PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTING: The best way for most people to vote is by getting on the Permanent Absentee Voter Registry. You will receive your ballot automatically in the mail 45 days before each election. You then have the choice to either: Vote by mail postage-free; Put your ballot in a Dropbox; Vote in person during 9 days of early voting (Saturday through the Sunday before Election Day); or In-person on Election Day.

​By getting your ballot early, you have time to research all of the candidates and issues before voting.

​Apply at: Michigan.gov/vote. Be sure to check box for “Permanent.” You can also use this form to request one-time absentee voting if you will not be able to get to the polls just this year.

EARLY VOTING: Voters in Michigan can vote in-person for nine days prior to Election Day. Check with your Township Clerk or the Antrim County Clerk to confirm location as it may be different than Election Day. Hours may vary. Voting begins two Saturdays before Election Day and ends the Sunday before Election Day. No voting is conducted the Monday before Election Day except by Absentee Ballot at the Antrim County Clerk’s Office (231-533-6353) . ​

​

Township Clerk offices must be open for at least 8 hours the weekend before the Election to allow for registration and absentee voting.​

For 2026 dates and times, click here.

Where can I register to vote?

You can register at one of the following locations:

• Online at Michigan.gov/VoterRegistration;

• At a Secretary of State branch office;

• At your city or township clerk’s office or your county clerk’s office;

• At any state agency that provides public assistance or services to people with disabilities;

• Through a voter registration drive; or,

• By mailing in a completed voter registration applicationpostmarked at least 15 days before the election.

Within 14 days before the election, all applications must be submitted to your local city or township clerk’s office in person.

2026 will be a critical election year.

Here is some useful information.

Every single state House and state Senate seat is up for election in 2026. And an open governor’s race and an open U.S. Senate seat, plus the entire Michigan Congressional delegation. Then there is the open Attorney General and Secretary of State races. We will also decide whether to convene a convention to rewrite the state constitution.

​

We need candidates for the State House and for some local positions.

Contact us to learn more about how we can support you in a bid for office.

DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION

Attend the State Convention on April 19, 2026 in Detroit. It is here that the Party selects its candidates for Attorney General, Secretary of State, State and University Boards of Education. Anyone who is a member of the Michigan Democratic Party at least 30 days before can vote. Join here

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

​

• Absentee Ballots were mailed out around March 26, 2026.

• Last day to register by mail or online is April 20, 2026.

• Nine days of in-person early voting is from April 25 until May 3, 2026. (Note: You can bring in your absentee ballot and vote it in-person during early voting or on Election Day.)

• No voting on May 4

• Last day to vote is Tuesday, May 5.

• Notes: During the Primary, you can only cast votes for candidates in one Party. You can register in person at the Antrim County Clerk’s office any day including Election Day. Bring ID. If you do not have ID, you will be required to complete an Affidavit swearing to the validity of your right to vote.

GENERAL ELECTION​

• Absentee Ballots will be mailed out around Sept 19, 2026.

• Last day to register by mail or online is October 19, 2026.

• Nine days of in-person early voting is from October 24 until Nov. 1, 2026.

• No voting on Nov. 2.

• Last day to vote is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Polling hours are 7 am to 8 pm.

• ​Notes: You can bring in your absentee ballot and vote it in-person during early voting or on Election Day. You can register in person at the Antrim County Clerk’s office any day including Election Day. Bring ID and proof of residence such as a utility bill to register if registering within 2 weeks of the election. Bring ID to vote. If you do not have ID, you will be required to complete an Affidavit swearing to the validity of your identity.

Positions on the Ballot in 2026

US Senate

• Abdul El-Sayed, 2018 gubernatorial candidate

• State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who was elected to the Michigan Senate in 2018

• U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, who was elected to the U.S. House in 2018

US House - First District

• Callie Barr

• Kyle Blomquist

• Wayne Stiles

Governor

• Jocelyn Benson

• Garlin Gilchrist II

• Kevin Hogan

• Marni Sawicki

• Chris Swanson​

Secretary of State

Barbara Byrum

Aghogho Edevbie

Adam Hollier

Attorney General

• Karen McDonald

• Eli Savit

• Mark Totten

State House (104th and 105th Districts)

State Senate (37th District)

Various Judges, School Boards, Township Boards

Various Ballot initiatives

LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH

Please remember to contact your United States Senators and thank them for their tireless and brave service! And call your United States Representative Jack Bergman and remind him that we are his constituents and he is being mute in a time of serious crisis.

Click on their name for contact information.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin Sen. Gary Peters Rep. Jack Bergman

Previously, we reported on many of the improper and illegal things Victoria Bishop did prior to being elected Antrim County Clerk. In obtaining the position, she accepted $10,000 in illegal contributions and she filed a false campaign finance report. Since her election, she was found to be in contempt of court by a Federal judge and fined. But now, she has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is incapable of being our County Clerk.

The letter can be found here: https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/28045819-20260414-boe-letter-antrim-county-clerk/?embed=1

On April 14, 2026, the Michigan Bureau of Elections contacted Bishop to inform her that she appears to have violated State election laws through multiple illegal actions. Bishop has been given until April 23, 2026 to provide information in response to the complaints. She potentially can be found to have committed violations that will result in being charged with misdemeanors or being stripped of her election responsibilities. Hopefully she will take the Secretary of State’s letter more seriously that she did the subpoenas from Federal Court.

The letter states, “Specifically, you have reportedly (1) issued confirmation and cancellation notices to residents (2) entered improper status updates in the “Qualified Voter File (QVF), and (3) transmitted lists to local clerks containing numerous irregularities.”
Under Michigan law, the Antrim County Clerk cannot update voter registration records. That is a duty of the Township Clerks. A Township Clerk can’t send out a confirmation or cancellation notice just because the voter hasn’t voted in the last two elections. There must be additional reasons to believe that voter is no longer eligible. However, it appears that Bishop did just that. A confirmation notice is supposed to be sent when a Township Clerk gets reliable information that the voter has moved somewhere else within the Township. A cancellation notice is sent by a Township Clerk when the Clerk has received reliable information that the voter has moved to a different jurisdiction outside the Township. Those rules were not followed. A variety of other improper actions were either recorded or failed to be recorded in the Qualified Voter File.

Bottom line—Bishop improperly removed voters from the Qualified Voter File which would have made it difficult or impossible for them to vote in the next election. This is a basic violation of her oath of office.

We should not be surprised. Several months ago, the Antrim Dems became aware that improprieties may be occurring and reported it to the Voter Protection activity of the Michigan Democratic Party for investigation. Bishop has a history of illegal activity and disregarding subpoenas, judges and tax filing requirements. Bishop may be under investigation by the Michigan Department of Taxation for tax evasion. She ran on a platform that includes requiring identification to vote (law allows voters to sign an affidavit if id is not available), no tabulators (all elections in Michigan use tabulators), and annual updates to the QVF (that’s not how it works).

We don’t really care whether she is incompetent or simply doesn’t care what the law requires. The Antrim County Democratic Party is calling on Victoria Bishop to resign now. Enough is enough.

More information can be found at: https://www.votebeat.org/michigan/

You are encouraged to repost this post and/or forward to Antrim County voters.

Share

By Hayley Harding, Votebeat | April 14, 2026, 8:56pm EDTThis article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access.

The Michigan Bureau of Elections is demanding answers from a controve

rsial county clerk who reportedly canceled or changed voters’ registrations when she wasn’t supposed to.

The bureau sent a letter to Antrim County Clerk Victoria Bishop on Tuesday saying it had received information suggesting she had made voter registration changes “that fall outside the scope of your statutory authority and fail to comply with the law.”

Bishop, a Republican, was first elected in 2024 on a platform of cleaning up Antrim County’s voter roll. She is associated with the wing of the Republican Party that claims the 2020 election was stolen from President Donald Trump.

Michigan says Antrim County clerk canceled voter registrations

The bureau learned that Bishop, who took office in 2025, apparently sent confirmation and cancellation notices — essentially, notices sent by election officials when they believe a voter has moved — to an unknown number of voters who didn’t vote in the last two major elections. However, the bureau noted in the letter, “Michigan law is explicit that a clerk may not cancel, or cause the cancellation of, a voter’s registration solely because a voter has missed one or two elections.”

The bureau also said it has information suggesting Bishop did not independently verify the information she acted on to send the notices, as required by the state’s election officials’ manual.

The letter says Bishop also allegedly changed voters’ statuses in the state voter file, known as the Qualified Voter File or QVF, to “Cancel” or “Reject” “without any agreement or delegation of authority allowing you to do so from the affected local jurisdiction.”

County clerks aren’t allowed to unilaterally update the QVF or send such notices to voters, even for proper reasons. Michigan law puts local clerks — at the city and township level — in charge of maintaining voter records for their jurisdictions.

