TRAVERSE CITY -- The Aug. 5 primary election promises to feature contested races for sheriff in several area counties.
Incumbent sheriffs in Antrim, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau will face challengers this summer, and a contested race is assured in Benzie County, where the incumbent sheriff is retiring.
The deadline to declare candidacy was Tuesday.
In Grand Traverse County, Sheriff Scott Fewins is up against newcomers and fellow Republicans Thomas Bensley and Brian Weese for the four-year post. Fewins first was elected in 2000. He did not return calls seeking comment Tuesday.
Bensley began working for the sheriff's office in 1971, and spent 15 years supervising marine operations. He declined to answer questions over the telephone Tuesday.
Weese, 49, a service technician for Tri-Gas, said the only qualification for sheriff is that he "gets more votes than the other guy."
"It's just one of those things that you learn as you go," said Weese, who has no law enforcement experience. "There's a lot that's going on in the sheriff's department that shouldn't be, and it's time they were corrected."
In Antrim County, former Undersheriff Dan Bean and former Mancelona police officer Rocky Windish, both Republicans, are running against incumbent Sheriff Terry Johnson, also a Republican.
Otherwise, no other elected Antrim County official faces a challenger. County Commissioner Laura Stanek, of the seventh district, is the sole Democrat.
Four candidates are up for Benzie County Sheriff Robert Blank's position, including former Undersheriff Rory Heckman, who resigned this month to run. Brant Downing, Jeff Morse and Damon Wilkes also are contenders.
Downing received his master's degree in public administration from Grand Valley State University and studied criminal justice at Ferris State University. Morse is a former police officer who now works as a paraprofessional for the Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District, and Wilkes is a reserve deputy for the Kalkaska County Sheriff's Department.
A number of other county offices also have open seats.
Seven incumbents in nine districts are running for re-election to the Grand Traverse County board. Incumbents Larry Fleis and Addison Wheelock are being challenged by Democratic candidates Phil Scott, of Kingsley, and Interlochen resident Don Dierkes. Incumbent Herb Lemcool is being challenged by Republican Michael Stepka.
Dave Barr, a Republican and vice president of Traverse City's school board, is running against Democrat Ross Richardson, a Traverse City planning commissioner, for a county commission seat vacated by Wayne Schmidt.
Barr said he would continue on the school board through the end of his term in 2009 if elected.
Two Republican candidates are seeking to replace retiring Commissioner Margaret Underwood on the county board, including Beth Friend and Vince Maloney.
-- Staff writers Melissa Domsic, Brian McGillivary and Sheri McWhirter contributed to this report.
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