Voting in Birmingham: What's On the County Ballot This November

The Nov. 6 general election is a little more than a week away, and Patch is looking to help Birmingham residents prepare with a quick reminder of what's on the ballot and what they need to know before they vote.

The November ballot promises to be a long one. Besides picking either Mitt Romney or Barack Obama for the Commander in Chief job, voters will decide on a slate of state proposals as well consider candidates for various levels of representation in Washington, Lansing and Pontiac.

In addition, Birmingham voters will be deciding on a city charter amendment and voting for two members of the Birmingham Board of Education.

Birmingham Patch has been covering this election all year, however sometimes you just need a quick refresher before you head to the polls. Today, we're taking a look at the county issues on the ballot, from county executive to Oakland County sheriff:

Oakland County Executive

County voters will be voting for Oakland County executive this November. County executives serve four-year terms. Running for the spot are:

L. Brooks Patterson

• Residence: Clarkston
• Party: Republican
• Occupation/Elected experience: Patterson has served as Oakland County Executive for the past 19 years.
• What are the top three priorities for county executive: "L. Brooks Patterson's three primary issues are jobs, jobs and more jobs. Before the Great Recession, Patterson had a vision to diversify Oakland County's economy from manufacturing to knowledge-based jobs."

Kevin Howley

• Residence: Huntington Woods
• Party: Democrat
• Occupation/Elected experience: With a MBA from Harvard Business School and a Masters in Public Policy, Howley has worked in management for small businesses since 2004. From 1986-2003, Howley was an executive for several international companies.
• What are the top three priorities for county executive: According to Howley, Oakland County needs: neighborhood and property value stabilization, diversification in the county economy and to be made a destination of choice throughout Michigan.

County Commissioner — 12th District

Birmingham will be voting for a new county commissioner in November. The district's current commissioner, . County commissioners serve two-year terms.

Shelley Goodman Taub

• Residence: Bloomfield Hills
• Party: Republican
• Occupation: Taub served in "business management" for 30 years prior to entering public service.
• Elected experience: Taub served as a state representative for four years and an Oakland County commissioner for 14 years.
• What are the top three priorities for county commissioners: Taub's prioties are the budget — "A Commissioner's main job is fiduciary" — jobs (particularly "re-tooling" the county's workforce) and infrastructure. "The role of government is to fund that which individuals cannot. Roads and sewers fall into that category."

Paul Secrest

• Residence: Bloomfield Hills
• Party: Democrat
• Occupation: Secrest worked for 27 years in the purchasing department at Chrysler. Currently works part-time at an investment advisory firm and in automotive consulting.
• Elected experience: n/a
• What are the top three priorities for county commissioners: Secret is focusing on jobs — "My primary reason for running for a County Commissioner position is to help head off this very serious threat" —, roads and outsourcing. "The County must have the option to outsource, but the County needs to use outsourcing only as a last resort — both parties lose with an outsource."

Prosecuting Attorney

Voters in Birmingham will be elected a new prosecuting attorney this November. Prosecutors serve four-year terms.

Mike Bishop

• Residence: Rochester
• Party: Republican
• Occuapation: Bishop currently practices law at his private practice and is an adjunct Professor of Law.
• Elected experience: Bishop has served in the Michigan House of Representatives and Michigan Senate.
• What are the top three priorities for the prosecuting attorney: Oakland County's prosecuting attorney must ensure justice, Bishop says, protect families and collaborate with others. "The duty of the Prosecutor is to ensure justice, which means not only being tough on crime, but aggressively representing victims of crime and their families with respect and compassion."

Jessica Cooper

• Residence: Franklin
• Party: Democrat
• Occupation: Before being elected to the prosecutor's office, Cooper served as a judge in Michigan's district and circuit courts, as well as the Michigan Court of Appeals.
• Elected experience: Cooper was elected Oakland County Prosecutor in 2008.
• What are the top three priorities for the prosecuting attorney: Cooper says key to the prosecuting attorney is safety of the community, professionalism, ethics and fairness and using the office's resources economically and effectively. "Cutting expenses without cutting personnel to maintain productivity and a high conviction rate."