The letter, signed by Bureau of Elections Director Jonathan Brater, asks Bishop to provide a detailed explanation of what she did and why, as well as a justification for her actions. It goes on to request lists of the voters to whom she sent notices and whose status she changed in the QVF.

Angela Benander, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of State, said that the bureau began looking into Bishop’s actions after receiving “reports about concerning activity” from voters and local clerks alike. From there, state officials looked at the QVF and found enough irregularities to prompt the requests to Bishop.

“The BOE is able to see the activity of clerks in the QVF,” Benander said.

Bishop did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday evening.

Antrim County is a hotbed of election conspiracy theories

Controversy has swirled around Antrim County elections even before Bishop took office. The northern Michigan county was at the center of election conspiracy theories following the 2020 election, when the county’s unofficial results initially showed Joe Biden winning the heavily Republican county by a few thousand votes. The error, which occurred after ballot tabulators weren’t correctly updated, was quickly corrected, but Trump and others seized on the mistake as evidence that voting machines were rigged against him.

In the 2024 election, Bishop defeated the county clerk who had overseen the error by pledging to “restore election integrity in Antrim County.” During that campaign, Bishop said she believed “we still have dead people and people who no longer live in Antrim County” on the voter roll and promised to work with local clerks to remove them before the 2026 election.

Bishop is married to Randy Bishop, a conservative talk radio host best known as “Trucker Randy” who has claimed to have evidence that the 2020 election was stolen.

Antrim County will hold a few small elections in May, but township clerks will do the vast majority of the work to oversee those.

But if Bishop is unable to provide the requested information to the state, it could be the first step in ultimately stripping her of her election-related duties. The state has done it before — Stan Grot, the Shelby Township clerk, only recently had his own authority reinstated after being accused of election-related felonies. Other local clerks were removed just before the 2024 election for telling state officials they planned to hand-count ballots.

It is also possible Bishop could face criminal charges. The letter notes that failure to “obey a lawful instruction given by the Secretary may result in a criminal misdemeanor.”

It wouldn’t be Bishop’s first brush with the law; last year, the Michigan Department of State reprimanded Bishop for filing incorrect campaign finance disclosures, and a judge found her in contempt of court.

Hayley Harding is a reporter for Votebeat based in Michigan. Contact Hayley at hharding@votebeat.org.

Votebeat is a nonprofit news organization covering local election integrity and voting access. Sign up for their newsletters here

Need to check to make sure you’re still registered? Visit Vote.org to be sure!

VOTE.ORG

URGENT CALL FOR CANDIDATES

Run for Office – “If it is to Be, It is Up to Me!” --- FILE NOW!

No one needs to tell you that our democracy is on the line. At the local level, this can look like electing law-breakers to office, efforts to defund the health department, diverting public school funds to religious schools, eliminating of separation of church and state, eliminating of environmental and zoning regulations or the disregarding facts in decision-making.

You can stand on the sidelines hoping that someone else will do something or you can make a difference. Run for local office!

Democrats who run for local office will receive a campaign contribution from the Antrim County Democratic Party (certain requirements apply, amount to be determined). We will help you run for office. You will have a team behind you all the way.

The deadline to file for office is April 21, 2026 - just a few days away.

Here are the local offices that we are seeking candidates for:

• State Rep for the 105^th District

ECHO TOWNSHIP

Treasurer Partial Term 12/31/2028

Trustee Partial Term 12/31/2028

HELENA TOWNSHIP

Clerk Partial Term 12/31/2028

JORDAN TOWNSHIP

Clerk Partial Term 12/31/2028

Treasurer Partial Term 12/31/2028

VILLAGE OF BELLAIRE

President 2 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

VILLAGE OF CENTRAL LAKE

President 2 Year Term

Trustee Partial Term 12/31/2028

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

VILLAGE OF ELK RAPIDS

President 2 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

VILLAGE OF ELLSWORTH

President 2 Year Term

Treasurer 2 Year Term

Clerk 2 Year Term

Trustee Partial Term Expires 2028

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

VILLAGE OF MANCELONA

President 2 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Need more information?

Meet Mitch Distin - a Democratic candidate who is running for office in Antrim County.

Mitch lives in north Antrim County and has registered to run for Michigan State House Rep for the 104th District. He’s new to politics, and has worked hard on a number of recent local issues. He has given us permission to share his introductory statement:

“We’re excited to announce that Mitchell Ryan Distin, PhD, has decided to run as a Democratic candidate for the 104^th State Representative District! Dr. Distin is an evolutionary biologist and philosopher by training, receiving his PhD from the Universidad de Valencia in Spain with an International Mention from the University of Cambridge. He is the intellectual heir to Elinor Ostrom’s Nobel-winning research and mentored under the tutelage of top scientist David Sloan Wilson at the nonprofit Prosocial World, before moving back home to Michigan and starting his own environmental nonprofit The New People Foundation.

His conservation efforts were instrumental in stopping the Banks Township Gravel Mine, which saved the Elk River Chain of Lakes, and he’s been leading statewide efforts against Big Tech and data centers. He currently writes for the Northern Express and is the author of several books (mostly academic), including his first trade book “Common Enemy: The Falsity of the Left-Right Divide in America”, which he intends to distribute (for free) to voters in the 104^th district. His politics attempt to bridge the political divide between the left and the right, redefine political identity boundaries toward the 99% vs. the 1%, and reinvesting in local communities rather than higher-level institutions of governance.

Dr. Distin will also host a fun Adult Spelling Bee, accompanied by a small lecture, at Short’s Pull barn in Elk Rapids, Thursday April 23^rd from 6-8pm. Facebook link can be found here.

Contact your township clerk, Antrim County Clerk’s office or one of the incumbents. Or reach out to Mitch Treadwell. Mitch is a Democrat on the Traverse City Council. Contact him by phone at 231-922-4915. Leave a message and he will call you back.

The Antrim County Democratic Party exists for the purpose of winning elections. We can’t win if we don’t have candidates. Not a single Democrat has filed for any local office so far (with the exception of the 104th House District) and the deadline is April 21. As of this writing, no one has filed for most of these offices yet. So, head on in to the Township or County Clerk’s office and file for one of these offices today (during business hours of course).

Most of these positions are well-compensated for the amount of work required. File before the April 21 deadline.

Click the button for the affidavit to file:

Filing Affidavit

CAN’T RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE? You can still help…

We understand. It is not for everyone. So, here are a few alternatives:

1. Contribute to our campaign to raise $5,000 for the fund that we use to support candidates and run ads. We are aiming for 50 donors to each give at least $100 to fund our pledge to support Antrim candidates:

   DONATE VIA ACTBLUE

2. Become a Precinct Delegate. As a Precinct Delegate, you are committing to 10 hours of effort (whenever convenient for you) to reach out to Democratic neighbors to give them information about the election, particularly local candidates whom we support. We give you the training and the contact information for people we believe are likely to support Democrats within your neighbor. The link to the Affidavit of Identity in order to appear on the August 4 Primary ballot as a Democratic Precinct Delegate candidate is below.

   No one will be running against you, so as long as you vote for yourself, you will be elected! The form must be notarized and submitted to the County Clerk before May 5, 4 pm. For help in completing the form or for questions, contact Myrna Holland at 231-631-0125.

   CLICK FOR THE AFFIDAVIT FORM

3. Volunteer. You can write postcards, make phone calls, send texts, attend rallies. There is something for everyone. Contact Veronica Welter for more details Vlonsway@hotmail.com or 989-213-5193.

Most of these positions are well-compensated for the amount of work required.

File before the April 21 deadline.

CALENDAR OF REGULAR EVENTS

Antrim Dems are gathering

JOIN US!

PINTS AND POLITICS - A great place to meet others!

It occurs on the 3rd Tuesday of every month, alternating between Shorts Brewery in Bellaire (odd months), and Shorts Pull Barn in Elk Rapids (even months).

COME JOIN US IN APRIL!

WHEN: Tuesday, April 21

WHERE: Shorts Pull Barn in Elk Rapids

TIME: 4:00 pm for happy hour prices! Pints & Politics at 4:30…

REMINDER - You can always check the Antrim Dems Facebook page for dates and event information.

ANTRIM DEMS WOMEN’S WEEKLY COFFEE

WHEN: Every Wednesday, 10 am

WHERE: Art and Connection, 965 Green Street, Elk Rapids

ANTRIM DEMS COFFEE FOR ALL IN BELLAIRE

WHEN: Every Tuesday, 10 am

WHERE: M-88 Morning Grind, 614 E Cayuga.

ANTRIM DEMS MEN’S COFFEE

WHEN: Every Thursday, 11 am

WHERE: Art and Connection, 965 Green Street, Elk Rapids.

ANTRIM DEMS MONTHLY MEETING BY ZOOM

WHEN: 3^RD Thursday OF EACH MONTH

THIS MONTH: APRIL 23 6:30 PM

Click the button below for the link to the meeting.

