A pair of Lansing city council members won their re-election bids, as a third fell to a political newcomer.
Incumbent Carol Wood picked up the most votes for an at-large city council seat. Patricia Spitzley picked up the other at-large seat.
Incumbent 1st Ward councilwoman Jody Washington easily won her race.
But incumbent 3rd Ward councilwoman A’Lynne Boles lost her re-election bid to newcomer Adam Hussein.
Voters in Lansing approved a charter change to do away with so-called "golden parachutes" for top city appointees.
The amendment limits appointees to one-year contracts and limits compensation packages. The mayor and city council can exceed the limits if necessary.
The charter amendment was proposed after the head of the Lansing Board of Water & Light received a $600,000 settlement after he was fired.
Bobby Hopewell is going to stay mayor of Kalamazoo.
Hopewell defeated Kris Mbah 5,953 to 768.
But his fifth term as mayor is a little different.
A charter change gave Kalamazoo voters a chance to vote directly for mayor for the first time in a century. Hopewell previously won the mayor’s seat by receiving the most votes for city commission.
Jackson has elected a new mayor.
Local banker Bill Jors defeated former mayor Martin Griffin.
Jors won despite his lack of political experience and his opponent’s abundant political resume. Martin Griffin has been Jackson’s mayor off and on since the mid-1990’s. He was defeated in 2013.
Griffin edged Jors in the August primary, but that was with five candidates on the ballot and a low turnout.
