By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
Downriver voters turned out for the Nov. 4 general election, with several incumbents winning re-election bids. Taylor, however, was the exception, as all but one city council incumbent running for re-election were voted out of office.
TAYLOR
Incumbent Mayor Tim Woolley was re-elected by a comfortable margin, while three of the four incumbent city council members were not re-elected to the body.
Woolley received 6,832 votes, with former Councilmember Herman “Butch” Ramik receiving 2,059 votes.
In the City Council race, incumbent Charley Johnson was the top vote-getter, with 5,747 votes, while incumbents Lindsay Rose (2,362), Tina Daniels (2,280), and Jill Brandana (2,238) were not re-elected. The six candidates winning seats on the council were Ron Thiede (5,055), Christian Armstrong (4,790), Dan Wallace (4,784), Gerald P. Thomas (4,726), William Patts (4,170), and Chris Clark (4,118).
Other candidates out of the running were Richard Pratt (3,849), Christine Gersky (2,383), Justin Mordarski (2,191), and Daniel Dobbins (1,967).
Council President Doug Geiss and Councilmember Angie Winton did not run for re-election.
The seventh city council seat has been vacant since Ramik resigned Dec. 13, 2023, in anticipation of replacing retiring Wayne County Commissioner Ray Basham based on his recommendation, an unwritten tradition, but the body instead placed former Taylor City Councilmember and state Rep. Alex Garza in the position.
When the city council attempted to fill the seventh council seat since that time, the council has frequently been divided, with Rose, Daniels and Brandana often voting as a block, and Geiss, Johnson and Winton frequently aligning, with no candidate receiving the four needed votes to be seated.
For the city treasurer spot, two political newcomers ran a close race, with Nicone Dragone winning with 4,452 votes to Amira Garza’s 4,233 votes.
Incumbent City Clerk Cynthia Bower ran unopposed.
SOUTHGATE
City Council appointee Victoria Araj lost her council election bid, with newcomer Adriene Price winning a seat and the other council incumbents returning.
During the Nov. 5 council study session, Araj’s colleagues praised her service and encouraged her to continue her involvement with city government.
Zoey Kuspa, who received the most votes, will continue to serve as the council president, while five of six other incumbents were re-elected.
The council vote totals were: Zoey Kuspa, 2,986 votes; Christian Graziani, 2,649; Karen George, 2,512; Priscilla Ayres-Reiss, 2,465; Phillip Rauch, 2,299; challenger Adriene Price, 2,282; Edward J. Gawlik Jr., 2,199; and Victoria Araj, 2,060.
Mayor Joseph Kuspa, City Clerk Janice Ferencz and Treasurer Christopher Rollet, who ran unopposed, will return to their respective positions.
TRENTON
With four candidates running for three city council seats, incumbents Dora Rodriguez, Richard Benedetti and Timber Baun-Crooks were re-elected, with challenger Celina Peters narrowly losing.
The vote tallies were: Rodriguez, 2,579; Benedetti, 2,483; Baun-Crooks, 1,936; and Peters, 1,817 votes.
RIVERVIEW
With four candidates vying for three city council seats, incumbent David Robbins was not re-elected, with incumbent Rita Gunaga and challengers Nicole Clark and Scott Williams winning seats.
Williams received 1,499 votes, with Clark tallying 1,375 votes and Gunaga logging 1,097 votes. Robbins’ total was 931 votes.
Robbins’ tenure was marked by controversy, including being criminally charged in a car crash following his election, which included four felony charges: operating while intoxicated, operating while impaired, reckless driving and failure to report an accident.
He also made racist remarks to an involved black driver that were captured on police body cam footage. The City Council censured him for his actions and remarks and removed him from committee assignments.
The Riverview Community Schools operating millage proposal passed Nov. 4 with a two-thirds majority, with 1,491 votes in favor and 813 votes opposed.
For more general election results, go to https://www.downriversundaytimes.com/2025/11/05/dearborn-dearbor…election-results