Michigan’s primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 4 includes candidates for governor, senator, congressional representative and more. But for voters in Chippewa County, they could also see several local proposals on their ballots.
See which county, school and township items will be up for vote on Election Day.
Chippewa County
There are four countywide millage proposals that will appear in the Aug. 4 election.
The first is a renewal for an ambulance and fire millage, which is set to expire this year. It has also been reduced from the original voter-approved amount due to Headlee rollbacks. If approved, funding from the millage would go towards ambulance and fire protection services in the county.
The ballot language reads: “Shall the existing authorized Ambulance and Fire Protection Millage within the County of Chippewa, Michigan, be renewed at 0.4189 mills ($0.4189 per $1,000 of taxable value) upon all taxable property within Chippewa County for a period of four years, 2026 through 2029, inclusive, commencing Dec. 1, 2026 for the purpose of supplementing funding for public services of county-wide ambulance and fire protection with the levy to be distributed as follows: 35% for county administration, training and communication operations and 65% to be distributed annually to the City of Sault Ste. Marie and the townships of Bay Mills, Bruce, Chippewa, Dafter, Detour, Drummond, Sugar Island, Superior, Trout Lake, Whitefish, Hulbert, Kinross, Pickford, Raber, Rudyard and Soo based on the pro-rated value of their respective taxable valuations? If approved, in the first year this millage would raise an estimated $649,867.12.”
A new health care millage is being placed in front of voters as a way to improve access to primary, behavioral and preventative health services along with other community health-related needs.
The ballot language reads: “Shall the County of Chippewa, Michigan, be authorized to levy a new millage of 0.150 mills ($0.150 per $1,000 of taxable value) upon all taxable property within Chippewa County for a period of four years, 2026 through 2029, inclusive, commencing Dec. 1, 2026 for the purpose of improving access to primary, behavioral and preventative health services, care coordination and navigation for uninsured and underinsured residents of Chippewa County, support services addressing health-related social needs, and community-based health outreach and education programs within the county, with such services to be provided through a contract between Chippewa County and Community Health Access Coalition, a nonprofit organization within Chippewa County that provides health care services? If approved, in the first year this millage would raise an estimated $232,706.59.”
A proposal to renew the recycling millage asks for another four years of funding for the Chippewa County Recycling Program.
The ballot language reads: “Shall the existing authorized Recycling Millage within the County of Chippewa, Michigan, be renewed at 0.4900 mills ($0.4900 per $1,000 of taxable value) upon all taxable property within Chippewa County for a period of four years, 2026 through 2029, inclusive, commencing Dec. 1, 2026, for the purpose of the continued operation of the Chippewa County Recycling Program, which allows residents to drop off common household recyclables at a recycling center, and if approved, in the first year this millage would raise an estimated $760,175.53.”
A road millage renewal asks voters to consider a five-year millage that will help fund road repairs and maintenance throughout the county.
The ballot language read: “Shall the existing authorized Road Maintenance and Repairs Millage within the County of Chippewa, Michigan, be renewed at 0.9624 mills ($0.9624 per $1,000 of taxable value) upon all taxable property within Chippewa County for a period of five years, 2027 through 2031, inclusive, with the first levy commencing Dec. 1, 2027, for the purpose of road repairs and maintenance within Chippewa County and streets within the City of Sault St. Marie and the Village of DeTour? If approved, in the first year this millage would raise an estimated $1,493,004.41.”
Pickford Public Schools
Pickford Public Schools has its operating millage on the ballot, which is how in-formula public school districts fund most of their daily operational costs. The millage is required for districts to receive their revenue per pupil foundation allowance from the state.
The ballot language reads: “Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation of 18.5259 mills ($18.5259 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Pickford Public Schools, Chippewa and Mackinac counties, Michigan, be renewed for a period of two years, 2027 and 2028, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2027 is approximately $771,188 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2026 tax levy)?”
Dafter Township
Voters in Dafter Township will consider an emergency services millage, which asks to extend the 2 mill levy for another six years.
The ballot language reads: “Shall the previously voted increase in the 15 mills limitation imposed under Article IX, Section 6 of the Michigan Constitution on general ad valorem taxes in Dafter Township, Chippewa County, Michigan of 2 mills ($2 per $1,000 of taxable value), reduced to 1.957 mills ($1.95 per $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at 1.957 mills ($1.95 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for six years, beginning 2027 through 2032, inclusive, for emergency services within the township, raising an estimated $106,180 in the first year the millage is levied?”
Rudyard Township
There are two local items for voters in Rudyard Township to decide on Aug. 4.
The first is a 1.25 millage to pay for ambulance services.
The ballot language reads: “Shall the Township of Rudyard, Chippewa County, Michigan, levy 1.25 (one and one quarter) mill, which is equal to $1.25 for each $1,000 of taxable valuation of real and personal property subject to taxation? Said millage will be the 2026-27 millage to pay for ambulance services for Rudyard Township residents. Said millage, if approved by the electors of the Rudyard Township, will be levied for a period of two years, beginning with the year 2026 and ending with the levy in the year 2027. Based on current valuation, it is estimated that the levy will generate approximately $75,076 in the first year of the levy.”
The second item is for a 1.25 mill levy that will provide funding for a new fire truck.
The ballot language reads:
“Shall the Township of Rudyard, Chippewa County, Michigan, levy up to 1.25 (one and one quarter) mill, which is equal to $1.25 for each $1,000 of taxable valuation of real and personal property subject to taxation? Said millage will be the 2026-29 millage to provide funds to purchase a fire truck as designated by the township board. Said millage, if approved by the electors of Rudyard Township, will be levied for a period of four years, beginning with the year 2026 and ending with the levy in the year 2029. Based on current valuation, it is estimated that the levy will generate approximately $75,076 in the first year of the levy.”
To find out more about upcoming elections, visit michigan.gov/sos/elections.
— Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Sault News: August primary preview: What’s on the ballot in Chippewa County?
Reporting by Jillian Fellows, Sault Ste. Marie News / The Sault News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jillian Fellows, Sault Ste. Marie News | USA TODAY Network
