Grand Rapids MI Politics & Civic News — Page 7
Covering Grand Rapids City Council, Kent County Council, Michigan Legislature, and your federal representatives in Washington, D.C. Accountability journalism for Kent County residents.
Kent County sits inside one of the most layered governmental structures in the region. Residents answer to at least five levels of elected authority simultaneously: the federal government, statewide offices, Kent County Council, Grand Rapids City Council, and school district boards — each a separately elected body covering its own geographic slice of the county.
Kent’s federal delegation includes US Rep. Hillary Scholten (MI District 3) and Senators Gary C. Peters and Elissa Slotkin.
Kent County Council controls property tax millage, land-use zoning outside city limits, and fee-in-lieu-of-tax agreements. Downtown zoning decisions and the Grand Rapids Police Department budget run through Grand Rapids City Council. State funding for schools, roads, and Medicaid flows from the Michigan Legislature. The Kent County Elections and Voter Registration Office administers local balloting under MI Election Commission oversight.
HEREGrandRapids covers Kent County Council meetings, Grand Rapids City Council sessions, Michigan Legislature session, federal delegation votes and town halls, school board meetings, and candidate filing windows. We also pull FOIA-sourced travel records and contracts at both the city and county level. If it shapes how Kent County is governed, it’s HERE.
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What do you think: Troy Jackson Ousts Susan Collins in Maine Senate Race?
What do you think: Democrats Win Back the Senate and House in Midterm Sweep?
Local & State Political News
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Every official with a vote on Grand Rapids's future — pulled live from our roster.
Quick Resources
Grand Rapids is in Kent County, Michigan. Mayor: David LaGrand; City Manager: Mark Washington.
Latest Grand Rapids Politics News — Page 7
Early In-Person Voting Opens in Grand Rapids Ahead of Nov. 3
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids voters no longer have to wait for Election Day on Nov. 3. Early in-person voting opened Tuesday and stays open through Nov.…
Rogers Targets El-Sayed Support as Obama Plans Detroit Rally
DETROIT — Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers used a televised town hall in the Detroit area on Monday night to argue that his Democratic rival, Abdul El-Sayed, can…
East Grand Rapids Drops Appeal of Gaslight Village Ruling
EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — East Grand Rapids will let a judge's ruling against the Gaslight Village development stand. The City Commission voted unanimously Monday, Oct. 19, not…
Data Center Legislation Becomes Common Ground
LANSING, Mich. — Two weeks before Michigan votes, data centers have become one of the few subjects where candidates from both parties sound alike: most say the projects…
Gaza Tensions Shadow Michigan Senate Race
WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. — Michigan voters in two communities still raw from the war in Gaza are finding the state's open U.S. Senate seat a far more personal…
No Kings Rallies Across Michigan Turn
FERNDALE, Mich. — Saturday's round of No Kings demonstrations across Michigan carried a new emphasis: get voters to the polls early. At least 100 events were held around…
Paid Family Leave Bill Gets a Push From Michigan Lawmakers
DETROIT, Mich. — Supporters of paid family and medical leave gathered in Detroit on Friday to press for a Michigan program, arguing that most workers in the state…
Hundreds March in Grand Rapids No Kings Rally Urging Votes
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Several hundred demonstrators filled Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids late Saturday morning, Oct. 17, for a No Kings rally centered on getting…
Federal Judge Tosses Trump Suit Against New York City
NEW YORK — The Trump administration lost another round in its legal fight against so-called sanctuary cities late Thursday, when federal Judge Ramón E. Reyes Jr. in Brooklyn…
Carney Urges Albertans to Reject Separation Path in Monday
EDMONTON, Alberta — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wrapped up two days of campaigning in his home province Friday night, telling a rally in the city where he…
Democrats Lean on Iran War Votes in Midterm Ad Blitz
WASHINGTON — With Election Day about three weeks off, Democrats and their allies are making the war with Iran a centerpiece of their closing television pitch, pairing votes…
MARTA Still Has No Date for New Trains in Atlanta
ATLANTA, Ga. — Riders waiting on MARTA next-generation railcars still do not have a start date. Agency chief Jonathan Hunt said during a public Atlanta City Council Transportation…
