Our go-to guide for races in Ottawa, Allegan counties

Staff Reports
Updated ·13 min read

This article is intended to be a resource for registered voters in Ottawa and Allegan counties for the 2024 election cycle. It will be updated as new candidates declare their intentions for office and provide information to The Sentinel. The candidate filing deadline is April 23.

Candidates who have upcoming events they wish to promote to the public or additional campaign information they want featured (i.e., websites, endorsements, etc.) may send information to newsroom@hollandsentinel.com.

Ottawa County

(i) Current incumbent

* Committee created, but official paperwork with clerk’s office not filed

** Incumbent is not running for re-election

*** Candidate withdrew from race

Prosecutor (4-year term)

Treasurer (4-year term)

  • Cheryl Clark (i), Republican

Clerk/Register of Deeds (4-year term)

Drain Commissioner (4-year term)

Sheriff (4-year term)

Probate Court Judge (nonpartisan 6-year term)

58th District Court Judge (nonpartisan 6-year term)

  • Craig Bunce

    • Bunce has served in the district court seat since 2013. He previously worked in the Ottawa County Prosecutor’s Office.

Commissioners (4-year terms)

District 1

  • Gretchen Cosby (i), Republican

    • Cosby, the current incumbent. She is affiliated with Ottawa Impact.

    • Campaign site: gretchencosby.com

  • Danielle Smith, Democrat

District 2

  • Lucy Ebel (i), Republican

    • Ebel, the current incumbent, is running as the Republican nominee in a special May 7 recall election as well as for the fall election. She is affiliated with Ottawa Impact.

    • Campaign site: lucyebel.com

District 3

District 4

District 5

  • Jon Rabideau, Democrat

    • Rabideau is a software engineer and Grand Valley State University graduate, according to LinkedIn.

District 6

  • Kendra Wenzel (i), Republican

    • Wenzel was appointed to the District 6 seat in December 2023 to finish the remainder of Kyle Terpstra’s term. She did not respond to The Sentinel’s request to write about her candidacy. She is affiliated with Ottawa Impact.

  • Michelle Dieleman, Democrat

    • Dieleman is a Calvin Theological Seminary graduation and care coordinator at a Christian Reformed Church, according to LinkedIn.

District 7

  • **Rebekah Curran (i), Republican

    • Curran, who began representing District 7 in 2023, filed in December to dissolve her campaign committee and is not seeking re-election in 2024. She recently announced her intention to run for U.S. Senate.

  • Rachel Atwood, Republican

    • Atwood is a self-described social media influencer for “We the People,” volunteering for multiple grassroots organizations to “restore individual liberties to the residents of Michigan and Ottawa County,” according to her LinkedIn page.

  • Heather Majestic, Democrat

    • Majestic is an indirect sourcing manager, according to her LinkedIn.

District 8

  • David Lee Morren, Republican

    • Morren is a farmer from Allendale and has been a frequent public commenter at county board meetings. A former Allendale Township trustee, he led failed recall efforts against two board members in 2023.

District 9

  • Phil Kuyers, Republican

  • Angela Stanford-Butler, Democrat

    • Stanford-Butler is a brand manager for a local appliance and electronics company.

District 10

  • **Roger Bergman (i), Republican, has represented District 10 for the past 12 years and is retiring at the end of his term.

  • Jason Koert, Republican

    • Koert, of Spring Lake, is the owner of Squish Investments.

  • Douglas VanBennekom, Democrat 

  • Oliver Schampine, Democrat 

    • Shampine is the youth ministry coordinator at a church in Grand Haven.

District 11

  • Richard Van Dop, Republican

    • Van Dop is a pastor and Navy veteran from Marne.

  • Keith Courtade, Democrat

    • Courtade previously ran for Michigan Senate in 2021, losing to Mark Huizenga.

Allegan County

Prosecutor (4-year term)

Sheriff (4-year term)

  • Frank Baker (i), Republican

    • Baker was first elected sheriff in 2016 and is seeking a third term in office.

Treasurer (4-year term)

  • Sally Brooks (i), Republican

    • Brooks has served as treasurer for more than 20 years, first taking office in 2003.

Drain Commissioner (4-year term)

  • *Denise Medemar (i), Republican

    • Medemar was first elected drain commissioner in 2012 and was re-elected in 2016 and 2020. She has not yet announced if she will seek re-election.

  • Chris Machiela, Republican

57th District Court Judge (nonpartisan 6-year term)

  • William Baillargeon (i)

    • Baillargeon was appointed to his seat in 2010, winning an election later that year. He was re-elected to six-year terms in 2012 and 2018.

48th Circuit Court Judge (nonpartisan 6-year term, new position)

Commissioners (4-year terms)

District 1

District 2

District 3

District 4

District 5

38th House District (2-year term)

  • District: Runs along Lake Michigan coastline from Saugatuck Township to the Michigan-Indiana border. Includes Saugatuck, Douglas, South Haven, St. Joseph, Bridgman and New Buffalo.

  • Joey Andrews (i), Democrat

43rd House District (2-year term)

  • District: Includes portions of Allegan, Ottawa, Barry and Eaton counties. Allegan County portion includes cities of Fennville, Allegan and Wayland and several townships, including Fillmore, Health, Manlius and Overisel. The Ottawa County portion is in Jamestown Township.

  • Rachelle Smit (i), Republican

  • Danene Shumaker, Democrat

85th House District (2-year term)

86th House District (2-year term)

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Our go-to guide for races in Ottawa, Allegan counties