Chuck Heit wins Berrien County Sheriff primary

BERRIEN COUNTY, Ind. — Chuck Heit is set to be Berrien County sheriff for four more years after winning Tuesday’s Republican primary with over 12,000 votes. With no Democratic candidates who filed for sheriff, Heit is more than likely to win the general election.

Heit was appointed sheriff after Paul Bailey’s retirement at the end of 2023. Bailey served as sheriff for 23 years, with Heit as his undersheriff for 21 of those years.

“We have nearly 200 full-time employees, almost a 29-million-dollar budget," Heit said. “It is an administrative job. I’ve got the administrative experience, I’m the only candidate that has that administrative experience. I want to continue to serve the residents of Berrien County.”

Heit won Tuesday’s Michigan Primary Election with 63.87 percent of the vote. Three other candidates who also ran on the Republican ticket were Lieutenant Roger J.R. Johnson, Rick Briand, and Jason Long.