LOCAL ELECTION CANDIDATE FILINGS UPDATE

By DEBRA HAIGHT

BCR Correspondent

ST. JOSEPH – With the filing deadline coming up for many partisan and non-partisan offices, more people are announcing their plans to run for office this November.

The filing deadline is April 23, 2024 at 4 p.m. for most partisan and non-partisan city and township offices, as well as for the state level offices. People running unaffiliated for a partisan position or for a local district library board must file by July 18, 2024 at 4 p.m. The filing deadline for school boards, some cities, and all villages is July 23, 2024 at 4 p.m.

Deadlines for county and local ballot proposals are May 14, 2024 for the Aug. 6 election and Aug. 13, 2024 for the Nov. 5 general election.

At the county level, several positions will be on the ballot this year including the County Clerk, County Treasurer, County Prosecutor, County Sheriff, Drain Commissioner, Register of Deeds and all 12 County Commissioner seats.

In addition, city, township, village and school board positions will be on the ballot. In state races, all state house seats will be on the ballot, as will one U.S. Senate seat.

Among the latest to announce plans to run are incumbent Berrien County Register of Deeds Lora Freehling, incumbent Berrien County Commissioner McKinley Elliott, and newcomer Margaret Fife who is running for Berrien County Treasurer. All three are running as Republicans.

Freehling has served as Register of Deeds since October, 2018 and was elected to her first full four year term in 2020. Freehling said she continues to make serving the residents of Berrien County a high priority.

“In addition to recording, retrieving, preserving and protecting land records; transparency of the office, integrity of the land records, and education are important facets to serving as Register,” Freehling said. “I believe in an open-door policy and will continue to make myself available and accessible to the residents of Berrien County.”

As an industry leader in technology advancements, Freehling has recently launched Property Alert, a free email notification service available to property owners in Berrien County. Freehling is currently holding workshops throughout the county regarding Property Alert.

“It is both my honor and my privilege to serve as your Register of Deeds and I look forward to continuing my dedication to serving the residents of Berrien County,” she said.

Elliott, a Buchanan resident, announced his plans to run for re-election at last week’s Buchanan City Commission meeting and then again at the Berrien County Board of Commissioners meeting later in the week. He represents the 10th District on the county board, an area that includes Buchanan, Galien and part of Three Oaks.

Elliott has served consecutively on the board since 2011 and then previously from 1985 through 1994. He is currently the board chairman. The county commissioner terms have been for two years but will change to four-year terms for those elected this November.

Elliott told Buchanan City Commissioners that he hasn’t made up his mind whether he will run for another term in 2028 if he is re-elected this November.

Fife is a Stevensville resident and making her first run for public office. She is currently employed with the Berrien County Health Department.

She decided to run for County Treasurer after finding inaccurate information on the County Treasurer’s website regarding foreclosure dates. She said if elected County Treasurer, she will ensure that information on the county website is correct.

She said she will not confine her service to office hours and will be available after hours and on weekends to assist property owners in navigating payment plans. This commitment is especially crucial during these challenging times of inflation and increasing taxes, where property ownership is at risk.

She also plans to establish an office in the south county in recognition of the inconvenience of long drives for residents in the Niles, Buchanan, Berrien Springs and nearby areas. This initiative will ensure more accessible and efficient services for residents, she said.