OTTAWA COUNTY — This year’s Ottawa County fall elections are a mix of incumbent candidates seeking re-election and new faces vying for public office. 

The elections include the primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 5, followed by the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. 

Primary election 

The Aug. 5 primary election will feature nominations for local offices in the cities of Ferrysburg and Zeeland.   

In Ferrysburg, the office of mayor will be up for nomination. The position is at-large, nonpartisan and carries a two-year term. Candidates for mayor include Tim O'Donnell, Jerry Sias and Richard Carlson.   

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Zeeland will be nominating candidates for three council member positions. These positions are also at-large, nonpartisan, and carry a four-year term. Zeeland city council candidates are Rebecca Perkins, Ericka Humbert, Kylee Deboer, Glenn Kats, Andrew Buist and Hillery McAlpine. Amy Lungeland had also filed, but withdrew in April.   

The primary election winners will advance to the November general election. Nonpartisan offices will only appear on the primary ballot depending on the number of candidates who file for the office.

General election

Coopersville

• Mayor: Sole candidate Brian Mooney filed for the four-year term position of mayor at-large. Longtime mayor Kenneth Bush is not seeking re-election.
• City council: Incumbents Peter Weise, Jillian Poelma and Shane Gerard seek to retain their seats. Challenging the incumbents are Jamie M. Adams and Tiffany Langlois.  

Ferrysburg

• Mayor: Incumbent Richard Carlson is seeking re-election for a two-year term, challenged by candidates Tim O'Donnell and Jerry Sias.
• City council: Incumbents Bill Cate and Debbie Murdoch have filed for re-election, challenged by David Cook.   

City of Grand Haven

• Mayor: Incumbent Mayor Bob Monetza is running for re-election for a two-year term.
• City council: Candidates running for four-year terms include Erin Lyon, Sarah Kallio and Dennis Scott. For a partial council member at-large term expiring in November 2027, Mike Dora is the sole candidate following the withdrawal of Oliver Shampine. 
• Board of Light and Power: Incumbent Todd Crum is running for a full six-year term. Incumbent Phillip Polyak is seeking a partial term expiring in November 2027.   

Holland 

• Mayor: Incumbent Nathan Bocks will run against Brian M. Everitt for the four-year mayoral term. 
• City council: Incumbent Quincy Byrd is being challenged by Abby Klomparens. 
  • First ward: Incumbent Tim Vreeman is running unopposed. 
  • Third ward: Incumbent Bylnda Sól is being challenged by Tim Marroquin, a current member of the Holland Board of Education. 
  • Fifth ward: Incumbent Scott Corbin is running unopposed.   

Hudsonville

• City Commissioner:
  • First ward: Incumbent Jack Groot is running against Gabrielle Dunai. 
  • Second ward: Incumbent Dan Bolhuis is running unopposed.
  • Third ward: Incumbent Larry Brandsen is unopposed. For a partial term, Incumbent Jeremy Kamp faces challenger Thomas Verstraete.   

Zeeland

• Mayor: Richard J. Van Dorp III, a current council member, is the sole candidate for mayor at-large, with the incumbent mayor, Kevin Klynstra, retiring. 
• City Council: Incumbent Glenn T. Kass faces challengers Amy Langeland, Rebecca Perkins, Ericka Humbert, Kylee DeBoer, Andrew Bult and Hillery McAlpine. Daniel John Klompmaker initially filed, but withdrew from the race.   

Voters are encouraged to visit the Ottawa County Clerk and Register of Deeds website or contact their local office directly for information on voter registration, absentee voting, polling locations and any updates to election procedures. 

The Ottawa County Clerk's office, 12220 Fillmore, Room 130 in West Olive, can be reached at 616-994-4535 or elections@miottawa.org.

— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at newsroom@ottawanewsnetwork.org.