Meeting ID: 839 0852 0516
Passcode: 448799

ZOOM MEETING LINK

REMINDER - Membership lasts one year and then you need to re-up.

ANTRIM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

We would love to have more people attending Antrim County Board of Commissioners meetings.

Meetings are held the 1^st Tuesday of the month at 10:00 AM and the 3^rd Thursday at 6:30 PM. All meetings are held in the Commission Chambers at the County Building in Bellaire.

The next meeting is April 16 at 6:30 PM. Meetings are held in the Board of Commissioners room at the Antrim County Building, 203 E. Cayuga Street, Bellaire.

Meetings are live-streamed on the County’s Facebook page. Open to the public.

Visit the County Commission Website

by clicking the button below

Antrim County Commission

RECAP

NO KINGS RALLY HELD ON MARCH 28 WAS REPORTED TO BE THE LARGEST RALLY IN U.S. HISTORY, WITH SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 8 TO 9 MILLION PEOPLE PARTICIPATING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY

In Elk Rapids and Bellaire, Antrim County held two of the more than 3,300 rallies across the country. Total attendance at the rallies was estimated at about 8 million. The October No Kings Rally wasa estimated at 6 million,. Thanks to everyone who attended on that brisk but sunny day.

Let’s Unseat Jack Bergman!

In March and April: Great Opportunities to Meet Candidates Running for the 1^st Congressional District/US Congress.

There are several people running to defeat Bergman. Get to know them and their viewpoints.

Primary elections will be held Tuesday, August 4th.

The candidates visited Antrim County in the last few weeks and Antrim County residents showed up to hear them! Both events were well attended.

On March 23, “Good Trouble-ers” held a meet and greet for Callie Barr in Elk Rapids.

Callie addressed a packed Elk Rapids Town Hall introducing herself and describing her goals. Here is her youtube video:

Then…

On April 2, Antrim Action sponsored a nonpartisan congressional candidate forum in Bellaire. Traverse City had the same forum and taped it. Participants are: KYLE BLOOMQUIST (D), ZEBULON FEATHERLEY ((), JUSTIN MICHAL (R ) , AND WAYNE STILES (D). You can listen to the forum here. The video/audio has a long ‘entry’ and you may need to fast forward:

KEEPING UP WITH ANTRIM COUNTY ELECTIONS

The filing deadline for most positions (other than Precinct Delegate) is April 21, 2026. As of right now, no candidate has filed for most of the seats and not one single Democrat has filed. Voters want a choice and Democrats need to be represented. Run for office! Check out the list here:

CHECK OUT THE LIST HERE

MAY 5 ELECTION

Did you know that many of the villages and townships have millage proposals before voters on May 5? Click to check out what is on the May 5 ballot here:

SAMPLE BALLOT

MIDTERM ELECTIONS ARE COMING

Voters in Antrim County will go to the polls for primaries on August 4, 2026, and Midterms on November 3, 2026.

Here is the Secretary of State’s list of all state and judicial races:

CLICK TO SEE THE LIST

JOIN OR RENEW YOUR

2026 MEMBERSHIP

Membership is on a calendar year basis. So, it’s time to renew your membership! Click HERE it’s so easy!

We also need your donation. In 2025, we spent $9,495 on advertising in the 3 papers. Our advertising focused on how Republican policies are hurting Antrim County citizens, on how Jack Bergman is complicit in the shenanigans in Washington, and how Democrats have a path forward that focuses on bread and butter issues for the average person.

In 2026, we will expand our efforts, especially in social media, to unseat flawed local politicians and increase the vote for Democrats at all levels.

Without your help, none of this can happen!

If you have already renewed your membership, you can make an additional donation HERE

If you prefer, you can mail your check to Antrim Conty Dems to:

ACDP

P.O. Box 331

Elk Rapids, MI 49629

Need to join for the first time?

You can join as :

• Voting in Antrim County

• Joining Antrim Dems but don’t vote in this county

• Want to support Antrim Dems but don’t want to join.

CLICK HERE FOR THESE OPTIONS

PRECINCT DELEGATES

Becoming a candidate is a big commitment. But becoming a Precinct Delegate is a very small commitment. It means you are willing to commit a total of 10 hours between now and Election Day to helping get Dems elected. It might be sending text messages, making phone calls, writing postcards or knocking doors. You decide what you are going to do and when to do it. Do it with a friend or family member or perhaps your dog. Just do it.

Call Myrna Holland to find out more. 231-631-0125.

Here is the form that needs to be completed, notarized and filed with the County Clerk. Do not sign until the notary can witness your signature. Forms can be notarized at the Clerk’s office:

CLICK TO ACCESS THE FORM

It is highly recommended that you review your Affidavit with Myrna for completeness.

PRECINCT DELEGATES MUST SIGN UP BY MAY 5.

Getting elected is easy. As long as you vote for yourself, you will be elected (since it is unlikely anyone will be running against you.)

Here is a list of current Dems who have signed up so far to be Precinct Delegates:

CLICK TO SEE THE LIST

We are allotted 64 delegates in Antrim County. There are a set number in each precinct.

As a delegate, you will not be voted out. You will not be treated poorly in the community. You do not have to sign your life away. It takes just a bit of time between August and November.

If you count up time at coffees, at Pints & Politics, you will be spending fewer hours making postcards and calls than you do at the Coffees and Pints and Politics. Please consider being a Delegate!

• DEMOCRACY is NOT a spectator sport and we should all be doing something

• As David Orr said, “Hope is a verb with its shirt sleeves rolled up.” Action reduces anxiety.

• THIS PARTICULAR ELECTION, THIS TIME ---2026--requires action from us all.

• IF YOU EVER WANTED TO GET INVOLVED, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!

  ---

KEEPING A WATCHFUL EYE

OVER OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS

Concerning County Clerk – Victoria Bishop

With the level of corruption in Washington today, it might be easy to overlook the criminality that is going on in our own County. It is hard to think of a local politician who comes close to Victoria Bishop, our County Clerk, when it comes to being morally bankrupt.

While Bishop has almost 3 more years to serve as Clerk, it is important for all of us to be aware of her misdeeds and to keep a close eye on how she performs her duties as Clerk.

Top 10 Reasons Victoria Bishop is Unqualified to be County Clerk

1. Was officially reprimanded for filing false campaign finance report. Initially, she filed a campaign finance report claiming to have received campaign loans from her husband when she was running for Clerk. Later she claimed she gave the money to her own campaign. Where did the money really come from?

2. Illegally accepted $10,000 in cash donations in excess of $20 limit. She testified under oath that she gave her campaign $10,000 in cash that she had laying around the house. Campaign finance law in Michigan requires all contributions over $20 to be made by check, credit card or debit card. She seemed totally unaware of the law she is expected to be the expert on locally.

3. Doesn’t know basic campaign finance laws. She had no idea that she could only accept $20 cash. Her campaign finance reports were poorly prepared and incomplete. She seemed totally unaware of the law she is expected to be the expert on locally.

4. Failed to file tax returns for more than 5 years. In both her sworn testimony and her husband’s, they admitted not filing returns for as far back as they could remember. Since she owns a business (a radio station), she is legally compelled to file.

5. Comingled personal and business finances. She filed with the Court copies of her business bank statements. They showed both she and her husband making expenditures from the account for personal items such as liquor, nail salons, gas, and groceries.

6. Failed to keep required campaign finance records. When asked for copies of checks and receipts for expenditures, she indicated that she did not keep them.

7. Failed to keep required business records. She claimed to owe no taxes but kept no business records to show income or expenses. Her bank statements showed numerous deposits that appear to be from advertisers.

8. Likely failed to file proper Form 1099 for independent contractors. She claimed to employ two individuals as engineers for the radio station but no Form 1099’s were presented in the court proceedings.

9. Despite having an accounting degree, doesn’t seem to understand basic accounting requirements. She kept no records or income or expenses and filed no tax returns.

10. Was found in Contempt of Court by Federal Judge. She was repeatedly served with summons to appear in Court and present documents. The judge became so frustrated that she found her in Contempt of Court.

And that doesn’t even begin to cover the fact that she lives in an expensive golf course home with her husband, Trucker Randy, who is attempting to claim financial bankruptcy to avoid paying damages in a defamation suit from Moran Ironworks of Cheyboygan.

With a record such as hers, we can’t just hope she does a good job as Clerk. We need to attend meetings and when necessary, file Freedom of Information Act requests to stay aware of her conduct in office.

Just this past week, we had to notify Clerk Bishop that she calculated the allocation of Precinct Delegates incorrectly and not in compliance with Michigan law.

Please help us keep an eye on our local elected officials to assure we are getting the representation we are entitled to.

Bellaire Dam

As we go to press, the water at the Bellaire Dam is approaching flood stage for those downriver. We are family. If any affected families need assistance, please contact Veronica at 989-213-5193. We are here to help.

