Traverse City Record-Eagle

Election 2011

VOTER TURNOUT IN CITY ELECTIONS

Year     Total voters     Registered voters     Turnout                          percentage

2011     4,525      11,759     38.48%

2009     2,531     11,112     22.78%

2007     4,433     11,339     39.1%

2005     2,599     11,093     23.43%

2003     3,475     10,581     32.84%

2001     5,132     11,049     46.45%

Source: Traverse City Clerk’s Office

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November 9, 2011

Budros, Easterday, Carruthers win seats

Two incumbents and planner are in

BY ART BUKOWSKI abukowski@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Two incumbents known for asking tough questions kept their seats on the Traverse City Commission, and they'll be joined by a former city planning commissioner.

Barbara Budros and Jim Carruthers, both first elected in 2007, will serve four more years after city voters ushered them in Tuesday. Budros topped all candidates with 2,191 votes, and Carruthers wasn't far behind at 2,171.

Jeanine Easterday, who served on the city planning commission from 2005 to 2008, won the third of three available seats with 1,857 votes.

Tim Werner had 1,692 votes. David Ford tallied 1,366 votes, Patrick McGuire had 1,242 and Bob Donick tallied 1,001.

Budros and Carruthers, labeled as "naysayers" by some of their opponents, took their leading vote counts as an indication that residents want commissioners who hold developers, city staffers and others accountable.

"It's extremely exciting, because it tells me the people like what we've been doing, and that we're on the right track," Budros said late Tuesday. "We're going to keep doing it."

"They appreciate that Barb and I ask the hard questions, we speak out, we listen to our constituency," Carruthers said.

Easterday couldn't be reached for comment late Tuesday.

Plenty of people who left polls on Tuesday said they wanted to see Budros and Carruthers remain in office.

"I just like the way they've done things over the years," said resident Mavourneen Germaine-Easterle. "They vote as I would vote on many issues. And it seems they think about everyone, not just one particular group, when making a decision."

Resident Mary Miura echoed those sentiments.

"I like the way they vote in meetings. I've looked at their records and I think they do a good job," she said. "I think they think the way I do about government."

Darrell Fader had similar things to say about the incumbents.

"Going to the meetings, I like what I see and hear from them," he said. "Very much (committed) to the community."

Darlene Miller voted for Easterday, McGuire and Ford, in part because she wanted to see fresh faces on the commission.

"I thought that perhaps some newness would help, too," she said. "I'm not saying it was a bad commission before, but it's nice to see something new."

Some people also liked Easterday's professional experience. She's a registered nurse who manages several other nurses at Munson Medical Center.

"I think she'll bring a lot to the table with her management experience at the hospital," said voter Kym Pelton, who also voted for Carruthers.

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