Notable Aug. 2 Michigan Primary Results

BY AJ Trager
Come November, Michigan could have three openly gay representatives in the state House.
LGBT candidate for the Democratic nomination for State Representative in District 50, Tim Sneller, has won the primary election. The district covers Grand Blanc, Burton and Mundy Township.
Sneller, 60, received 4,537 or 68 percent of the Democratic vote in his district beating Democratic candidate Raymond Freiberger.
"Thank you so much for everyone who voted yesterday! I couldn't be more proud of everyone's efforts. Let's keep running until we reach Lansing!," Sneller wrote on his Facebook page following the Aug. 2 results.
Sneller has worked as a legislative staffer in the Michigan legislature for over 30 years. As an openly gay man, Sneller never imagined that he would have a chance to win in the Democratic primary, let alone have a chance to represent in the state House.
If Sneller wins in the general election, he will join Rep. Jeremy Moss, Southfield, and Rep. Jon Hoadley, Kalamazoo, as the third openly gay state Representative.
Two other LGBT candidates who were hoping to be nominated the Democratic candidate in their respective races were defeated Aug. 2.
Brian Stone, candidate for District 15 representing Dearborn Heights and Dearborn, received 29 percent of the vote in his district with 2,717 votes. Stone, former Huffington Post contributor, is an LGBT Arab-American. He was defeated by 27-year-old Abdullah Hammoud. Hammoud received a master's degree from the University of Michigan and is the son of immigrant parents.
Jeff Chicoine ran against three other Democratic candidates in the state's 14th District representing Wynadotte, Riverview, Melvindale and Lincoln Park. Chicoine worked for former Congressman John Dingell as well as Congresswoman Debbie Dingell.
Chicoine received 28 percent of the vote with 1,282 votes cast in his favor. He was defeated by Cara Clemente who received 53 percent of the vote.
First openly-gay mayor of Ferndale Craig Covey ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination for Oakland County sheriff. He will run against Republican candidate Michael J. Bouchard in the November election.
In 2014 when marriage equality was available for less than 24 hours in Michigan, four county clerks opened their doors and happily wed 323 same-sex couples. All four easily won their primary elections.
Democratic incumbent for Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum ran unopposed. Democratic incumbent for Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown received 81 percent of the vote with 55,475 votes in her favor. Lawrence Kestenbaum, Democratic incumbent for Washtenaw County Clerk ran unopposed and had 28,407 votes cast in his favor. Nancy Waters, Democratic incumbent for Muskegon County Clerk also ran uncontested.
In 2014 when marriage equality was available for less than 24 hours in Michigan, County Clerks Byrum, Brown, Kestenbaum and Waters opened their doors and happily wed 323 same-sex couples.
Anti-LGBT state Senator for the 38th District Tom Casperson, was defeated in the 1st Congressional District's Republican primary by political newcomer Jack Bergman, a retired Marine general.
Casperson authored an anti-LGBT bill that would limit access for trans youth in public schools. The bill came as a response to the Michigan Department of Education's draft guidance document "Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for LGBT and Questioning Students," which, if approved by the board, would provide Michigan schools with optional suggestions on how to further support LGBT youth. The bill was introduced into the Government Operations Committee and has yet to receive a hearing.
Casperson received 26,320 votes for 34 percent of the vote. Bergman received 38 percent of the vote.