St. Clair County, Michigan

St. Clair County Commissioner, District 5, Partial Term Ending 12/31/2028

2 candidates are tracked for St. Clair County Commissioner, District 5, Partial Term Ending 12/31/2028 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Dorothy Yope and Paul Zeller. Candidate information follows official St. Clair County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

A partisan special election to fill the remainder of a vacated commission term, distinct from the regular county commission cycle (last elected countywide in 2024), per the St. Clair County Clerk's official candidate list. This contest is on the November 3, 2026 ballot.

What this office does

County commissioner. The county board is the county's legislative and, in most states, executive body. Commissioners adopt the county budget and property tax rate, oversee roads, the jail, public health, planning and zoning in unincorporated areas, and appoint or confirm department heads. In counties with an elected county executive or judge, the board's role is mainly the budget and ordinances.

Michigan › St. Clair County › St. Clair County Commissioner, District 5, Partial Term Ending 12/31/2028

Dorothy Yope

Democratic

Top priorities

Restore confidence in health department leadership through evidence-based decisions
End backroom deals and require transparency before commitments
Repair and maintain roads, bridges, and other infrastructure

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Dorothy Yope is a teacher, school counselor, and psychotherapist who has lived in St. Clair Township for 24 years, per her campaign site. She is the Democratic candidate for St. Clair County Commissioner, District 5. Dorothy Yope appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for St. Clair County Commissioner, District 5, Partial Term Ending 12/31/2028, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Paul Zeller

Republican

Biography

Paul Zeller holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University and a MIDV from Wesley Seminary, per the St. Clair County website. He serves as Lead Chaplain at the St. Clair County Jail with Reach the Forgotten Jail Ministry and chairs the county's Community and Economic Development Committee, per the same source. Paul Zeller appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for St. Clair County Commissioner, District 5, Partial Term Ending 12/31/2028, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 6, 2026.

Next on your ballotJudge of Court of Appeals, 4th District

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Questions about this race

Who is running for St. Clair County Commissioner, District 5, Partial Term Ending 12/31/2028 in 2026?

When is the St. Clair County Commissioner, District 5, Partial Term Ending 12/31/2028 election in Michigan?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Michigan are on the Michigan election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact St. Clair County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official St. Clair County and state election office filings, last verified October 1, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Michigan election office, or see the full St. Clair County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your St. Clair County ballot

37 tracked races in St. Clair County, Michigan. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

St. Clair County Judge of Circuit Court, 31st Circuit, Incumbent Position St. Clair County Judge of Probate Court, Incumbent Position St. Clair County Judge of District Court, 72nd District, Incumbent Position See all 37 St. Clair County races

Candidate profiles

Dorothy Yope, full profile Paul Zeller, full profile Official Michigan election office