Voters choose new and returning leaders across St. Joseph County and Kalamazoo

Ballots have been cast and counted in Michigan for Tuesday’s November 5 local elections. Voters decided on mayors, city commissioners, and millages.

Watershed Voice provided coverage of all contested races leading up to Election Day; however, results for all races, contested or not, are shared below.

St. Joseph County

In St. Joseph County, Angel Johnston defeated 13-term incumbent Tom Lowry for Three Rivers mayor. Johnston received 63.48% of the vote (784 total), while Lowry took 34.57% (427). Write-in candidate Nathan Walden received 0.49% (six votes).

Johnston shared her excitement to get started as she begins her tenure as mayor.

“I’m feeling really good. The community showed up last night, and I’m so grateful for it,” Johnston told Watershed Voice. “This is the beginning, and I know the community is ready to keep showing up and make the most of this town together. That’s been the plan all along – to write the next chapter together – and we’re going to get started on that right away.”

She added a message of gratitude and encouragement for residents to stay engaged.

“I hope people feel comfortable getting involved, finding issues that matter to them, and bringing their concerns to City Hall,” she said. “Never forget that the government works for them – not the other way around. They are the boss of the government, and we’re going to make sure everyone knows that.”

Lowry, who has served as mayor for 27 years, spoke with Watershed Voice after results were final, expressing gratitude to supporters and reaffirming his commitment to serving the community.

“I want to thank everyone who voted for me and supported me. After 27 years of service — including 13 terms and a year as commissioner — it’s been an honor to serve this city. Being mayor has been a blessing I never expected, and I’ve been fortunate to work with a lot of good people, even when we didn’t always agree. We have great staff and a strong city manager, and I’ll miss working with them day-to-day. I’ve always tried to help people, especially those who are struggling, and I’ll keep doing that whether I’m mayor or not. That’s where I come from, and those are the people I care most about.”

Lowry also shared his continued faith in local government.

“I’m confident because the system works at the local level. That’s what democracy is — compromise and accountability. Unlike state or federal government, we can’t just pass decisions along; we have to make them. It’s not always perfect, and mistakes happen, but in the long run the system works. At the local level, we’re forced to practice true democracy.”

Uncontested races in the county included: Three Rivers at-large commissioner, retained by incumbent Torrey Brown with 95% of the vote (903 total); Three Rivers First District commissioner, retained by incumbent Pat Dane with 95% (876 votes); and Third District commissioner, where Anthony Stanfill, the lone registered write-in candidate, received 18 of 121 write-in votes cast (13%). That seat was left vacant by Chris Abel, who did not seek reelection.

Millage proposals in the county included the St. Joseph County Emergency Telephone Services Renewal (911 services), which passed with 90% support (5,812 votes) and the Constantine Public Schools Operating Millage Proposal, which passed with 57% support (365 votes).

Cass County

In Dowagiac, Patrick Bakeman defeated 27-year incumbent Donald Lyons with 81% of the vote (958), while Lyons received 19% (220).

Bakeman shared his excitement to represent the community that overwhelmingly supported him, noting the enthusiasm he felt from residents from the start of his campaign through Election Night.

“This community has always been one that helps each other out and rises to the occasion, no matter what,” Bakeman told Watershed Voice. “I’m a hard worker and a grinder, and I feel like I’ve been put in a unique situation to understand what people are looking for in a mayor. I’m going to do my best to serve with pride and enthusiasm.”

Bakeman thanked Mayor Lyons for his many years of service to the community and expressed respect for him and his family. Bakeman previously served as the Ward 1 Councilmember.

The city’s other contested race was for Third Ward Councilmember, where Breanna Bundy narrowly defeated Justin Doyle. Bundy received 54% of the vote (159), while Doyle received 46% (138).

Bundy, who was appointed to the position earlier this year and ran as the technical incumbent, said she’s motivated to continue building on the energy that began during her campaign.

“For those who voted for me and who I spoke with – thank you so much,” Bundy told Watershed Voice.“They gave me a lot of insight into what they want and what they think Dowagiac needs, and I’m in alignment with that. I hope to be someone they can continue to rely on. And for those who didn’t vote for me, I understand – we all live in this community together. I hope to earn their trust as well and always be available to share their concerns, even if I wasn’t their initial choice.”

Uncontested races in the city included Tharan Suvarna, who won the Ward 1 Council seat with 233 votes, and Laura Desilets, who won the Ward 2 Council seat with 383 votes.

City of Kalamazoo

In the City of Kalamazoo, residents voted for mayor, city commissioners, and the Central County Transportation Authority Millage Renewal.

Incumbent Mayor David Anderson was reelected, defeating challengers Chris Glasser and Robert Gray. Anderson received 64% of the vote (6,467 total), while Glasser took 27% (2,706) and Gray 8% (829). Anderson has served as mayor since 2019 and will begin another four-year term.

“I’m honored and humbled to get to serve this great city that I love, and I appreciate the support,” Anderson told Watershed Voice. “The mayor’s elected to serve everybody in the city. It doesn’t matter whether you voted for me or not. I’m really looking forward to working with the two new members of the commission. I believe everyone on the commission has a heart for the city, and my main job is making sure we can all work together toward positive goals, even if we don’t agree on every single thing.”

Anderson noted that he has already met with the newly elected commissioners to congratulate them and begin preparing for the next term.

Ten candidates ran for city commission, with the top three vote recipients earning seats. Newcomer Drew Duncan led the field with 21% (5,816 votes), followed by incumbent Stephanie Hoffman with 18% (4,911) and fellow newcomer Jacqueline Slaby with 17% (4,583).

Duncan expressed appreciation to supporters and pledged to earn the trust of all residents.

“I’ll address the people who did not vote for me first — while I haven’t earned your vote this campaign, I hope that over these next four years, the work we do will earn your support,” Duncan said. “To my supporters, thank you so much. You’ve been the linchpin of this campaign. Without you, nothing is possible. Together, we’re going to curate a future for Kalamazoo. I’d also like to congratulate every candidate who put their name on the ballot — it takes a lot of courage and tenacity. I look forward to working with my fellow commissioners, building strong teams, and leading in line with the community’s priorities.”

Slaby reiterated her campaign message of making Kalamazoo a welcoming and accessible city.

“As I shared during my campaign, I’m looking forward to making Kalamazoo the easiest place for people to move to, launch, and plug in,” Slaby told Watershed Voice. “I want to make sure residents feel their city is responsive to what they want their home to look like. I always prioritize collaboration because bringing multiple perspectives to the table helps shape the best version of any project or policy. I’m excited to bring my own perspective as someone who’s worked for the city and knows City Hall inside and out.”

Kalamazoo voters also approved a renewal of the Central County Transportation Authority millage, which will continue for five years (2026–2030) at a rate of 1.1 mills — a 0.2-mill increase from the expiring 0.9-mill levy. The renewal is expected to generate about $7.8 million in its first year and applies to all taxable property within the authority’s boundaries.

Watershed Voice will continue to update this article as additional election results become available.

Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.

Editors note: This article has been updated to reflect the most recent election results. It was updated at 11:34 a.m. on Wednesday, November 5.