MENOMINEE, MICH. – On Nov. 10, the Menominee County Board of Canvassers certified Nov. 5 election results, including a 1st Ward race decided by two or three votes that could prompt a recount and possibly change the composition of the council, which gained two new women in the election.
Incumbent 1st Ward Michael DeDamos — who campaigned on imposing a limit to the number of marijuana stores in Menominee — was declared the winner by three votes, one more than reported in unofficial results released Nov. 5, where he netted 179 votes to opponent Donna Larsen’s 177. A candidate has 48 hours after the board of canvassers certifies the election to request a recount, said Menominee County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds Marc Kleiman.
Larsen hadn’t conceded as of the press deadline, though DeDamos said he had been congratulated by Mayor Casey Hoffman and others immediately following the election.
This election also included a question asking voters whether they were in favor of limiting the number of marijuana stores in Menominee to nine. It was the second marijuana ballot in three months, after a Menominee County judge invalidated an Aug. 4 election at the request of council member Bill Plemel who pointed out Michigan election law requires at least one candidate be on the ballot for an election to be valid.
On Nov. 4, Menominee voters had a second chance to voice their opinions, but many stayed home. About 27% of the city’s roughly 7,000 registered voters cast votes, according to election data published on Menominee County’s website. In comparison, about 62% of registered voters in Menominee County cast ballots in the U.S. presidential race in the November 2024 general election
In other contests, 2nd Ward candidate Windy-Marie Kerkela garnered 268 votes to opponent Beth Peanosky’s 186. In the 3rd Ward, incumbent Josh Jones was unopposed and earned 369 votes, while 44 write-in votes also were cast. In the 4th Ward, Christina Vargo netted 293 votes topping Vincent Baron’s 213, according to unofficial results.
Several candidates said they had hoped for a larger election turnout to provide a clearer answer to the marijuana ordinance question on the ballot.
“It’s hard to say that it’s what the citizens want with numbers indicating that the majority didn’t vote. But there is absolutely a strong number of the voters who voted to limit the stores,” Kerkela said. She said she ran for election because she had noticed a gap between residents and the city.
Vargo said low voter turnout reflects residents’ disengagement. While many people feel their vote won’t make a difference, Vargo said she disagreed.
“When we do not show up, we leave decisions about our neighborhoods, schools and city services in the hands of a few. By voting, we not only shape the future of our community, but we also send a powerful message that we care, we’re paying attention, and we’re ready to be part of the solution.”
Vargo did her part by co-hosting meet-and-greet events to listen to residents’ concerns. She also attended council meetings to stay informed.
In the 1st Ward election between incumbent DeDamos and Larsen — the former owner of Trends and Traditions on 1st Street — Larsen said she was surprised DeDamos and other council members were silent at the Oct. 20 council meeting when Mayor Casey Hoffman motioned for a Marijuana Reduction Amendment. The amendment would have reduced the number of stores to seven through attrition. The motion failed for a lack of a second.
To Peanosky, the marijuana ballot was partly about the city doing the right thing for businesses that have invested in property rights. The delays and litigation are wasting taxpayers’ money and prolonging the controversy, she said. Stores given licenses should be allowed to open, she said.
Peanosky also said the marijuana ballot wasn’t a voter initiative, but an orchestrated effort by a group called Defending Menominee, A Ballot Committee. According to a court filing, the group has a Lansing address.
“There were a lot of mailers that went out from this Defending Menominee group, so that could have been a bit confusing to people as well. But Defending Menominee is a political organization that started this ballot initiative to limit the number of dispensaries. Many people learned this organization was run by Lume Cannabis, a marijuana company with a store at 2812 10th St.,” she said.
“They thought it was a voter initiative, but it wasn’t. That made many voters feel they weren’t participating in a true democratic vote process but instead a battle between cannabis companies that want to limit their competition,” she said.
Attorney Kevin Blair of Lansing law firm Honigman LLP represented Defending Menominee in front of Judge Mary Barglind when she invalidated the August election and ordered a redo of the ballot asking voters whether they supported a limit of nine marijuana stores. Blair also has served as Lume Cannabis’ attorney.
In an email in response to a question about the relationship between Defending Menominee and Lume, he said there was none. He denied he was a force behind the marijuana ballot, calling it “unfair and inaccurate,” but provided no explanation for why he had represented both Lume and Defending Menominee.
As some lawsuits over the city’s process for assigning licenses have been resolved, new ones have been filed, and it’s been tiring, DeDamos said, in part because no one seems to know how to resolve the issues.
In a Facebook post, Casey said, “I regret to inform the public that, on October 20, 2025, I was the only member of the Menominee City Council who fought for fewer marijuana dispensaries. You can lead a horse to water — but you cannot make it drink. Please join me on Election Day to reduce the number of dispensaries in Menominee and elect candidates brave enough to represent your voice.”
Larsen said she is asking for a recount of 1st Ward votes because the numbers were so close. Besides the marijuana cap, Larsen said she would like to see more businesses in Menominee.
Larsen also wants the city’s website to be more interactive and allow for people to watch the public meetings online.
DeDamos said onNov. 7 that no one had told him about a recount. “I’ve been congratulated [by] everyone from the mayor on down,” he said. He campaigned door to door with a pledge to cap the number of marijuana stores.
“People seemed to be worried about the reputation of the community. The number of pot stores is embarrassing.”
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