Elections results from around Southwest Michigan on Tuesday.
Bobby Hopewell won another two-year term as Kalamazoo Mayor by getting the most votes in Tuesday's City Commission election. David Anderson finished second to become Vice-Mayor. The Kalamazoo Gazette looks at their joint campaign.
Incumbents Don Cooney, Barbara Miller, Bob Cinabro and Stephanie Moore were re-elected. Former Kalamazoo County Commissioner Jack Urban won a seat on the city commission (Kalamazoo Gazette story). Current Vice-Mayor Hannah McKinney did not seek re-election.
Incumbents Claudette Reid and Terry Urban were re-elected to the Portage City Council. Nasim Ansari who served on the city council before a stint on the Kalamazoo County Commission is back on the Portage Council for a four year term. Mayor Pete Strazdas was unopposed for a two year term. (Kalamazoo Gazette story).
Two incumbents lost their bid for re-election in Battle Creek. The Battle Creek Enquirer reports on Mary Lou Ramon losing in Ward 1 and Sherry Sofia being defeated in Ward 3. Retired police officer Mike Sherzer won an open seat in Ward 4 where Elizabeth Fulton did not seek re-election. Lynn Ward Gray was re-elected in Ward 2. Jeff Domenico was unopposed in Ward 5. At-large commissioners Susan Baldwin, Andy Hemboldt, David Walters and Mark Behnke were re-elected.
Voters in Saugatuck and Douglas have rejected a proposal that would have merged them into one city. It was rejected in both towns on Tuesday. The Holland Sentinel reportsthat supporters of consolidation don't see the effort starting again after a two-year moratorium on collecting petition signatures.
Voters in Benton Harbor have rejected a proposal for a city income tax. The Saint Joseph-Benton Harbor Herald-Palladium reports that supporters say the fight isn't over after a close vote.
