While the partisan elections for township board in northeast Allegan County are all incumbents and the like unopposed, races for non-partisan positions on the three area school boards are heavily contested.

Wayland’s school board election is a 5-for-4

The Wayland Board of Education has four openings, with five who have filed to run this year. Three of the candidates are incumbents — President Theresa Dobry, Vice President Dan Cassini and Secretary Becky Hohnke.

Two newcomers joining them on the ballot are Erin Stepek and Stephanie Tromp.

Trustee Janel Hott decided not to seek re-election

Hopkins has phantom school board candidate?

The Hopkins Board of Education has two incumbents and one newcomer on the ballot. Veteran Karen Ryan and Ian Gibson are the incumbents and Steve Johnson is the challenger.

However there is more than a little confusion because one local resident named Steve Johnson has cautioned everyone on his Facebook page that he is not the one who is a candidate. Not much is known about Johnson, who is listed as living in Dorr and is 34 years old.

Who’s running against whom at Martin?

Martin is listed as having only one four-year term candidate on the ballot, with Eric Curry, who was appointed to serve out the term left vacant in 2022 by the resignation of Secretary Rodney Pillars immediately after he was sworn in.

Six candidates ran together as a slate two years ago, but now there is much confusion that includes write-ins.

Board President Melanie Conley ran only for a two-year seat in 2022, so the seat she left vacant also is up this year. Chuck Oxender is on the ballot for a two-year seat expiring at the end of 2026.

Brad Branch, who was appointed to fill out the term of Austin Marsman, has his four-year term expiring at the end of this year.

Lauren Hunt-VanderPloeg is a write-in candidate for school board. She is a graduate of MPS, class of 2016, and a graduate of Central Michigan University and Western Michigan University with a master’s degree.

Another write-in is Joel Thompson, who has strong ties with Martin Fire & Rescue.