Oakland County Sheriff

In November, voters will elect a new sheriff to serve a four-year term.

Michael Bouchard

• Residence: Birmingham
• Party: Republican
• Occupation: Before being elected to the county sheriff's office, Bouchard was a police officer for 25 years.
• Elected experience: Bouchard currently serves as the Oakland County Sheriff and has also served a state senator.
• What are the top three priorities for the county sheriff: "For the county as a whole, my priorities would be public safety, economic development and education. Those three components often mean the difference between a community's success or failure."

Jane Felice Boudreau

• Residence: West Bloomfield
• Party: Democrat
• Occupation: Boudreau has worked in law enforcement for 28 years, first with the Pontiac Police Department then with the Oakland County Sheriff's office. In 1998, Boudreau was promoted to Sergeant and was the first female substation commander in the history of the department.
  
• Elected experience: n/a
  
• What are the top three priorities for the county sheriff: According to Boudreau, she would focus on safety — particularly related to drug-related crime — overcrowding of county prisons and county leadershiop. "An absentee employee who collects $10k per month while seeking other employment is not a leader," she said.

Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds

Voters in Birmingham and throughout Oakland County will vote for a new county clerk, to serve a four-year term.

Bill Bullard

• Residence: Highland
• Party: Republican
• Occupation/Elected experience: Bullard currently serves as the Oakland County Clerk.
• What are the top three priorities for the county clerk: According to Bullard, protecting taxpayers, protecting property rights and maintain integrity in elections are his top three priorities. "In these tough times, all of us must be a part of the solution. That is why I voluntarily cut my own pay to share the burden and have worked tirelessly to find ways to do more with less."

Lisa Brown

• Residence: West Bloomfield
• Party: Democrat
• Occupation/Elected experience: Brown has served in the Michigan House of Representatives since 2008. Brown is also an attorney.
• What are the top three priorities for the county clerk: Brown said she wants to bring accessibility, integrity and transparency to the county clerk office. "I am running for Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds to bring the leadership and integrity to the Clerk's office that our residents expect and deserve."

Oakland County Treasurer

Marty Knollenberg

• Residence: Troy
• Party: Republicans
• Occupation/Elected experience: Knollenberg has served as both a small business owner and served in the Michigan House of Representives.
• What are the top three priorities for county treasurer: Knollenberg said he wants to help create jobs and other economic opportunities, protect home values and bring accountability to the tax code. "I will continue working to make government more transparent, more accessible, and more accountable to the taxpayers as the next Oakland County Treasurer."

Andy Meisner

• Residence: Huntington Woods
• Party: Democrat
• Occupation/Elected experience: Meisner, a CPA, currently serves as the Oakland County Treasurer. He has also served in the Michigan House of Representatives. 
• What are the top three priorities for county treasurer: Meisner said he wants to continue protecting property values, fighting foreclosures and securing the county's financial future. "Oakland County has turned the corner but our work is not done, which is why I am seeking re-election."

Water Resources Commissioner

Voters will elect a new Water Resources Commissioner in November, to serve a four-year term.

John McCulloch

• Residence: Royal Oak
• Party: Republican
• Occupation/Elected experience: McCulloch currently serves as the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner.
• What are the top three priorities for the water resources commissioner: McCulloch said he wants to hold the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department accountable, try to minimize price increases and support a permanent funding mechanism to pay for aging infrastructure. "As your Water Resources Commissioner, I have taken an aggressive approach on issues such as greater security measures to protect the state's water supply."

Jim Nash

• Residence: Farmington Hills
• Party: Democrat
• Occupation/Elected experience: Nash has served as an Oakland County Commissioner for eight years.
• What are the top three priorities for the water resources commissioner: "As Water Resources Commissioner, I will do all I can to ensure fracking does not harm our water resources. ... I will work for a regional answer to this through inter-governmental cooperation, industry, academia, sustainability experts and citizens."

Information provided by the Oakland County League of Women Voters. For more, visit the League's Voter Guides.

For more

• Voting in Birmingham: What's On the Local Ballot This November

For all of Birmingham Patch's coverage of the 2012 November general election, visit Birmingham's 2012 General Election Guide.