By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
Voters in the Zeeland area have begun casting ballots for local, state and national elections.
While Election Day is officially next Tuesday, voters began heading to the polls for early voting last Saturday.
Highlighting the top of the ballot is the race for Michigan governor and U.S. Senate. Republican U.S. Rep. John James is facing Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to determine who will replace current Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as the state’s top elected official. The U.S. Senate race is pitting former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, with the winner to succeed retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters.
The Fourth Congressional District race has Republican incumbent Rep. Bill Huizenga taking on State Sen. Sean McCann (see detailed story below).
In state legislative races, incumbent Republican Rep. Brad Slagh of Zeeland Township is seeking his fourth two-year term against Democratic challenger Richard Abraham of Hudsonville in the 85th House District. In the 31st District Senate race, Republican John Wetzel of Grand Haven Township is battling Democrat and former Ottawa County Commissioner Chris Kleinjans, with the winner to replace current Sen. Roger Victory of Hudsonville. Victory is running as a Republican candidate for the Michigan State University Board of Trustees.
Six candidates are running for three available six-year terms on the Zeeland Board of Education. Incumbents Chad Creevy and Heidi Geerlings are each seeking their second term in office, with challengers Dianne Fikse, Abby Lucas, Eric Miller and Derrick Muilenburg also running.
Voters are also deciding on two judgeships on the 58th District Court. Current judges Juanita Bocanegra and Anna White – the latter a recent appointee to the bench by Gov. Whitmer – are being challenged by Paul Ledford, an attorney with more than 30 years of legal experience. Incumbent 20th Circuit Court Judge Jon Hulsing, who recently issued a ruling in the RWE v. Smallegan lawsuit, is running unopposed for re-election.
In addition, voters are also being asked to pass a 0.2-mill increase for Ottawa County parks for the next 10 years. Voters in August approved a renewal and restoration of the existing county parks millage at 0.33 mills by a 2-to-1 margin. The additional levy is being sought to expand park improvements, conservation efforts, and recreation opportunities beyond what the renewal alone can support.
Two statewide proposals are also on the ballot. Proposal 1 asks voters whether to convent a constitutional convention to draft a general revision of the state Constitution, which has been in place since 1963. Proposal 2, if passed, would ban regulated electric and gas utilities, contractors with over $250,000 annually in government contracts, and people and organizations with substantial connections to these utilities/contractors from making direct or indirect campaign contributions to candidates, as well as expand laws regulating spending on political communication, including those requiring disclosing donor information.
In Zeeland Township, Republican Dan Kerkstra is running unopposed to be the next township supervisor after defeating current Supervisor Kerri Bosma in the August primary. Also running unopposed for township offices are Clerk Brian VanDussen and Trustee John Shrauger, both of whom were appointed to the Township Board earlier this year. All would serve until the 2028 election.
Zeeland Record
Voters in the Zeeland area have begun casting ballots for local, state and national elections.
While Election Day is officially next Tuesday, voters began heading to the polls for early voting last Saturday.
Highlighting the top of the ballot is the race for Michigan governor and U.S. Senate. Republican U.S. Rep. John James is facing Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to determine who will replace current Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as the state’s top elected official. The U.S. Senate race is pitting former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, with the winner to succeed retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters.
The Fourth Congressional District race has Republican incumbent Rep. Bill Huizenga taking on State Sen. Sean McCann (see detailed story below).
In state legislative races, incumbent Republican Rep. Brad Slagh of Zeeland Township is seeking his fourth two-year term against Democratic challenger Richard Abraham of Hudsonville in the 85th House District. In the 31st District Senate race, Republican John Wetzel of Grand Haven Township is battling Democrat and former Ottawa County Commissioner Chris Kleinjans, with the winner to replace current Sen. Roger Victory of Hudsonville. Victory is running as a Republican candidate for the Michigan State University Board of Trustees.
Six candidates are running for three available six-year terms on the Zeeland Board of Education. Incumbents Chad Creevy and Heidi Geerlings are each seeking their second term in office, with challengers Dianne Fikse, Abby Lucas, Eric Miller and Derrick Muilenburg also running.
Voters are also deciding on two judgeships on the 58th District Court. Current judges Juanita Bocanegra and Anna White – the latter a recent appointee to the bench by Gov. Whitmer – are being challenged by Paul Ledford, an attorney with more than 30 years of legal experience. Incumbent 20th Circuit Court Judge Jon Hulsing, who recently issued a ruling in the RWE v. Smallegan lawsuit, is running unopposed for re-election.
In addition, voters are also being asked to pass a 0.2-mill increase for Ottawa County parks for the next 10 years. Voters in August approved a renewal and restoration of the existing county parks millage at 0.33 mills by a 2-to-1 margin. The additional levy is being sought to expand park improvements, conservation efforts, and recreation opportunities beyond what the renewal alone can support.
Two statewide proposals are also on the ballot. Proposal 1 asks voters whether to convent a constitutional convention to draft a general revision of the state Constitution, which has been in place since 1963. Proposal 2, if passed, would ban regulated electric and gas utilities, contractors with over $250,000 annually in government contracts, and people and organizations with substantial connections to these utilities/contractors from making direct or indirect campaign contributions to candidates, as well as expand laws regulating spending on political communication, including those requiring disclosing donor information.
In Zeeland Township, Republican Dan Kerkstra is running unopposed to be the next township supervisor after defeating current Supervisor Kerri Bosma in the August primary. Also running unopposed for township offices are Clerk Brian VanDussen and Trustee John Shrauger, both of whom were appointed to the Township Board earlier this year. All would serve until the 2028 election.
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