East Lansing Election Results: Voters Back Charter Amendments, Tax Proposals, Progressive Candidates
The results are in and East Lansing voters overwhelmingly passed three amendments to the city charter, helped usher through four Ingham County tax proposals and backed progressive candidates in primary elections.
A deep slate of competitive primary elections drove turnout. More than 7,950 ballots were cast in East Lansing, a big uptick from the roughly 5,250 votes cast in the city in August of 2024, the last major primary election.
Federal election monitors were seen at polling places around the city after the U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter to the city in June vowing to send monitors. Precinct chairs who spoke with East Lansing Info said the monitors were not a disruption.
East Lansing voters back progressive candidates in congressional races.
Progressive East Lansing native William Lawrence won the Democratic Primary election, partially thanks to strong backing from his home town. Lawrence won almost 60% of the vote in East Lansing, well ahead of the 44% he won district-wide in a race where he defeated fellow Democratic candidates Matt Maasdam and Bridget Brink. Lawrence will run against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett in November’s general election.
Progressive physician Abdul El-Sayed was East Lansing’s clear choice to be the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, as he gathered close to two-thirds of local votes. Statewide, El-Sayed gathered about 48.5% of the vote, compared to 47.5% for U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens. About 99% of votes have been counted in the race, which the Associated Press has called for El-Sayed.
Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Republican John James will square off in the general election to be Michigan’s next Governor. Each candidate enjoyed a comfortable favorable margin in their party’s primary with voters both in East Lansing and statewide.
Elsewhere on the ballot, Rashida Harrison was chosen as the Democratic nominee for the 28th District state Senate race, which will determine who will represent East Lansing and other communities in the district in Michigan’s state Senate. Harrison will run against Republican Julie DeRose in the general election, who ran unopposed in the primary election. The winner of that race will replace retiring Democratic Sen. Sam Singh.
Republican Joshua Rockey won the Republican nomination in the 73rd District state representative race. Rockey will run against incumbent Democrat Julie Brixie in the general election.
Voters overwhelmingly support charter amendments.
Three amendments to the East Lansing City Charter were approved by voters by large margins, as each proposal was supported by more than 88% of voters. The proposals were recommended by a city committee that spent six months reviewing the City Charter, East Lansing’s guiding document.
Two amendments adjust procedures after City Council elections to pull the charter into compliance with state law.
One amendment delays the swearing-in date of newly elected council members until after elections are certified and the other delays the election of the mayor and mayor pro tem until the election is certified.
To this point, new council members are to be sworn-in and the mayor and mayor pro tem are to be selected the Tuesday following the election under the city charter. Previously, City Clerk Emily Gordon told ELi that recent changes to state election law do not allow for elections to be certified within a week, and because state laws trump local laws, these procedures have been taking place later than the charter instructs after recent elections.
The other charter amendment approved by voters implements new regulations around the city manager position. One new provision will require the city manager to live within 25 miles of East Lansing. The charter amendment will also require the city to have a built-in succession plan in case the city manager is indisposed. The city manager will appoint a deputy city manager, whose appointment will need to be approved by the City Council. The manager will also appoint an acting city manager if both the city manager and deputy city manager are unavailable.
Currently, East Lansing is led by Interim City Manager Annette Irwin after former City Manager Robert Belleman and the city parted ways in June. Belleman, who was city manager for less than three years, lived in Saginaw.
Four county tax proposals see strong support.
All four of the county tax proposals on East Lansing ballots passed with strong support.
Three of the proposals were property tax millages to fund the Potter Park Zoo, a county parks and trails program and Capital Area Transportation Authority services for the elderly and disabled persons. Each passed with at least 74% of voters in favor.
The other tax proposal that voters approved increases the hotel and motel tax rate on visitors staying in Ingham County for less than 30 days from 5% to 8%. About 62% of voters supported the tax increase.
Election monitors could be seen on Election Day, but precinct chairs who spoke with ELi said they were not a disruption.
East Lansing’s election came into the national spotlight when it was reported in July that the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division would be sending election monitors to the city’s primary election. However, city officials said the DOJ’s reasoning for monitoring, which included long lines and a lack of provisional ballots in the 2024 general election, were untrue.
The monitors could be seen sitting in the public viewing area at many East Lansing precincts throughout Election Day, but three precinct chairs ELi spoke with said the monitors followed the proper rules and were not a disruption.
Sam Underwood, chair of precinct 3 at Congregation Shaarey Zedek, said the two election monitors at his polling place were friendly and asked questions about accessibility for voters with mobility challenges and translators.