Election primer: What will be on your ballot Tuesday

Voters will decide two seats on the Ann Arbor City Council in Tuesday’s primary election, as well as three tax increases in Ypsilanti Township and a $12.3 million bond issue in Whitmore Lake.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Voters are not required to present a voter registration card at the polling place, but must present a form of photo identification, including a driver’s license, state-issued I.D. card, U.S. passport, military I.D. or student I.D. card from a high school or accredited higher learning institution.

• Find your polling place and your voter precinct

Ann Arbor

Two incumbent city council members will be defending their seats in 3rd and 4th ward races. Council members serve two-year terms.

Council member Stephen Kunselman, D-3rd Ward, will face challenger and Democratic candidate Julie Grand.

Kunselman has served three terms on council. Grand is the chairwoman of the city's Parks Advisory Commission.

In the 4th Ward, incumbent council member Marcia Higgins, a Democrat, will be facing Democratic candidate Jack Eaton.

Higgins has served on the City Council for 14 years. Eaton, who has lived in the 4th Ward since 1998, works as a labor attorney in Southfield.

The August primary election precedes the November regular election, when voters will decide the 2nd Ward seat on City Council as well.

Ypsilanti Township

Four proposals will be before voters for approval, three of which are millage increases:

• Increase of .325 mills from 3.2 mills for fire services, which would annually generate an additional estimated $370,671.
• Increase of .950 mills from 5 mills for police protection, which would annually generate an additional estimated $1,083,502.
• Increase of .475 mills from 1.68 mills for garbage, refuse collection, recycling, composting, energy conservation, alternative energy, water quality and environmental protection, which would annually generate an estimated $541,751.
• Renew the roads millage, which is set at 1.0059 mills.

Ypsilanti Township officials have stated that without the millage increases there would likely be severe cuts to core services like fire and police protection.

If all three millage increases are passed, the owner of a home with a taxable value of $100,000 would pay an additional $175 per year in taxes.

Whitmore Lake Public Schools

Voters living in the Whitmore Lake Public Schools District will decide on a proposed $12.3 million bond issue to remodel and update school facilities and technology, purchase school buses as well as to construct athletic buildings and playing fields.

The school district is pursuing general obligation unlimited tax bonds for the work. The district encompasses parts of Washtenaw and Livingston counties.

The estimated tax rate is 2.5 mills to pay back the bond in the first year. The millage rate would mean a homeowner with a house of $100,000 taxable value would pay $250 per year on top of his or her existing tax burden.

Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.