Who Is Running?

This post will be updated as the situation changes regarding the 2024 municipal elections.

Even Year Elections & Term Limits

2024 is not only an election year it is the first election where the impact of term limits and even year voting will be fully realized. Grand Rapids adopted term-limits via public referendum in 2014. City Commission elections were changed via public referendum from odd to even years in 2022; city commissioners who's terms would have ended in 2021 were granted a bonus year, terms extended to 2022. The mayor's term which would have ended in 2023 was extended to 2024.

The term limits language is:

no person shall be eligible for election as City Commissioner if they have served as City Commissioner for two terms, and no person shall be eligible for election as Mayor if they have served as Mayor for two terms.

The following current elected officials cannot seek reelection in 2024 due to term-limits:

  • Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, elected 2015 and 2019 [odd year w/bonus].
  • Jon O'Connor (1st Ward), elected in 2015 & 2019 [odd year w/bonus]

Current commissioners ending their first term who will be eligible to run for a second term in 2024:

  • Milinda Ysasi (2nd Ward), elected to first term in 2019 [odd year w/bonus]
  • Nathaniel Moody (1st Ward), appointed to vacancy in July 2018, elected to first full term in 2019 [odd year w/bonus].

Commissioners Drew Robbins (1st Ward), Lisa Knight (2nd Ward), and Kelsey Perdue (3rd Ward) were all elected in 2022 and are serving their first terms ending in 2026. All three will be eligible to run for a second term in 2026. In the 2022 election both Lisa Knight and Drew Robbins defeated incumbent candidates; Joe Jones and Kurt Reppart, respectively. Kelsey Purdue was elected to an open seat, the incumbent being ineligible due to term limits.

City Manager Government

Grand Rapids is a "City Manger" government. This means that the day to day operations of the city are managed by a City Manager who is hired by the city, selected by whomever is on the City Commission at the time a City Manager vacancy occurs. Yes, this means that one of the most powerful roles in city government is not elected by the residents of the city. As the non-elected City Manager establishes the City Commission agenda this creates a strange system where those running for or holding office neither advance policy ideas nor do they have much if any incentive to [publicly] state their policy positions - - - leaving citizens with little motivation to support or oppose candidates. This is reflected in voter participation in city elections.

In my precinct (Ward #2, Precinct 31) in 2022 - not a presidential election year - 37.4% of voters voted for neither Lisa Knight or Joe Jones. Lisa Knight won the race with 44.6% of the precinct, vs. Joe Jones 18%. The second place candidate was beat, in terms of percentage, by voters who didn't bother.

Declared Candidates

The deadline to file to run for mayor of Grand Rapids is April 23rd, 2024.

Comment: Several candidates have an emphasis on public health and public health services. As a consideration in reading candidate responses it is important to remember that the city of Grand Rapids does not have a public health department; in the state of Michigan public health services are a function of the county. Public health is, of course, an important consideration, but the organization and operation of such services - and their funding - is not under the control of the City Commission. This is much like Grand Rapids Public Schools, which are not a part of the municipal government or the Interurban Transit Partnership (the Rapid) which is not a part of the municipal government. The City Commission may [or may not] have influence over those institutions, but they do not have control of them; nor do they control the funding of either. In the state of Michigan cities also have no regulatory power related to emissions, the city is limited to enforcing limits established by state and federal regulations.

Mayor


1st Ward Commissioner


  • Alicia Marie Belchak
    • Candidate Website
    • Endorsements: Tami VandenBerg, Kent County Democratic Party
    • Policy Positions: what appears to be, effectively, the creation of municipal health department with the establishment of health centers and the deployment of community health workers, repurposing parking lots into parks and community hubs, expanding Rapid service and frequency, transitioning to electric buses, construction of additional BRT lines, creation of car-free zones, incentives for electrical vehicle purchases, expansion of energy assistance programs, moving forward with the sustainable business part, a single-use plastics ban
    • News

2nd Ward Commissioner

  • Melinda Ysasi, incumbent 2nd Ward Commissioner.

3rd Ward Commissioner

  • Marshal Kilgore : Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Western Michigan University, Director of Engagement WMEAC. Currently serves on the Vital Streets Oversight Commission, Urban Agriculture Committee, and Housing Appeals Board.

    • Candidate Website
    • Endorsements: Tami VandenBerg, Kent County Democratic Party, County Commissioner Kris Pachia, State Representative Kristian Grant, Kent County Democratic Party
    • Policy Positions: Inclusionary zoning (mandated affordable housing), expansion of community land trusts, implementation of community solar, moving truck routes out of neighborhoods ["equitable distribution of traffic flow"], rebates for efficient appliances, increased funding for the 3rd Ward Equity Fund
    • News





Other Races

Kent County Board of Commissioners

Kent count commissioners are elected to two (2) year terms from roughly equivalent districts [in the context of population]. The district map for Kent county can be found 👉here👈. There are 21 districts; the shape of may of the districts is . . . interesting. County commissioners are not term-limited.

Grand Rapids Districts

  • District#6 : currently occupied by Stan Stek
  • District#12 : currently occupied by Monica Sparks
  • District#14 : currently occupied by Carol Hennessy
  • District#16 : currently occupied by Melissa LaGrand
  • District#17 : currently occupied by Tony Baker, candidate for 2025 is Robert Womack (D)
  • District#19 : currently occupied by Kris Pachla
  • District#18 : currently occupied by Stephen Wooden, who is not seeking reelection.
    • Steve Faber (D)
      • Supports "Ready by Five" early childhood millage, supports the senior services millage, supports the Kent County Affordable Housing Revolving Load Fund, remembers to mention public transportation.
  • District#19 : currently occupied by Kris Pachla
  • District#20 : currently occupied by Ivan Diaz

Michigan House of Representatives

  • District #80: Phil Skaggs (D), Bill Sage (R)
  • District #81: Stephan Wooden (D), Jordan Youngquist (R)
  • District #82: Kristian Grant (D), Ryan Malinoski (R)
  • District #83: John Fitzgerald (D) [incumbant] vs. Tommy Brann]
  • District #84: [Carol Glanville vs. John Wetzel (R)

Related:

Michigan Senate

  • District #29 (southern Grand Rapids): Kyle Wright (D), James DeSana (R)
  • District #30 (northern Grand Rapids): Rick Kuil (D), William T. Bruck (R)

Related: