By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
Early voting is underway in the Aug. 4 primary election, as voters head to the polls to decide on local and statewide candidates for the November general election.
Headlining the list of races that voters will decide on are the primary battles for Michigan’s next governor. U.S. Rep. John James is facing businessman Perry Johnson for the Republican nomination, while current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is taking on Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the Democratic primary.
In the race to replace outgoing U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens is battling former Wayne County Health Director Abdul El-Sayed in the Democratic primary, with the winner to face Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman, in November.
Eight-term U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, a Zeeland native, is facing a challenge in the Fourth Congressional District Republican primary from former Holland mayor Phil Tanis. The Democratic primary in that district pits state Sen. Sean McCann of Kalamazoo against legislative correspondent Diop Harris II of Battle Creek.
With incumbent state Sen. Roger Victory term-limited, five candidates are running for Victory’s 31st District seat. The Republican primary includes business owner Kevin Maas, financial planner Michael Markey Jr. and business owner John Wetzel. Former Ottawa County Commissioner Chris Kleinjans and recent Hope College graduate Keagan Host are running in the Democratic primary. Victory is running for a seat on the Michigan State University Board of Trustees.
In the 85th District state House race, Republican incumbent Rep. Brad Slagh of Zeeland Township is being challenged in the primary by self-employed insurance agent John O’Brien. The winner will face Democrat Richard Abraham in November.
In Zeeland Township, voters will decide on the township supervisor, as incumbent Kerri Bosma takes on challenger Dan Kerkstra in the Republican primary. Bosma was appointed supervisor in January after the resignation of previous Supervisor Tom Oonk. Kerkstra, a business owner, is running for office for the first time. The winner of the primary will face no Democratic opposition in November.
In Blendon Township, voters are being asked to approve a renewal and restoration of the township’s millage to support library services at 0.3 mills for the next 10 years.
Revenues from the levy would be split between the Howard Miller Library in Zeeland and the Gary Byker Memorial Library in Hudsonville.
The city of Zeeland has had a library services agreement with Blendon since 2014, and the City Council in April approved a six-month extension to that agreement, carrying through to the end of the year. Howard Miller Library Director Amanda Hanson said in April if the levy fails, the library services agreement with Blendon will end Dec. 31.
Two countywide millage proposals are also on the ballot – one that would renew and restore the county’s parks millage at 0.33 mills, the other that would renew and restore the county’s mental health services levy at 0.3 mills. Details on the parks millage appeared in the July 23 edition of the Zeeland Record, while you can find information on the mental health levy on Page 10 of today’s paper.
Zeeland Record
Early voting is underway in the Aug. 4 primary election, as voters head to the polls to decide on local and statewide candidates for the November general election.
Headlining the list of races that voters will decide on are the primary battles for Michigan’s next governor. U.S. Rep. John James is facing businessman Perry Johnson for the Republican nomination, while current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is taking on Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the Democratic primary.
In the race to replace outgoing U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens is battling former Wayne County Health Director Abdul El-Sayed in the Democratic primary, with the winner to face Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman, in November.
Eight-term U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, a Zeeland native, is facing a challenge in the Fourth Congressional District Republican primary from former Holland mayor Phil Tanis. The Democratic primary in that district pits state Sen. Sean McCann of Kalamazoo against legislative correspondent Diop Harris II of Battle Creek.
With incumbent state Sen. Roger Victory term-limited, five candidates are running for Victory’s 31st District seat. The Republican primary includes business owner Kevin Maas, financial planner Michael Markey Jr. and business owner John Wetzel. Former Ottawa County Commissioner Chris Kleinjans and recent Hope College graduate Keagan Host are running in the Democratic primary. Victory is running for a seat on the Michigan State University Board of Trustees.
In the 85th District state House race, Republican incumbent Rep. Brad Slagh of Zeeland Township is being challenged in the primary by self-employed insurance agent John O’Brien. The winner will face Democrat Richard Abraham in November.
In Zeeland Township, voters will decide on the township supervisor, as incumbent Kerri Bosma takes on challenger Dan Kerkstra in the Republican primary. Bosma was appointed supervisor in January after the resignation of previous Supervisor Tom Oonk. Kerkstra, a business owner, is running for office for the first time. The winner of the primary will face no Democratic opposition in November.
In Blendon Township, voters are being asked to approve a renewal and restoration of the township’s millage to support library services at 0.3 mills for the next 10 years.
Revenues from the levy would be split between the Howard Miller Library in Zeeland and the Gary Byker Memorial Library in Hudsonville.
The city of Zeeland has had a library services agreement with Blendon since 2014, and the City Council in April approved a six-month extension to that agreement, carrying through to the end of the year. Howard Miller Library Director Amanda Hanson said in April if the levy fails, the library services agreement with Blendon will end Dec. 31.
Two countywide millage proposals are also on the ballot – one that would renew and restore the county’s parks millage at 0.33 mills, the other that would renew and restore the county’s mental health services levy at 0.3 mills. Details on the parks millage appeared in the July 23 edition of the Zeeland Record, while you can find information on the mental health levy on Page 10 of today’s paper.
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