John Hieftje

John Hieftje (/ˈhiːftjɛ/ HEEFT-yeh, /-dʒə/ -⁠jə) is an American politician who served as the 60th mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan.[1] Hieftje began his political career in 1999, when he was elected to the city council for Ann Arbor's 1st Ward as a Democrat. He was first as Mayor in 2000, and was re-elected in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012.

John Hieftje
Hieftje in 2012
60th Mayor of Ann Arbor
In office
November 13, 2000 – November 10, 2014
Preceded byIngrid Sheldon
Succeeded byChristopher Taylor
Member of the Ann Arbor City Council from Ward 1
In office
November 8, 1999 – November 13, 2000
Preceded byPatricia Vereen-Dixon
Succeeded byRobert M. Johnson
Personal details
BornBattle Creek, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseKathryn Goodson
Children1
Alma materEastern Michigan University

Early life

Hieftje was born in Battle Creek, Michigan and grew up in Ann Arbor. Hieftje worked for the United States Forest Service and as a real estate agent.[2] He graduated from Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan in 1997.

Environmentalist stance

Hieftje has campaigned as an environmentalist, advocating for various alternative energy, anti-sprawl, and parks measures. The largest of these was a 2003 ballot initiative in which Ann Arbor residents were asked to approve property tax increases to fund the Ann Arbor Parks and Greenbelt Program. This anti-sprawl program called for the purchase of conservation easements on up to 7,000 acres (28 km²) of land in and around the city in order to preserve farmland and open space. On November 4, 2003, Ann Arbor residents approved this program 2-1, generating about $35 million to purchase land.

Hieftje considers himself "an environmentalist and a fiscal conservative."[2]

Career and awards

Hieftje has served on the boards of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, the Michigan Theater, the Huron River Watershed Council, and the Lake Superior Conservancy and Watershed Council. He has served as Co-Chair of the Washtenaw Metro Alliance and as Chair of Recycle Ann Arbor and of Urban Core Mayors of Michigan. He is a member of the Sierra Club, the Ecology Center of Ann Arbor, and the National Wildlife Federation (Great Lakes Office).

Hieftje has won several awards, including Local Elected Official of the Year Award from the Michigan Recreation and Parks Association, the Conservation Leadership Award from the Greater Detroit Audubon Society, the Conservation Award from the Huron Valley Group of Sierra Club, and the Preservationist of the Year Award from Washtenaw Land Trust.

Electoral history

1999
1999 Ann Arbor City Council Ward 1 Democratic primary[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Hieftje 818 69.91%
Democratic Simone Lightfoot 350 29.91%
Write-in Write-ins 2 0.17%
Total votes 1,170
1999 Ann Arbor City Council Ward 1[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Hieftje 1,090 87.62%
Libertarian Charles Goodman 140 11.25%
Write-in Write-ins 14 1.13%
Total votes 1,244

2000
2000 Ann Arbor mayoral election[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Hieftje 34,111 68.34%
Republican Stephen Rapundalo 13,946 27.94%
Libertarian Charles Goodman 1,849 3.70%
Write-in Audrey L. Jackson 9 0.02%

2002
2002 Ann Arbor mayoral election[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Hieftje (incumbent) 26,495 75.05%
Republican Marcia Higgins 8,764 24.83%
Write-in Write-ins 43 0.12%
Total votes 35,302

2004
2004 Ann Arbor mayoral election[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Hieftje (incumbent) 38,067 68.65%
Republican Jane Lumm 17,285 31.17%
Write-in Write-ins 97 0.17%
Total votes 55,449

2006
2006 Ann Arbor mayoral election Democratic primary[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Hieftje (incumbent) 6,703 69.71%
Democratic Wendy Ann Woods 2,913 30.29%
Write-in Write-ins 0 0.00%
Total votes 9,616
2006 Ann Arbor mayoral election[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Hieftje (incumbent) 30,935 78.88%
Independent Tom Wall 8,283 21.12%
Write-in Write-ins 0 0.00%
Total votes 39,218

2008
2008 Ann Arbor mayoral election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Hieftje (incumbent) 46,811 84.94%
Libertarian Eric Plourde 8,001 14.52%
Write-in Write-ins 300 0.54%
Total votes 55,112

2010
2010 Ann Arbor mayoral election Democratic primary[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Hieftje (incumbent) 10,058 83.91%
Democratic Patricia Lesko 1,869 15.59%
Write-in Write-ins 60 0.50%
Total votes 11,987
2010 Ann Arbor mayoral election[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Hieftje (incumbent) 27,957 81.99%
Independent Steve Bean 5,983 17.55%
Write-in Write-ins 159 0.47%
Total votes 34,099

2012
2012 Ann Arbor mayoral election[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Hieftje (incumbent) 42,262 84.11%
Independent Albert Howard 7,652 15.23%
Write-in Write-ins 335 0.67%
Total votes 50,249

References
  1. Erickson, Donna L. (2006-10-31). MetroGreen: connecting open space in North American cities. Island Press. pp. 3–. ISBN 978-1-55963-843-2. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  2. The Hieftje Decades
  3. "CITY PRIMARY ELECTION CITY OF Ann Arbor WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICHIGAN". Washtenaw County, Michigan. 3 August 1999. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  4. "CITY PRIMARY ELECTION CITY OF Ann Arbor WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICHIGAN". Washtenaw County, Michigan. 3 August 1999. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  5. "GENERAL ELECTION WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICHIGAN Tuesday, November 07, 2000 Official Election Results Cumulative Report". Washtenaw County, Michigan. 21 November 2000. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  6. "Official Election Results Cumulative Report". Washtenaw County, Michigan. 20 November 2002. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  7. "Official Election Results Cumulative Report". Washtenaw County, Michigan. 16 November 2004. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  8. "Official Election Results Cumulative Report". Washtenaw County, Michigan. 30 November 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  9. "Official Election Results Cumulative Report". Washtenaw County, Michigan. 14 December 2006. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  10. "Official Election Results Cumulative Report". Washtenaw County, Michigan. 20 November 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  11. "Official Election Results Cumulative Report". Washtenaw County, Michigan. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  12. "Official Election Results Cumulative Report". Washtenaw County, Michigan. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  13. "Official Election Results Cumulative Report". Washtenaw County, Michigan. 15 November 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
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