OLIVE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Ottawa County chose commissioners Tuesday, giving Republicans an expected majority but likely shifting the balance of power out of the hands of candidates backed by the conservative Ottawa Impact political action committee.
Board Chair Joe Moss of Hudsonville, who founded OI, defeated a Democratic challenger. But with only three other OI-backed commissioners returning to their seats out of 11 districts, it’s unlikely he’ll be named chair again.
Ottawa County voters elected six Republicans not affiliated with OI.
Democratic incumbent Doug Zylstra retained his seat. Another Democratic incumbent, Chris Kleinjans, lost to a Republican challenger not backed by OI. Kleinjans was previously elected to the commission in a recall election that unseated an OI-backed candidate.
Controversy has plagued the commission since OI candidates took control in January 2023, moving in their very first meeting to oust the county administrator and top health officer, dissolve the county’s diversity, inclusion and equity office and change the county motto. The administrator hired by OI-backed candidates was ultimately fired. The attempt to remove the health officer led to a yearlong legal battle that ended with her keeping her job.
Two OI-backed incumbents lost their primary elections in August. In three other primaries where there was no incumbent running again, other Republican candidates beat out those backed by OI.
“Back in 2022, the people spoke and said, ‘We would like to see some change.’ But I believe what they saw over the past two years was an overcorrection and last night in the primary, we saw them put in the correction that I think the county needed,” Commissioner Jacob Bonnema, who was backed by OI in 2022 but later cut ties over concerns about transparency, told News 8 after the primary.
“Over and over, people have told me, whether they’re Democrat or Republican, is that we want a board that looks like Ottawa County, that listens to Ottawa County and that represents us well,” Zylstra told News 8 in August.
The winners of each commission seat can be found below:
DISTRICT 1
Republican James Barry, who is not backed by Ottawa Impact, defeated Democrat Danielle Smith.
DISTRICT 2
Republican Jordan Jorritsma, who is not backed by Ottawa Impact, beat incumbent Commissioner Christian Kleinjans, a Democrat.
DISTRICT 3
Democrat incumbent Commissioner Doug Zylstra defeated Republican challenger Orlando Estrada.
DISTRICT 4
Republican incumbent Jacob Bonnema, who was previously backed by Ottawa Impact but later cut ties, defeated Democratic challenger Chris Crothers.
DISTRICT 5
Republican incumbent Board Chair Joe Moss, OI co-founder, defeated Democratic challenger Jon Rabideau.
DISTRICT 6
Incumbent Commissioner Kendra Wenzel, who is backed by Ottawa Impact, defeated Democrat Michelle Dieleman.
DISTRICT 7
Republican John Teeples, who is not backed by Ottawa Impact, beat Democrat Heather Majestic.
DISTRICT 8
Republican incumbent Commissioner Sylvia Rhodea, an Ottawa Impact co-founder and board vice chair, defeated a challenge from Democrat Rebecca Patrick.
DISTRICT 9
Republican former Commissioner Phil Kuyers, who is not backed by Ottawa Impact, beat Democrat Angela Stanford-Butler.
DISTRICT 10
Republican Josh Brugger, who is not backed by Ottawa Impact, beat Democrat Oliver Shampine.
DISTRICT 11
Republican incumbent Commissioner Allison Miedema, who is backed by Ottawa Impact, defeated a challenge from Democrat Keith Courtade.