Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


After a tight August Primary Election, the Genoa Township supervisor and two trustees have launched write-in campaigns for the November General Election.

Incumbent Supervisor Bill Rogers (pictured top) was unseated by resident and business owner Kevin Spicher. Certified results showed Rogers lost by six votes.

If all candidates from the Primary Election prevail in November, there will be an all-new board - with the exception of Treasurer Robin Hunt, who ran unopposed.

In the trustee race, nine Republican candidates were on the August ballot. The top four vote-getters were all newcomers; Bill Reiber, Candie Hovarter, Richard Soucy, and Todd Walker. Incumbents Terry Croft, Jeff Dhaenens, and Jean Ledford were unseated. Longtime Genoa Clerk Polly Skolarus did not run for the clerk seat but did run as a candidate for a board seat.

For the Clerk position, Republican Janene Deaton received the most votes and came out ahead of Diana Lowe and Deborah McCormick. Lowe currently serves on the board and retired as a clerk from the City of Brighton after 25 years. Deaton brings a real estate background and will face Democrat Monica Craven in November.

After some reflection, Rogers has filed to run as a write-in candidate in November and says Trustees Terry Croft (pictured middle) and Jeff Dhaenens (bottom) are also running as write-ins. All ran as Republicans in the Primary.

Rogers told WHMI that less than 30% of the voters showed up in the Primary election and “threw out essentially 169 years worth of experience…that was gone in a heartbeat”. He said it was primarily over a over a single issue - instead of looking at the broader picture and everything that has been accomplished by staff, boards, and commissions at the township were basically ignored.

Many of the candidate challengers had expressed a desire for less development, namely related to the Latson Road area, and preserving the rural character of the township.

Rogers noted the township has the lowest millage rate in Livingston County and is very fiscally responsible – saying it’s amazing how much they’ve been able to do with that kind of funding. He further noted major projects the township continues to accomplish including SAD’s and other road projects – despite not having a road millage and working within the realm of not breaking the budget.

Rogers said he’s running on the same platform he always has that also applies to his business; “honesty, integrity, and common sense”.

Rogers said the biggest focus is now educating people on how to properly write-in a candidate on the ballot for the upcoming election.

More information about Rogers and Dhaenens is available in the provided links. Croft's background is available on the township website.