• STAY UP TO DATE WITH ANTRIM DEMS •

FACEBOOK

WEBSITE

AND ALSO VISIT TRAVERSE INDIVISIBLE FOR LOCAL UPDATES:

TRAVERSE INDIVISIBLE

Dear ACDP Faithful,

In case you haven’t yet heard, the Antrim County Democratic Party Media/Communications Team has been hard at work trying to get the word out about news and events affecting us all.

We are embarking on a some new directions we think will bring us forward into this new modern social era that will help us to reach a wider audience and encourage more engaged participation.

Our facebook page is seeing more activity and newer followers than ever before. If you havent visited, you can click through to www.facebook.com/antrimcountydemocraticparty and join in the conversation.

We have recently begun posting to Instagram, and you can follow and join in the conversation there as well. Find us here: @antrimcountydems

We are also refurbishing our website presence by utilizing the Substack platform. All the usual information will be found there in this exciting new format that is easy to follow and navigate. We will also be adding some features not found on our old site, so stay tuned and visit often! Even this bi-monthly newsletter is produced through Substack. You’ll receive it in your email inbox as usual, but it will also be available to access on the website.

Substack is also a great place to find world news and featured writers who are following the issues of the day. We will offer up some recommended reading and you can search the platform at will.

Substack is free to access, free to subscribe, and the mobile app is free to download and use.

Let us know if you have any questions!

Antrim County Democratic Party/Michigan

Chairperson: Veronica Welter

Website: antrimdems.substack.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntrimCountyDemocraticParty/

Volume #5. ANTRIM DEMS NEWSLETTER, WRITTEN AND ASSEMBLED BY ALLEN WOLF, JIM BLACK, AND SALLIE FOLEY. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS CAN BE DIRECTED TO SFOLEY@ANTRIMDEMS.COM

The Michigan Democratic Party Rural Caucus was chartered in July 2017 to ensure a voice for rural communities and work toward addressing the needs of rural Michigan. Rural Michigan represents 25% of the state’s population. The foundation of American democracy was built on the ideal of the self-sufficient rural citizen. While much has changed in the make up of the United States since then, today rural voters have concerns and issues that are vital to rural communities, like reliable broadband service, education, conservation, and access to healthcare.

As the elections in 2024 so powerfully demonstrated, the democratic party cannot cede a single county or vote in its fight to ensure a free and fair society. In order to accomplish this goal, the Michigan Democratic Party must have a strong party structure in every region statewide. The Rural Caucus serves to ensure a voice for rural communities to communicate concerns and needs to the MDP. Since its inception, the Rural Caucus been focusing on the following goals: ​

• Providing a mechanism for rural residents to become members engaged with the ongoing work of the MDP.

• Generating support for and understanding of rural issues for Caucus members, the MDP, and with key stakeholder organizations working on behalf of rural residents and communities.

• Recruiting MDP members and providing support to county parties where rebuilding is needed.

• Supporting Democratic candidates.

• Recruiting high quality candidates to ensure that no race goes uncontested.

LEARN MORE

LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH

Subscribe now for free to receive new posts and support the Antrim Dems!

Please remember to contact your United States Senators and thank them for their tireless and brave service! And call your United States Representative Jack Bergman and remind him that we are his constituents and he is being mute in a time of serious crisis.

Click on their name for contact information.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin Sen. Gary Peters Rep. Jack Bergman

The Antrim County Democratic Party exists for the purpose of winning elections. We can’t win if we don’t have candidates. Not a single Democrat has filed for any local office so far and the deadline is April 21. In fact, no one has filed for most of these offices yet. So, head on in to the Township or County Clerk’s office and file for one of these offices today (during business hours of course).

EC’HO TOWNSHIP

Treasurer Partial Term 12/31/2028

Trustee Partial Term 12/31/2028

HELENA TOWNSHIP

Clerk Partial Term 12/31/2028

JORDAN TOWNSHIP

Clerk Partial Term 12/31/2028

Treasurer Partial Term 12/31/2028

VILLAGE OF BELLAIRE

President 2 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

VILLAGE OF CENTRAL LAKE

President 2 Year Term

Trustee Partial Term 12/31/2028

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

VILLAGE OF ELK RAPIDS

President 2 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

VILLAGE OF ELLSWORTH

President 2 Year Term

Treasurer 2 Year Term

Clerk 2 Year Term

Trustee Partial Term Expires 2028

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

VILLAGE OF MANCELONA

President 2 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Trustee 4 Year Term

Most of these positions are well-compensated for the amount of work required.

File before the April 21 deadline.

My husband and I just visited New Orleans for the first time in March. I was anticipating great food, cocktails, parks and architecture, and they certainly didn’t disappoint. What I hadn’t counted on was the troubling and lasting impact our visit to the World War II museum would have on me. Two of my uncles participated in the D Day attack on Normandy, survived, and never spoke about what they saw there. So many lives lost, and so much trauma experienced. What a tragedy.

And yet, what we fought for made me proud. Roosevelt outlined the Four Freedoms that shaped the mission against the Axis powers: freedom of speech, freedom to worship in one’s own way, freedom from want and freedom from fear. These values appear on the back of the medals our soldiers received for their service. I want to live in a nation that honors those who fought in WW2 and that defends and promotes these values. I don’t know what the path forward is, but I pray we find a way to hold on to these fundamental freedoms for all people and that we can unite, with clarity, regarding our purpose as a nation.

Originally published in the Antrim Review

Opinion pages in local newspapers serve a valuable function, providing a forum wherein citizens can freely share and debate ideas. We need this effective staple of our free press, one that celebrates our first amendment birthrights to speak our minds.

That people don’t want to hear or read about politics these days is understandable. But it’s gotten to the point where “politics” has become a dirty word. That needs to change.

After all, as someone stated better than I could, “…what blindness, what deafness, what density of ideology would have to weigh me down to prevent me from being interested in what is probably the most crucial subject to our existence, that is to say the society in which we live, the economic relations within which it functions, and the system of power which defines the regular forms and the regular permissions and prohibitions of our conduct. The essence of our life consists…of the political functioning of the society in which we find ourselves.”

In my opinion, democracy is worth saving. Thomas Jefferson advocated for “ward-republics”, comprised of 100 citizens max, believing that if we failed to practice direct democracy, America would lose its representative form of government. Voting is not enough. We need to discuss and debate issues face-to-face with our neighbors, developing consensus in our decision-making.

At this critical juncture in our political lives, we must participate directly in township and county governance. This is how we strengthen the bonds of trust, collaboration, and shared responsibility, while cultivating values that serve everyone.

Inspired citizens can build stronger communities at local levels wherein every resident has a voice and a role in shaping our common future.

This is the stuff of politics. A free press that consistently facilitates the free exchange of opinions is vital to a functional democracy.

Originally published in the Antrim Review

In his 1796 Farewell Address, George Washington warned that party conflict could harden into vengeance and “frightful despotism,” describing “the alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge…[as] itself a frightful despotism,” and cautioning that parties can become “potent engines” for those who would “usurp… the reins of government.”

Years earlier, John Adams reflected a similar fear in a 1780 letter: “There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties…This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.”

Nearly 250 years later, as the United States approaches its 250^th birthday, those early warnings by our founders ring truer than ever. Partisanship has hardened into a firm tribalism, and the centrifugal pull of competing factions now threatens to test—perhaps more so than at any point in living memory—the durability of the “American experiment”.

The numbers are disconcerting. A 2024 Gallup poll found a record-high 80% of U.S. adults believe Americans are “greatly divided” on the most important values, a level that has steadily climbed in recent decades. Pew Research Center reports that eight in ten Americans say Republicans and Democrats cannot even agree on basic facts about the nation’s most pressing issues, reflecting the depth of our division.

Significant majorities now see the other party as immoral, as Pew research indicates 72% of Republicans and 63% of Democrats view members of the opposing party as more immoral than other Americans, up sharply from 2016.

A recent study published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science found that fewer than one in ten friendships cross party lines. The study found that, even when friendships did cross the aisle, they scored lower on trust, emotional support, and mutual understanding.

None of this is particularly surprising to anyone watching American politics today. Political identity increasingly shapes not just our institutions but our social networks, our media consumption, and even our perception of reality itself.

But the new science of human cooperation suggests that this trajectory is neither inevitable nor irreversible.

The New Science of Cooperation

Division may dominate today’s headlines, but it is not inevitable. In fact, recent science suggests that division is the exception rather than the norm for most of human history. Human beings evolved as profoundly social creatures—or “ultrasocial,” in the words of anthropologist Joseph Henrich—whose survival depended on cooperation in large groups.

Behavioral science has long shown that cohesive societies are built not by amplifying differences but by cultivating shared identities and shared goals. When people see themselves as members of the same group working toward a common purpose, cooperation becomes far easier.

