Saline Patch is devoted to bringing you the information you need about 2012 political races that touch our community. Here are the candidates to watch in races locals are already talking about:

Saline City Hall

Brian Marl and Glenn Law are running for the office of mayor. Marl serves on City Council. Law was one of council's longest serving members before resigning last fall to take a teaching job up north.

• Saline Mayor's Race Pits Former Colleagues Against Each Other

Incumbent city council members David Rhoads and Dean Girbach are seeking re-election. They are joined by Lee Bourgoin, who left the city after serving for years as city manager and then finance director.

• City Ballot Final: Law vs. Marl for Mayor, No Race for council

52nd House District

Mark Ouimet, the incumbent Republican from Scio Township faces a challenge from Saline Mayor Gretchen Driskell, Democratic candidate. 

• Driskell, Ouimet Don't See Eye-to-Eye on campaign issues
• AUDIO: On the Campaign Trail with Saline Mayor Gretchen Driskell
• AUDIO: On the Campaign Trail with State Rep. Mark Ouimet
• Saline Mayor Gretchen Driskell to Challenge Rep. Mark Ouimet for 52nd District Seat in November

School Board

Karen Delhey, Paul Hynek, Diane Friese and Smita Nagpal are all running for two open seats on the Saline School Board. Incumbents Lisa Slawson and Chuck Lesch, decided against seeking office. Dawn Ducca, who had planned to run a joint campaign with Slawson, also dropped out of the race.

• Delhey, Hynek Announce Candidacy for Saline School Board
• Friese, Nagpal Running For Saline School Board

York Township

Republican primary winner John Stanowski will vie with Democrat Joan Alexander for the township supervisor's position. Clerk Helen Neill and Treasurer Sally won their primaries and will run unopposed in November. Republicans Brian Iott, Dan Pichla, Jill Hargrove and Jane Kartje, and incumbent Gary Zajac, a Democrat, are on the fall ballot. 

• Stanowski Edges Tellas in York Supervsior Race

Lodi Township

Supervisor Jan Godek, incumbent, survived a primary challenge and will run unopposed in November, as will Clerk Elaine Masters and Treasurer Michelle Foley. Those running for four trustee positions are Margaret Canham-Keeley, William Lindemann, Donald Rentschler and five write-in candidates: Alan E. D'Agostino, Barbara Giezentaner, Larry F. Gakle, Jeffrey Feldkamp and Mark Druckmiller. 

Trustee Byron Staebler's death in October presented the need for write-in candidates. 

Ballot issues

Michigan voters will decide the fate of six constitutional amendments this fall:

1. Repeal Emergency Financial Manager Law
2. Guarantee public and private employees the right to organize and bargain collectively 
3. Establish a standard for renewable energy 
4. Establish a Quality Home Care Council and collective bargaining rights for in-home care workers
5. Require a legislative "super majority" or citizen vote before the state can impose new/additional taxes, increase the tax rate or expand the tax base
6. Require a citizen vote before the state spends money on a new international bridge or tunnel

-- Updated Nov. 6, 2012. Patch editors Joni Hubred-Golden and Aysha Jamali contributed to this report.