer, prosecutor and either a Democratic
or Republican leader. For the past 20 years that has traditionally been a Democratic leader.
Each of Michigan’s 83 counties is required to have between five and 35 commissioners, based on population.
These are the winners and their votes and winning percentages:
1st District – Victor G. Celentino (D)
6,615 votes – 74.35 percent
2nd District – Rebecca Bahar-Cook (D)
5,814 votes – 81.63 percent
3rd District – Sarah Anthony (D)
5,593 votes – 73.47 percent
4th District – Debbie DeLeon (D)
5,120 votes – 74.82 percent
5th District – Todd Tennis (D)
4,897 votes – 70.01 percent
6th District – Randy Maiville (R)
5,294 votes – 52.24 percent
7th District – Kara Hope (D)
5,516 votes – 59.38 percent
8th District – Penelope Tsernoglou (D)
5,135 votes – 69.37 percent
9th District – Carol N. Koenig (D)
4,205 votes – 71.21 percent
10th District – Brain McGrain (D)
5,164 votes – 70.55 percent
11th District – Dianne Holman (D)
6,262 votes – 61.85 percent
12th District – Deb Nolan (D)
5,923 votes – 62.20 percent
13th District – Randy Schafer (R)
6,536 votes – 62.24 percent
14th District – Donald R. Vickers (R)
5,364 votes – 57.01 percent