The late political scientist Elinor Ostrom, who was the first women to win the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2009, spent decades studying how communities around the world successfully managed shared resources without collapsing into conflict, effectively solving the longstanding issue known as “The Tragedy of the Commons”.

The defining research question she asked was: why do some groups cooperate while others fail?

Her research took her to communities across the world. She identified a set of conditions—known as the Core Design Principles (CDPs)—that allow diverse groups to cooperate effectively along a multilevel scale.

These principles enumerated are: (1) clear group identity and shared purpose, (2) equitable distribution of benefits and resources, (3) fair and inclusive decision-making, (4) transparency of behavior, (5) graduated responding to helpful or unhelpful behavior, (6) fast and fair conflict resolution, (7) authority to self-govern, and (8) collaborative relations with other groups (using principles 1-7).

Ostrom found that when any social group accomplished all eight of the CDPs, then they can overcome any social dilemma that might otherwise undermine cooperation and collective action at a higher level.

What makes Ostrom’s work—and more recent adaptations such as the Prosocial framework—especially relevant today is that these principles appear to be remarkably universal. They apply across cultures and contexts, from pastoralist cultures in east Africa to irrigation farmers in Nepal to fishing villages in Turkey.

They are also surprisingly modern, as the same dynamics can be found in nearly all modern institutions across the world, from corporations and civic organizations to sports teams and local governments.

As a friend and long-time collaborator with Ostrom, the famous evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson writes in his book This View of Life, “Why should they (the CDPs) be restricted to common-pool resource groups? How about schools, neighborhoods, churches, volunteer organizations, businesses, nonprofits, and governmental agencies? In a sense, the very act of working together to achieve a common goal is a common-pool resource.”

What Ostrom found in her research is an undeniable truth—a universal blueprint, let’s call it—for how to build cooperative societies that work best with how our species evolved to think and to live. The core lesson we can draw from her work is that strong societies emerge when people feel they are working within the same enterprise, toward a shared purpose.

For much of American history, I believe we embodied this sense of a common identity, however imperfectly realized. The challenge before us is not to “reinvent the wheel”, so to speak, but to relearn the deep-seated principles of cooperation that we’ve allowed to fade in modern times.

A New “Experiment” in Northern Michigan Civics

For many northern Michiganders, the rift between Democrats and Republicans has become too much to bear. Rather than wait for solutions from our politicians, they have taken it upon themselves to try and fix the political divide.

The Purple Assembly, a grassroots initiative recently started in Traverse City, grew out of a gnawing sense that Americans need to relearn how to hold constructive, civil dialogue.

“We were exhausted by the constant fighting we see on television,” noted Tina Allen, one of the organizers. “It feels like politics has become a zero-sum game where one side wins and the other loses, which typically ends in perpetual gridlock, and nothing ever gets solved.”

Allen and a handful of neighbors decided to try something different. They invited people with different political views into the same room and asked them one simple request: talk to each other—respectfully, of course.

Their first meeting, held this past January, drew more than 70 participants from across the region and all walks of life. “It was a success,” Allen said, “but more needs to be done. We’re still learning how to hold this space for everyone.”

Around the same time, another Northern Michigander arrived at a similar conclusion. Sam Getslinger, an 82-yr old retiree from Leelanau, began organizing “Common Ground Gatherings” that included people from all different demographics and political affiliations.

“The goal,” Getslinger told the Leelanau Ticker, “is to break down barriers of thinking so we can listen to one another and work together.”

“In kindergarten, the kids for the most part really liked each other,” Getsinger continued. “It always made me wonder what happened later in school, where they didn’t anymore. I think, often, what we do to kids is separate them, and not show each of them what they have to contribute.”

These new initiatives coalesce with recent events such as the fight against data centers in Kalkaska, where members of the Kalkaskan Democrat party were fighting alongside members of the Kalkaskan Republican party—for the first time in living memory.

A Washington Post article, “How Data Centers Are Shifting the Political Landscape”, highlighted the exact same pattern observed in Kalkaska, that American share far more in common than they typically realize.

These recent events in Northern Michigan, and across the country, point to the possibility that maybe, just maybe, we’re not so different after all. Despite the incessant rhetoric of division that plays out our TV screens, perhaps we’re far more similar than we like to admit. Wouldn’t that be something.

The Purple Assembly will hold its second meeting on April 12^th from 2-4pm at Middle Coast Brewery, discussing “How the Case of Data Centers Shows the Falsity of the Left-Right Divide”, run by Mitchell Ryan Distin, PhD. Purple Assembly events in Benzie, Elk Rapids, Charlevoix, Petosky and Kalkaska coming soon! For more information, reach out to us at Purpleconfressnwmi@gmail.com

Antrim Dems are gathering

JOIN US!

PINTS AND POLITICS - A great place to meet others!

It occurs on the 3rd Tuesday of every month, alternating between Shorts Brewery in Bellaire (odd months), and Shorts Pull Barn in Elk Rapids (even months).

COME JOIN US IN APRIL!

WHEN: Tuesday, April 21

WHERE: Shorts Pull Barn in Elk Rapids

TIME: 4:00 pm for happy hour prices! Pints & Politics at 4:30…

REMINDER - You can always check the Antrim Dems Facebook page for dates and event information.

ANTRIM DEMS WOMEN’S WEEKLY COFFEE

WHEN: Every Wednesday, 10 am

WHERE: Art and Connection, 965 Green Street, Elk Rapids

ANTRIM DEMS COFFEE FOR ALL IN BELLAIRE

WHEN: Every Tuesday, 10 am

WHERE: M-88 Morning Grind, 614 E Cayuga.

ANTRIM DEMS MEN’S COFFEE

WHEN: Every Thursday, 11 am

WHERE: Art and Connection, 965 Green Street, Elk Rapids.

ANTRIM DEMS MONTHLY MEETING BY ZOOM

WHEN: 3^RD Thursday OF EACH MONTH

THIS MONTH: APRIL 23 6:30 PM

A link will be sent out to all paid members to join the meeting via ZOOM.

REMINDER - Membership lasts one year and then you need to re-up.

ANTRIM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Meeting the first Thursday of each month 10 am

Meeting the third Thursday of each month 6:30 pm

Meetings are live-streamed on the County’s Facebook page. Open to the public.

Visit the County Commission Website

by clicking the button below

Antrim County Commission

CALENDAR OF REGULAR EVENTS

Antrim Dems are gathering

JOIN US!

PINTS AND POLITICS - A great place to meet others!

It occurs on the 3rd Tuesday of every month, alternating between Shorts Brewery in Bellaire (odd months), and Shorts Pull Barn in Elk Rapids (even months).

COME JOIN US IN APRIL!

WHEN: Tuesday, April 21

WHERE: Shorts Pull Barn in Elk Rapids

TIME: 4:00 pm for happy hour prices! Pints & Politics at 4:30…

REMINDER - You can always check the Antrim Dems Facebook page for dates and event information.

ANTRIM DEMS WOMEN’S WEEKLY COFFEE

WHEN: Every Wednesday, 10 am

WHERE: Art and Connection, 965 Green Street, Elk Rapids

ANTRIM DEMS COFFEE FOR ALL IN BELLAIRE

WHEN: Every Tuesday, 10 am

WHERE: M-88 Morning Grind, 614 E Cayuga.

ANTRIM DEMS MEN’S COFFEE

WHEN: Every Thursday, 11 am

WHERE: Art and Connection, 965 Green Street, Elk Rapids.

ANTRIM DEMS MONTHLY MEETING BY ZOOM

WHEN: 3^RD Thursday OF EACH MONTH

THIS MONTH: APRIL 23 6:30 PM

A link will be sent out to all paid members to join the meeting via ZOOM.

REMINDER - Membership lasts one year and then you need to re-up.

ANTRIM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Meeting the first Thursday of each month 10 am

Meeting the third Thursday of each month 6:30 pm

Meetings are live-streamed on the County’s Facebook page. Open to the public.

Visit the County Commission Website

by clicking the button below

Antrim County Commission

DID YOU ATTEND A NO KINGS RALLY?

IF YOU DID, LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

ALSO, DO YOU HAVE PHOTOS YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?

SEND COMMENTS/PHOTOS TO: SFOLEY@ANTRIMDEMS.COM

Thanks to Larry Peck for these photos from the Elk Rapids gathering!

OPPORTUNITY TO MEET CANDIDATES APRIL 2

Many of you had a chance to meet one of the Democratic candidates for the 1st District U.S. Representative seat, Callie Barr, who is taking her second shot at the seat presently occupied by carpetbagger, Jack Bergman. This is an opportunity to hear from most of the remaining candidates for the position.

