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PAGE 6 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN November 1, 2018

CANTON

Canton clerk anticipates 50-60 percent turnout

Canton Township Clerk no incumbents, he noted. voters. Turnout in 2014 was 42.8
Michael Siegrist said by Oct. 23 Siegrist added the 11th ” percent, turnout in 2010 was
his office had issued 12,501 District Congressional race is Many statewide analysts are expecting 44.9 percent. In Canton it was
absentee ballots form the regis- competitive. 48 percent, and 49 percent.
tered voters in the township eli- “Absentee voter turnout in four million voters statewide which would Canton could very easily see
gible to vote Nov. 6. the last two gubernatorial elec- be roughly 54 percent of registered voters. turnout of 60 percent in this
Siegrist said he and his staff tions (2010, 2014) was around election, which is what the
have not heard of any particu- 9,000. We are looking at a poten- absentee vote numbers are
lar races or issues at his office tial 40 percent increase in hinting at.”
counter that seem to be gener- turnout for AVs. This has the The turnout in the primary was The anticipated voter Canton voters can go to
ating more interest than others potential to be the highest a 147 percent increase over turnout across the state, VoteCanton.org to view a sam-
on the ballot. turnout gubernatorial year gen- 2016 primary, 97 percent Siegrist said, is expected to be ple ballot and find their
“Three statewide ballot pro- eral election in decades.” increase in turnout over the heavy. precinct. Voters can also go to
posals are drawing interest,” He cited “a roughly 60 per- 2014 primary, 101 percent “Many statewide analysts Vote411.org and view informa-
along with the open races for cent increase in AVs in the pri- increase over the 2012 primary, are expecting four million vot- tion provided by the League of
governor, secretary of state and mary, so the trend of increases and a 90 percent increase in ers statewide which would be Women Voters about each can-
attorney general, which have in absentee voters is consistent. turnout over the 2010 primary.” roughly 54 percent of registered didate, Siegrist said.
Lawsuit challenges incumbent's Canton residency

A lawsuit filed by Canton state and federal levels prompt- Canton Township Clerk be allowed to be re-elected, but
Township resident Ace Kent ed him to investigate the matter. Michael Siegrist confirmed that should be removed from office
Herbert claims that current state He said he discovered the docu- Pagan registered to vote in and that she and her husband be
Rep. Kristy Pagan has defrauded ments revealing that Pagan, 36, Canton in 2012 and her husband investigated for possible fraud
the electorate and is not a resi- and her husband, Karl Lopata, registered in Canton last July. and perjury.”
dent of the 21st District, a filed for a Homestead Tax Herbert disagreed and said a Pagan said she moved back to
requirement for the office she Exemption on the Ann Arbor Google search claims that Lopata Canton in 2011 and started her
has held for two terms. home as their “principal resi- was registered to vote in Ann own business, “dedicated to civic
Pagan is being challenged by dence” irked him. Such an Arbor. and community engagement.”
first-time candidate Darian exemption is allowed by state Pagan claims that only her George Gostias, Herbert's
Moore, a Republican, who has law for a primary residence husband signed for the principal attorney who filed the suit
lived in Canton for more than 23 occupied by the owner. residence exemption and that against the Wayne County
years. Pagan, now in her second while she is the co-owner of the Elections Bureau seeking her
Herbert's lawsuit claims that term in the state Legislature, was property, she did not seek the tax removal from office, said that he
Pagan, a Democrat, has claimed originally a Belleville resident deduction. She further stated has every confidence that the
an Ann Arbor address as her pri- before her family moved to that the home is “rental proper- claims against Pagan are valid. Rep. Kristy Pagan
mary residence on tax filings by Canton where she attended ty” which also raised a red flag “My client is deeply offended
her husband taking a $2600 Plymouth-Canton schools and for Herbert. that his state representative, that votes for Pagan not be count-
Homestead Tax Credit. Pagan graduated from Salem High He claims that if this is rental Kristy Pagan, does not live in the ed in the Nov. 6 election as she is
and her husband listed the Ann School before attending Western property it should be registered district she claims to represent. not a qualified candidate under
Arbor address as the primary Michigan University. with Ann Arbor which he claims In 2016 she purchased a home in state election law.
residence on the mortgage appli- She claims that Canton is and is required. He said there was Ann Arbor. “I know it is too late to have
cation of the $450,000 property, always has been her home and no such registration he could “She claimed a Homestead her name removed from the bal-
Herbert claims in his suit. dismisses Herbert's claims as a find. Tax Exemption on that Ann lot,” Herbert said, but I don't
“That makes them Ann Arbor political attack by Republicans “It's clear that we are being Arbor home, saving her more think voters for her should
residents or guilty of fraud,” attempting to derail her cam- lied to and the only reason than $2,600 per year, all while count,” Herbert said.
Herbert said. paign. (Pagan) maintains an address in claiming to still live in Canton. The case is now before Wayne
He said that rumors of Pagan's “This is baseless and mislead- Canton is to hide where she real- She has committed perjury and County Circuit Court Judge
failure to live in the district have ing,” she said. “I have always ly lives with her husband,” defrauded the people of Robert Columbo although no
been circulating for some time claimed Canton as my resi- Herbert said in a press release. Michigan,” Gostias said. hearing date on the matter had
and recent scandals at both the dence.” “I believe not only should she not The complaint is requesting been scheduled by press time.