2012 Bay County Executive election

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2012 Bay County Executive election
←  2008 November 6, 2012 2016  →
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Nominee Thomas L. Hickner
Party Democratic
Popular vote38,426
Percentage98.49%
Bay County Executive before election

Thomas L. Hickner
Democratic

Elected Bay County Executive

Thomas L. Hickner
Democratic

The 2012 Bay County Executive election was held on November 6, 2012. Incumbent County Executive Thomas L. Hickner ran for re-election to a sixth term. He defeated Mark McFarlin, a perennial candidate, in the Democratic primary, by a wide margin. Hickner faced no opposition in the general election and was re-elected unopposed.

Contents

Democratic primary

Candidates

Campaign

Hickner ran for re-election to a sixth term as County Executive, citing his "experience and knowledge" in managing the county and his record of putting the county's finances in "excellent shape." [1] He pointed to the fact that he "balanced the budget every year with no increase in general fund tax rates, while maintaining a healthy 'rainy day' fund." [2] He was challenged by Mark McFarlin, who was the 2004 Republican nominee for County Executive and a 2008 Democratic candidate. McFarlin attacked Hickner as a "tax-and-spend liberal," arguing that county government salaries needed to be frozen and taxes needed to be dramatically cut "to stimulate growth in the commercial sector and provide needed employment." [1] He criticized the County Commission as "reckless and undemocratic," and Hickner for "fail[ing] to hold the County Commission in check." [2] Despite the sharp differences between the candidates, neither candidate raised or spent significant campaign funds, though Hickner raised significantly more than McFarlin. [3]

Results

Democratic primary results [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Thomas L. Hickner (inc.) 8,114 67.01%
Democratic Mark McFarlin3,97132.80%
Democratic Write-ins230.19%
Total votes12,108 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

No candidates filed for the Republican nomination.

Results

Republican primary results [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Write-ins 182 100.00%
Total votes182 100.00%

General election

Results

2012 Bay County Executive election [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Thomas L. Hickner (inc.) 38,426 98.49%
Write-in 5911.51%
Total votes39,017 100.00%
Democratic hold

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bellor, Beth (July 29, 2012). "Bay County executive faces familiar opponent". The Bay City Times . Bay City, Michigan. p. A4. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  2. 1 2 Martin, Robert E. (July 26, 2012). "CANDIDATE FORUM: Mark McFarlin Takes on Thomas Hickner for the Position of Bay County Executive". Review Magazine. Saginaw, Michigan . Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  3. ↑ Bellor, Beth (July 26, 2012). "Bay County Executive campaign not a high-spending affair, according to finance reports". MLive . Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "August 7, 2012 Primary Election" (PDF). Bay County Clerk. August 16, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  5. ↑ "November 6, 2012 General Election" (PDF). Bay County Clerk. 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
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