KEEPING UP WITH ANTRIM COUNTY ELECTIONS

The filing deadline for most positions (other than Precinct Delegate) is April 21, 2026. As of right now, no candidate has filed for most of the seats and not one single Democrat has filed. Voters want a choice and Democrats need to be represented. Run for office! Check out the list here:

https://www.antrimcountymi.gov/departments___services_/clerk/elections.php

MAY 5 ELECTION

Did you know that many of the villages and townships have millage proposals before voters on May 5? Click to check out what is on the May 5 ballot here:

SAMPLE BALLOT

MIDTERM ELECTIONS ARE COMING

Voters in Antrim County will go to the polls for primaries on August 4, 2026, and Midterms on November 3, 2026.

Here is the Secretary of State’s list of all state and judicial races:

https://mi-boe.entellitrak.com/etk-mi-boe-prod/page.request.do?page=page.miboePublicReport&electionType=PRI&electionYear=2026

JOIN OR RENEW YOUR

2026 MEMBERSHIP

Membership is on a calendar year basis. So, it’s time to renew your membership! Click HERE it’s so easy!

We also need your donation. In 2025, we spent $9,495 on advertising in the 3 papers. Our advertising focused on how Republican policies are hurting Antrim County citizens, on how Jack Bergman is complicit in the shenanigans in Washington, and how Democrats have a path forward that focuses on bread and butter issues for the average person.

In 2026, we will expand our efforts, especially in social media, to unseat flawed local politicians and increase the vote for Democrats at all levels.

Without your help, none of this can happen!

If you have already renewed your membership, you can make an additional donation HERE

If you prefer, you can mail your check to Antrim Conty Dems to:

ACDP

P.O. Box 331

Elk Rapids, MI 49629

Need to join for the first time?

You can join as :

• Voting in Antrim County

• Joining Antrim Dems but don’t vote in this county

• Want to support Antrim Dems but don’t want to join.

Click HERE for these options.

PRECINCT DELEGATES

Becoming a candidate is a big commitment. But becoming a Precinct Delegate is a very small commitment. It means you are willing to commit a total of 10 hours between now and Election Day to helping get Dems elected. It might be sending text messages, making phone calls, writing postcards or knocking doors. You decide what you are going to do and when to do it. Do it with a friend or family member or perhaps your dog. Just do it.

Call Myrna Holland to find out more. 231-631-0125.

Here is the form that needs to be completed, notarized and filed with the County Clerk. Do not sign until the notary can witness your signature. Forms can be notarized at the Clerk’s office:

https://www.michigan.gov/sos/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/25delrio/Aff-ID_Precnt_139901_7.pdf?rev=270027aa54ec48a994f2557f51d82393&hash=707721D9B7FD79A15DF5A0C8241F64C8

It is highly recommended that you review your Affidavit with Myrna for completeness.

PRECINCT DELEGATES MUST SIGN UP BY MAY 5.

Getting elected is easy. As long as you vote for yourself, you will be elected (since it is unlikely anyone will be running against you.)

Here is a list of current Dems who have signed up so far to be Precinct Delegates:

https://cms5.revize.com/revize/antrim/Antrim_2026_Dem_Precinct_Delegate_Allocation_website.pdf?t=202603241433290&t=202603241433290

We are allotted 64 delegates in Antrim County. There are a set number in each precinct.

As a delegate, you will not be voted out. You will not be treated poorly in the community. You do not have to sign your life away. It takes just a bit of time between August and November.

If you count up time at coffees, at Pints & Politics, you will be spending fewer hours making postcards and calls than you do at the Coffees and Pints and Politics. Please consider being a Delegate!

• DEMOCRACY is NOT a spectator sport and we should all be doing something

• As David Orr said, “Hope is a verb with its shirt sleeves rolled up.” Action reduces anxiety.

• THIS PARTICULAR ELECTION, THIS TIME ---2026--requires action from us all.

• IF YOU EVER WANTED TO GET INVOLVED, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!

  ---

KEEPING A WATCHFUL EYE

OVER OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS

Concerning County Clerk – Victoria Bishop

With the level of corruption in Washington today, it might be easy to overlook the criminality that is going on in our own County. It is hard to think of a local politician who comes close to Victoria Bishop, our County Clerk, when it comes to being morally bankrupt.

While Bishop has almost 3 more years to serve as Clerk, it is important for all of us to be aware of her misdeeds and to keep a close eye on how she performs her duties as Clerk.

Top 10 Reasons Victoria Bishop is Unqualified to be County Clerk

1. Was officially reprimanded for filing false campaign finance report. Initially, she filed a campaign finance report claiming to have received campaign loans from her husband when she was running for Clerk. Later she claimed she gave the money to her own campaign. Where did the money really come from?

2. Illegally accepted $10,000 in cash donations in excess of $20 limit. She testified under oath that she gave her campaign $10,000 in cash that she had laying around the house. Campaign finance law in Michigan requires all contributions over $20 to be made by check, credit card or debit card. She seemed totally unaware of the law she is expected to be the expert on locally.

3. Doesn’t know basic campaign finance laws. She had no idea that she could only accept $20 cash. Her campaign finance reports were poorly prepared and incomplete. She seemed totally unaware of the law she is expected to be the expert on locally.

4. Failed to file tax returns for more than 5 years. In both her sworn testimony and her husband’s, they admitted not filing returns for as far back as they could remember. Since she owns a business (a radio station), she is legally compelled to file.

5. Comingled personal and business finances. She filed with the Court copies of her business bank statements. They showed both she and her husband making expenditures from the account for personal items such as liquor, nail salons, gas, and groceries.

6. Failed to keep required campaign finance records. When asked for copies of checks and receipts for expenditures, she indicated that she did not keep them.

7. Failed to keep required business records. She claimed to owe no taxes but kept no business records to show income or expenses. Her bank statements showed numerous deposits that appear to be from advertisers.

8. Likely failed to file proper Form 1099 for independent contractors. She claimed to employ two individuals as engineers for the radio station but no Form 1099’s were presented in the court proceedings.

9. Despite having an accounting degree, doesn’t seem to understand basic accounting requirements. She kept no records or income or expenses and filed no tax returns.

10. Was found in Contempt of Court by Federal Judge. She was repeatedly served with summons to appear in Court and present documents. The judge became so frustrated that she found her in Contempt of Court.

And that doesn’t even begin to cover the fact that she lives in an expensive golf course home with her husband, Trucker Randy, who is attempting to claim financial bankruptcy to avoid paying damages in a defamation suit from Moran Ironworks of Cheyboygan.

With a record such as hers, we can’t just hope she does a good job as Clerk. We need to attend meetings and when necessary, file Freedom of Information Act requests to stay aware of her conduct in office.

Just this past week, we had to notify Clerk Bishop that she calculated the allocation of Precinct Delegates incorrectly and not in compliance with Michigan law.

Please help us keep an eye on our local elected officials to assure we are getting the representation we are entitled to.

• STAY UP TO DATE WITH ANTRIM DEMS •

FACEBOOK

WEBSITE

AND ALSO VISIT TRAVERSE INDIVISIBLE FOR LOCAL UPDATES:

TRAVERSE INDIVISIBLE

WRAPPING UP ---

WHY DEMOCRATS ARE SO IMPORTANT

What happened to immigrant dad with little boy?

Family of Minneapolis Boy Detained by ICE Faces Fast-Track Deportation

MPR NEWS: “The family of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who became a symbol of Trump’s immigration crackdown, is appealing their accelerated removal.

‘The Trump administration is continuing its push to deport Liam Conejo Ramos, the 5-year-old boy whose detention became a defining image of the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

Liam and his family, who are from Ecuador, had a pending asylum application when he and his father were taken into custody on Jan. 20 during a sweep in Minneapolis and sent to a family detention center in Texas.

After images of Liam, wearing a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack and surrounded by masked federal agents, spread worldwide, he and his father were released from detention. But the Department of Homeland Security pressed forward with its effort to expel the family from the United States.

Last month, the federal government moved to end the family’s asylum case without holding a hearing on the merits of their petition. The maneuver has been increasingly used by the Trump administration to quickly dismiss asylum cases.

An immigration court judge ruled for the government, and Liam’s family had 30 days to appeal. On Wednesday, the family’s lawyers asked the Board of Immigration Appeals, which is an arm of the Justice Department, to send the case back to the immigration court to hear the family’s asylum claim.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It is unclear how quickly the case will be taken up by the board, which has been overhauled over the last year and is now made up mostly of Trump appointees.

But the government’s efforts to throw out the family’s asylum claim make clear that despite the widespread criticism that followed Liam’s detention, the Trump administration wants to keep the pressure on immigrants vulnerable to deportation. If the appeal is denied, Liam and his family could be deported to Ecuador.” (MPR News)

What is the cost of the Iranian war?

“What does this current war cost Americans? By Robert Reich on Substack, March 26

“…They didn’t anticipate that they’d have to lift sanctions on Iran, delivering the regime a huge windfall. Nor that they’d deliver vast oil profits to Vladimir Putin.

To the extent they engaged in any planning at all, they focused on America’s military might rather than the consequences of what might happen next. But as we should have learned years ago from bombing North Vietnam, political outcomes cannot be achieved solely from the skies.

