A voting sign outside the Hannah Community Center. (ELi stock image)

ELi’s Voter Guide for the Nov. 4 Election

This story will be updated with new links as we continue to report on the Nov. 4, 2025 elections.

East Lansing voters will soon decide on two new members to serve on City Council and whether or not to approve a new millage to be a dedicated source of funding to the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. 

With the 40-day early voting period in Michigan, ballots can already be cast in the Nov. 4 election. To help voters get ready to make decisions, ELi has reported on the people running for City Council and the parks millage.

Who’s running for City Council?

With incumbent Mayor George Brookover and Councilmember Dana Watson deciding not to seek another term in office, there will be two new faces joining Mayor Pro Tem Kerry Ebersole Singh, and Councilmembers Erik Altmann and Mark Meadows on City Council. To help voters get to know candidates, ELi has prepared profile stories on each of the six candidates. 

Candidates for East Lansing City Council respond to questions during a candidate forum Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (Brian Wells for ELi)

Adam DeLay

Adam DeLay currently serves on the city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, and said he was inspired to run for council after current city leaders decided to put a parks millage on the ballot, a decision he opposes. If elected, DeLay said he will look to encourage development in East Lansing and add affordable housing. 

Kath Edsall

Kath Edsall serves on the city’s police oversight commission and has spent more than a decade on the East Lansing school board. Edsall said she hopes to help improve equity in East Lansing as a City Council member and balance the city budget. 

Chuck Grigsby

Chuck Grigsby previously served as the chair of the city’s Human Rights Commission and the study committee that created the police oversight commission. Grigsby said he hopes to increase transparency and make the city more accessible to new residents and small businesses. 

Joshua Ramirez-Roberts

Joshua Ramirez-Roberts has served on many neighborhood and city boards, including his current spot on the city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission. Ramirez-Roberts said he would like the city to add more owner-occupied housing units, like condos, and bring back the Folk Festival. 

Liam Richichi

Liam Richichi is a recent Michigan State University graduate who served as president of the MSU Democratic Club last year. Richichi said he is “very pro-development” and would look to improve relationships with MSU and nearby municipalities, if elected. 

Steve Whelan

Steve Whelan retired from the East Lansing Police Department after 25 years of service earlier this year. If elected to City Council, Whelan said he would encourage investments in public safety and “smart growth” in the city. 

We’ve already heard from candidates at a forum. 

In September, each of the six candidates spoke at a forum hosted by ELi and the League of Women Voters of the Lansing Area. Candidates shared their thoughts on the city’s budget, development, policing and more. The entire forum can be viewed in the video link below and ELi’s summary of the forum can be read here. 

The full forum can be viewed here.

ASMSU held a second forum Oct. 22.

Candidates had a second chance to share their thoughts at a forum hosted by the Associated Students of Michigan State University. Candidates weighed-in on several topics, including housing and the city’s relationship with the university.

Candidates shared their views on the recommended charter changes, sustainability and actions impacting neighborhoods.

After the candidate forum, ELi reached back out to candidates to get their stances on three other topics. Each of the six candidates responded to questions from ELi about sustainability, recommended changes to the city charter, and ordinances and developments impacting city neighborhoods. Here’s what they said:

Voters will decide whether or not to increase property taxes to insulate the parks department from cuts. 

Voters will decide whether or not to approve a new parks and recreation millage. Importantly, the two mill increase would be made possible by increasing the property tax cap from 13 mills to 15. In 2018, the cap was lowered when voters allowed the city to install an income tax. 

If voters approve the millage, the two mills would raise about $3 million annually. This money would be spent on the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, insulating it from cuts that may be necessary as the city attempts to address a structural deficit. 

Candidates at the council forum criticized the millage as misleading. Because the millage would replace the city’s $2.6 million general fund contribution to the parks department, most candidates said they see it as an increase on general taxes. 

If the millage does not pass, it does not mean the parks department would lose the general fund’s entire contribution – more than 40% of its budget. Rather, cuts to the department would be considered next spring when City Council sets a budget for next fiscal year, along with potential cuts to other departments. 

While it’s not totally clear what services are at risk or fees could be raised if the millage fails, the interim parks director spoke with ELi about potential outcomes if the millage passes or fails. 

Financial reports show how candidates made and spent campaign dollars.

Pre-election campaign finance reports showed that Richichi and Whelan had a significant fundraising advantage over the rest of the field. Find out more about how candidates made and spent money in this reporting.

Prefer to listen to the news? No problem.

This fall, ELi restarted the East Lansing Insider podcast in partnership with 88.9 FM Impact radio. Since, we’ve had a pair of episodes breaking down the election.

Check your voter registration, learn about early voting and find your polling place online. 

In addition to residents being able to vote early via absentee ballot, East Lansing will have early voting available Wednesday, Oct. 29 through Sunday, Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hannah Community Center. 

Information about registering to vote, polling locations and more is available on the city clerk’s website.

Additionally, voters can view a sample ballot, check their registration status and more at the online Michigan Voter Information Center.