ELi’s Very Early Election Story: Who’s Running for City Council (So Far), How to Get on the Ballot and What it Takes to Win

This fall, two seats on the East Lansing City Council will be up for grabs, and already a field of candidates is beginning to take shape. 

ELi has been able to confirm the planned candidacy of three residents: Chuck Grigsby, Joshua Ramirez-Roberts and Liam Richichi.

As we kick off campaign season, ELi spoke with Interim City Clerk Amy Gordon about how to run for City Council and her suggestions to candidates. Additionally, former Councilmember Shanna Draheim shared tips on how to run a winning campaign. 

The field (so far)

ELi has been able to confirm three candidates plan to run in November’s election, and there will almost certainly be more to announce their candidacy in the coming month. Here’s who we know is running so far. 

Chuck Grigsby

Grigsby announced his candidacy on Facebook. He fell 280 votes short of winning a seat on council in 2021, finishing as the first runner-up. He has served as the chair of the city’s Human Rights Commission and been through the city’s Emerging Leaders program. He also chaired the study committee that crafted the city’s police oversight commission. More about Grigsby can be learned on his website. 

Joshua Ramirez-Roberts

Ramirez-Roberts told ELi at a recent City Council meeting that he is running. In 2023, Ramirez-Roberts, then 22, was part of an eight-candidate field for three open seats on council. He finished in sixth. He has served on the city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, Community Development Advisory Committee, University Student Commission and the Bailey Community Association. 

Liam Richichi

Richichi told ELi via email that he is running. Another young candidate, Richichi recently graduated from Michigan State University, majoring in Political Theory. While at MSU, Richichi was the president of the college democrats, helping to bring Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Vice President Kamala Harris to East Lansing. Richichi works as the constituent services director for state Rep. Jason Morgan. Read more about Richichi on his website. 

Undecided: Mayor George Brookover

It’s unclear if Mayor George Brookover will look to retain his seat. On Monday, June 9, Brookover responded to an email from ELi, saying there has been “No decision yet” on whether or not he’ll seek reelection. 

Out: Councilmember Dana Watson

One incumbent will not seek reelection, as Councilmember Dana Watson announced earlier this year that she will not look to retain her seat. Watson was initially appointed to fill a vacancy on council in 2020, before winning the election the following year.

Planning to run? Let us know!

ELi will announce candidates as we find out they’ve entered the race, and then follow up with them closer to Election Day for more complete feature stories. Planning to run? Email Managing Editor Luke Day at luke@eastlansinginfo.news to let us know. 

Candidates have until July 22 to file – but the city clerk recommends gathering signatures, completing paperwork early. 

Registered voters living in the city are eligible to run for East Lansing City Council, Interim Clerk Amy Gordon said. 

To start a campaign, residents can stop by the clerk’s office to pick up a nominating petition. Candidates will then need to gather at least 50 signatures from voters registered in East Lansing. 

Candidates will also have to fill out an affidavit of identity to be eligible. Gordon said many candidates in the past have filled this form out incorrectly. 

She recommends candidates complete their filing requirements at least a week before the July 22 deadline, to give the clerk’s office time to reach out to candidates about mistakes and have them corrected, if necessary. 

“If it’s turned in at 3 o’clock on [the day of] that deadline, we don’t have enough time to look that over and give you a call back, if there’s an issue on that affidavit,” Gordon said. “Or if you need additional signatures, you don’t really have time to do that.” 

Gordon said that when candidates officially file, she will post their names to the city’s website so residents can keep up with who’s running. 

As of Friday, June 13, no one had officially completed the filing requirements, Gordon said.

Door knocking, mailers and more. What it takes to win an East Lansing City Council seat. 

In 2015, Shanna Draheim won a seat on City Council in a competitive election remembered because of the large amount of money spent.  

In an interview with ELi, Draheim said raising money is important in an election, but it isn’t everything. 

“I think the most important thing is talking to people,” she said.

Draheim said she believes she started knocking on doors around Memorial Day, and would spend several evenings during the week, and most weekend days talking to voters leading up to the election. With the election still more than four months away, it isn’t too late to start knocking on doors – but getting an early start is critical.

“You can spend a lot of money on postcards and mailers and signs, that’s probably important too,” Draheim said. “But I truly believe that if you don’t get out and knock doors, you’re not going to win.” 

Draheim said candidates will purchase lists of registered voters from political consultants to know which doors to visit. 

While money isn’t everything, it’s “definitely important,” Draheim said, adding that fundraising was the biggest learning curve during her campaign. Being able to send a couple rounds of mailers can be a big boost to candidates trying to get their message out, and will cost “at least a couple thousand dollars,” she said.  

Draheim said mailers can be especially effective in East Lansing because council elections take place during off-years, so residents aren’t being overwhelmed with campaign materials from state and federal races. 

She added that a website is foundational to a campaign. 

“You have to have something up because people have to have a place to go and learn about who you are,” Draheim said. “You have to have that, but it doesn’t have to be a big fancy thing. I think that can be a pretty basic spot for information.”

Some candidates may be able to reduce their costs by utilizing their own skills, like graphic design to create campaign materials, Draheim said. 

Draheim said she learned a lot about the city while she was running for City Council. She recommended candidates center their campaign around what they learn talking to the people they hope to represent. 

“It’s such a privilege to serve on your city’s council and represent people,” she said. “I think running a campaign that reflects that is really important.”

Disclosure: Chuck Grigsby previously served as president of ELi’s Board of Directors.

Dustin DuFort Petty contributed to this reporting.