Wars are judged by how they end, not how they begin. It is still possible, although highly improbable, that America will come out of this more secure than we went into it. But wars started without clear political objectives have rarely ended well.

The Trump regime now faces the task of trying to reopen Hormuz to prevent even worse economic chaos.

Either it prolongs the war and puts boots on the ground at a significance cost of human life, or it walks away and risks further economic chaos, major damage to America’s image and influence, and an Iranian regime more committed than ever to building a nuclear bomb.

Meanwhile, the costs of this war are accelerating rapidly. The price of oil has resumed its upward trajectory and the stock market, its downward drift.

The American public is paying in many ways — not just for more expensive gas but soon for more costly food due to pricier fertilizer.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage has now hit 6.38 percent, the fourth increase since the war began.

The Pentagon is requesting an additional $200 billion to fund the war. This comes to more than $1,400 per American household.

More costs will emerge. The George W. Bush administration in 2003 put the cost of the Iraq war at $40 billion; it ended up costing about $3 trillion.

Soldiers who develop medical disorders or aggravate existing ones, for example, will receive lifelong benefits and medical care, as they should. If today’s troops claim such benefits at the same rate as those who participated in the 1990-91 gulf war, this cost alone would eventually total at least $600 billion, not counting the human toll.

So far, the war has cost us more than $1.3 million per minute.

At this rate, as Times columnist Nicholas Kristof has calculated, for a bit more than two weeks of this war we could offer free college education to every American family earning less than $125,000 annually.

For less than three weeks of this war, we could run a nationwide pre-K program for 3- and 4-year-olds. For less than 13 hours of this war, we could screen all uninsured women for cervical cancer, saving several hundreds of lives.

For four hours of this war we could get glasses to all 2.3 million low-income schoolchildren in the United States who need them but don’t have them. For less than three weeks of this war, we could restore health insurance subsidies that the Trump administration let expire last year, preventing an estimated 8,800 deaths.

For a bit more than five hours of this war, we could deworm all children worldwide. For less than five hours of this war, we could provide vitamin A supplementation for the 190 million children around the world who need it, preventing up to 480,000 child deaths each year and virtually eliminate blindness from vitamin A deficiency.

For about one day’s worth of war spending we could save more than 350,000 lives worldwide from malaria.

Most Americans oppose this war. Congress did not authorize it. It is one man’s war: Donald Trump’s. He alone decided to put us into this horrific, bloody, hugely expensive, bind.

I hope and pray we come out of it without even more deaths and higher costs, but that seems improbable. The war is a deepening tragedy, a horrific waste of life and money, a mounting bill we will be paying for years to come.

Focus on this stark reality: One man has put us in this Middle East quagmire. One man is wrecking our economy. One man’s immigration agents have terrorized our neighbors and neighborhoods. One man has ridden roughshod over our system of government.

That man is not our king. He did not even win a majority of the national popular vote in 2024. (He won with a plurality of 49.8 percent, or just 32.5 percent of all eligible voters.)

He’s the only former or sitting president to have been impeached twice, the only former or sitting president have been convicted of criminal charges (34 felony counts), the only former or sitting president to have sought to overturn an election to remain in office.

So far he has gotten away with all of this.

We [marched] against him Saturday as a prelude to organizing and mobilizing to take over Congress in the midterm elections.

Someday, I sincerely hope, we will hold him accountable for the wreckage he has made of our country and much of the rest of the world.”

Robert Reich

Follow on Substack: https://substack.com/@robertreich

If you protested on March 28, thank you. The next logical step is to become a Precinct Delegate and help spread the word. We need to do all we can to defeat Jack Bergman as well as elect a Democratic U.S. Senator and restore a Democrat Trifecta in Lansing. Precinct Delegates help get Democrats elected up and down the entire ballot.

Antrim County Democratic Party/Michigan

Chairperson: Veronica Welter

Website: antrimdems.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntrimCountyDemocraticParty/

Volume #5. ANTRIM DEMS NEWSLETTER, WRITTEN AND ASSEMBLED BY ALLEN WOLF, JIM BLACK, AND SALLIE FOLEY. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS CAN BE DIRECTED TO SFOLEY@ANTRIMDEMS.COM

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

WHEN: THIS SATURDAY, MARCH 28

-------

The Antrim Dems NO KINGS RALLY - 10-11 AM

Location: Meet at the Commuter parking lot on US 31 across from the Mobil Station in Elk Rapids.

This allows people to join the Elk Rapids rally, get lunch, then go on to join the rally in Traverse City.

TC INDIVISBLE NO KINGS 3 MARCH-IN - 1-3 PM

The Traverse City Rally will begin at 12:00 PM at the Workshop Brewing Company and will proceed through downtown Traverse City.

Each rally invites you to bring your own signs or flags, or just come to be a part of the rally and show your support - NO KINGS IN THE USA!

BELLAIRE-HOSTED BY ANTRIM ACTION-10 AM

Location: Gather at Richardi Park, 402 N. Bridge St, Bellaire and march to the Antrim County Courthouse.

There will be a Rally following the march at the Courthouse and along E Cayuga St.

Need a sign?- We’ll have some available or make your own at 9:30 at Richardi Park.

The ACDP is an active grassroots organization that focuses on issues that affect us all. Membership is open to all U.S. citizens who are voting residents, parttime residents, interested visitors of Antrim County. We ask for a $5.00 per person annual membership fee. All donations made will be used to support the work of the ACDP.​

Download our membership form to mail in or click a link below

Membershipform

57.8KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

Voting in Antrim County

Join Here

Part Time Resident (non-voting)

Join Here

Just Wish To Donate

Donate Here

THANK YOU!

CALENDAR OF REGULAR EVENTS

Antrim Dems are gathering

JOIN US!

PINTS AND POLITICS - A great place to meet others!

It occurs on the 3rd Tuesday of every month, alternating between Shorts Brewery in Bellaire (odd months), and Shorts Pull Barn in Elk Rapids (even months).

COME JOIN US!

WHEN: Tuesday, March 17

WHERE: Shorts Brewery in Bellaire

TIME: 4PM

IT’S ST. PATRICKS DAY! DON’T MISS OUT!

ANTRIM DEMS WOMEN’S WEEKLY COFFEE

WHEN: Every Wednesday, 10 a.m.

WHERE: Art and Connection, 965 Green Street, Elk Rapids

ANTRIM DEMS ALL COFFEE IN BELLAIRE

WHEN: Every Tuesday, 10 am

WHERE: M-88 Morning Grind, 614 E Cayuga.

ANTRIM DEMS MEN’S COFFEE

WHEN: Every Thursday, 11 a.m.

WHERE: Art and Connection, 965 Green Street, Elk Rapids.

• • • SPECIAL NOTICE • • •

ANTRIM DEMS MONTHLY MEETING CANCELED

SEE YOU IN APRIL!

• • • • • •

COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Meeting the first Thursday of each month 10 a.m.

Meeting the third Thursday of each month 6:30 p.m.

Meetings are live-streamed on the County’s Facebook page. Open to the public.

Visit the County Commission Website

by clicking the button below

Antrim County Commission

NATIONAL

NO KINGS DAY

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

WHEN: SATURDAY, MARCH 28

-------

The Antrim Dems NO KINGS RALLY - 10-11 AM

Location: Meet at the Commuter parking lot on US 31 across from the Mobil Station in Elk Rapids.

This allows people to join the Elk Rapids rally, get lunch, then go on to join the rally in Traverse City.

TC INDIVISBLE NO KINGS 3 MARCH-IN - 1-3 PM

The Traverse City Rally will begin at 12:00 PM at the Workshop Brewing Company and will proceed through downtown Traverse City.

Each rally invites you to bring your own signs or flags, or just come to be a part of the rally and show your support - NO KINGS IN THE USA!

BELLAIRE-HOSTED BY ANTRIM ACTION-10 AM

Location: Gather at Richardi Park, 402 N. Bridge St, Bellaire and march to the Antrim County Courthouse.

There will be a Rally following the march at the Courthouse and along E Cayuga St.

Need a sign?- We’ll have some available or make your own at 9:30 at Richardi Park.

MIDTERMS ARE COMING

Know Your Candidates

Voters in Antrim County will go to the polls for primaries on August 4, 2026, and Midterms on November 3, 2026.

If you are curious about the complexity of preparing for elections, here is the day by day calendar (in pdf form) of a clerk’s responsibilities :

https://www.michigan.gov/sos/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/Election-Administrators/Election-Dates.pdf

Antrim Dems will be voting on the following federal and state positions:

• Senator - US

• Governor – State of MI

• Secretary of State - MI

• Attorney General - MI

• State Senator for District 37/MI

• State Representative for District 105/MI

Stay tuned for several more to be added.

Dems have many qualified people running for office. We will do our best to keep you posted about upcoming ANTRIM COUNTY gatherings and opportunities to meet candidates.

Here is the Secretary of State’s list of all state and judicial races:

https://mi-boe.entellitrak.com/etk-mi-boe-prod/page.request.do?page=page.miboePublicReport&electionType=PRI&electionYear=2026

COMING MONDAY MARCH 23

ELK RAPIDS HISTORIC TOWN HALL, 5:30 to 7:00 pm

UPDATE

Banks Township Zoning Ordinance Meeting

After months of debate and a packed public meeting, Banks Township will keep its zoning rules in place following a narrow 3-2 vote by the township board. We will strive to continue to keep you informed of any further developments.

JOIN OR RENEW YOUR

2026 MEMBERSHIP

Membership is on a calendar year basis. So, it’s time to renew your membership! Click HERE it’s so easy!

We also need your donation. In 2025, we spent $9,495 on advertising in the 3 papers. Our advertising focused on how Republican policies are hurting Antrim County citizens, on how Jack Bergman is complicit in the shenanigans in Washington, and how Democrats have a path forward that focuses on bread and butter issues for the average person.

In 2026, we will expand our efforts, especially in social media, to unseat flawed local politicians and increase the vote for Democrats at all levels.

Without your help, none of this can happen!

If you have already renewed your membership, you can make an additional donation HERE

If you prefer, you can mail your check to Antrim Conty Dems to:

ACDP

P.O. Box 331

Elk Rapids, MI 49629

Need to join for the first time?

You can join as :

• Voting in Antrim County

• Joining Antrim Dems but don’t vote in this county

• Want to support Antrim Dems but don’t want to join.

Click HERE for these options.

Thinking about being an Antrim Dem Delegate

“If you’re a like me, I sometimes put things off.

I’ll think, ‘I have time to get that later, and the kids/grandkids/housework/friend catchup/etc can come first.’ “

Sign-up for being a Dem precinct delegate for the Antrim Dems is MAY 1

Why do I do it?

Because:

• I believe in the planks of the Democratic Party

• I believe that democracy is NOT a spectator sport and we should all be doing something

• I believe that as David Orr said, “Hope is a verb with its shirt sleeves rolled up.” Action reduces anxiety.

• I believe that this particular time—2026—requires action from us all.

Go to Antrim County website. Type in ‘Precinct Delegate’ in search at top.

YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE . . .

WE STILL NEED DELEGATES!

20 hours of your time could have a

BIG IMPACT

on the next election !

BEING A PRECINCT DELEGATE 2026

WHO IS A PRECINCT DELEGATE?

• Registered voter willing to help with the election of Democrats and who will be on their township ballot in the August 4, 2026 MI primary for a 2 year term as a precinct delegate.

• As a Precinct Delegate you serve as a link between the voters in your precinct and the campaigns of local, state and national Democratic candidates. Only Mancelona Twp. Has 2 precincts, all others have one precinct.

• The number of delegates per precinct is determined by the number of Democratic votes in the 2022 election for the Secretary of State. Total to be elected for Antrim County this year is 59, but there is no limit on how many can be on the ballot. Let’s show Antrim voters how many DemThere are 16 precincts in Antrim County and the number of alloted delegates per precinct varies from 1 to 10 this year. Goal is to have more than one candidate for every slot.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS A

PRECINCT DELEGATE CAN DO?

• The Democratic Party by-laws required responsibility for the elected P.D. is to elect the leadership (Executive Committee) of the Antrim County party. To fulfill that duty, you do need to be a member of the County party, $5. State dues are separate and run from 0 to $1000

• P.D.’s are the base of the grass roots efforts to serve as a bridge between the voters and the Democratic organization, therefore the other tasks that you can do to elect Democrats . These can include the following, which are not inclusive nor all required :

1) Be sure Democrats registered to vote

2) Find sites for candidate signage

3) Distribute candidates’ literature

4) Make calls & send postcards to get out the vote

5) Organize and/or publicize events where voters can meet candidates

6) Serve as a poll worker, poll watcher, or challenger. You do not have to be a P.D. for these

7) Recruit others to assist with above tasks or to run for an elected office.

8) Take shift in ACDP office which we plan to have in Elk Rapids.

9) Are there other ideas that you have to help us have a successful election?

HOW DO I SIGN UP TO BE A

CANDIDATE FOR PRECINCT DELEGATE?

• Complete Precinct Delegate Affidavit of Identity which can be obtained from Township or County Clerk or online at michigan.gov/sos

• Have the form notarized and delivered to County Clerk in Bellaire. Some townships do have a notary and will send it on to the County Clerk.

• DEADLINE for submission is 4PM, May 5, 2026

• You cannot be a P.D. if you are an elected public official. However, yuou can still be a poll watcher, poll challenger or work at the polls.

WHAT IF I AM NOT ELECTED?

• You are then an alternate delegate and assist the elected delegates of any township in any way you can to elect Democrats in the November 8, 2026 election.

CAN WE COUNT ON YOU TO BE ON THE BALLOT

AS PRECINCT DELEGATE?

YES! Then complete an affadavit obtainable from County Clerk or michigan.gov/sos, or antrimdems.com

Call Myrna Holland at 231-631-0125

or Veronica Welter at 989-213-5193 if you have questions and also when you have submitted your affidavit.

Just an FYI, we need 59 delegates!!! We have over 300 people on this newsletter. Let’s get active. Call me if you have questions.

As a precinct delegate you can always canvass with a buddy, or write postcards if you don’t want to go door to door. At the end of your service, please let us know hou you felt.. Myrna Holland and Allen Wolf will train us well!

ACDP Facebook

ACDP Website

• STAY UP TO DATE WITH ANTRIM DEMS •

CHECK IN REGULARLY WITH ANTRIM COUNTY DEMOCRATIC FACEBOOK PAGE:

https://www.facebook.com/AntrimCountyDemocraticParty/

AND ALSO VISIT:

TRAVERSE INDIVISIBLE FOR LOCAL UPDATES:

https://www.traverseindivisible.org

WE HAVE BEEN ADVERTISING IN THE ANTRIM REVIEW, THE ELK RAPIDS NEWS, AND NORTHERN EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS!

CLICK THE BUTTONS BELOW TO SEE THE LATEST

Antrim Review Ad

Elk Rapids Ad

N. Express Ad

Important Announcement Alert!

Beware of possible fraudulent voter mail!

Did You Receive a Postcard Asking You to Verify Your Voting Address?

We have been hearing that some individuals in Antrim County have received what appears to be a request from the Antrim County Clerk’s Office.

The communications may be fake. The phone number is the Clerk’s office. We are unsure at this point if it is really from the Clerk’s office. A Clerk’s office should never be asking you for your driver’s license number.

A card like this is supposed to be sent when the Clerk’s office receives “CREDIBLE” information that you no longer live at that address. If you got one of these postcards and did not move, IT WAS SENT WITHOUT CREDIBLE INFORMATION . This appears to be a mass effort to suppress voting.

If you receive one of these cards, please tell us your name and township/city. Your best bet is to call the clerk’s office and ask if they sent you the card. Under no circumstances should you provide your drivers license number.

If the Clerk’s Office is sending election info out to an old address or to a name you no longer use (you changed your name), you can contact the Clerk’s office and they can correct that immediately.

If you are getting mail from the clerk’s office for someone else who no longer lives at that address and you can’t reach that person, you can contact the Clerk’s office and tell them. That person will be placed on the “to be verified “ list. The postcard will be sent out like the one we are discussing here. Only after two federal election cycles (2026 and 2028) that person will be removed from the voter rolls.

Sending out these postcard verification requests to people who have not moved is not normal and should almost never happen. We are checking now on who sent them and why.

Important Note:

In Michigan, you can register on any day, including Election Day. So, if someone is improperly removed, it can be corrected. If you have moved within Michigan, you can easily change your voter registration at michigan.gov/vote until about 14 days before an election. After that, it must be done in person.

Allen Wolf

Thinking about ...

RALLIES

Question: Why do people go to rallies?

Answer: To let those in power know that we are resisting their policies. We do not agree with them.

……People aren’t just resisting because they’re angry.

…….They’re resisting because something in them still recognizes right from wrong.

………..That’s the part tyrants never understand.

……..They can scare people. They can bully institutions. They can flood the air with lies.

……….But they cannot fully kill the moral instinct of ordinary people.

………..And once enough ordinary people remember who they are…

................ that’s when the tide turns.

Antrim County Democratic Party/Michigan

Chairperson: Veronica Welter

Website: antrimdems.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntrimCountyDemocraticParty/

Volume #4. ANTRIM DEMS NEWSLETTER, WRITTEN AND ASSEMBLED BY ALLEN WOLF, JIM BLACK, AND SALLIE FOLEY. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS CAN BE DIRECTED TO SFOLEY@ANTRIMDEMS.COM

Click the button below to get started!

REGISTER