The Issues
Politics becomes personal when decisions made in Lansing, Washington and our own communities affect what it costs to live, work, raise a family and retire in Barry County.
Here's what some of the issues on the ballot can mean right here at home.
The decisions made by elected officials show up in everyday life.
From the cost of groceries, housing, healthcare, childcare, gasoline and utilities to wages, retirement security and honest, accountable government, public policy helps shape the future of our families and communities.
These aren't simply political talking points. They affect whether people can afford to raise a family, remain in their homes, get the care they need, retire securely and build a stable future.
Below, we look at the issues through a Barry County lens using local, state and national data from government agencies, community organizations and other research sources.
Why affordability matters here
Barry County is growing, but many families still face a significant gap between what they earn and what everyday necessities cost.
Cost of Utilities
Why this matters in Barry County
Consumers Energy serves Hastings and numerous Barry County townships. When electric or heating costs rise, families have less room in household budgets for food, medication, housing and transportation.
Barry County United Way also operates utility assistance and payment-support programs, showing that energy affordability is a real local concern.
Cost of Child Care
Why this matters in Barry County
The regional child-care plan identified 4,103 Barry County children ages 0–5 but licensed capacity for only 1,624. That means affordability isn't the only challenge — many families may struggle to find an available slot at all.
Child-care shortages affect parents' ability to work, employers' ability to fill positions and family decisions about whether taking a job or adding work hours actually makes financial sense.
Cost of Gas
Why this matters in Barry County
Barry County is highly car-dependent. State transportation data show 83.3% of county workers drove alone to work and only 0.1% used public transportation.
For households driving long distances to jobs, schools, healthcare appointments and stores, changes in fuel prices can add up quickly.
Living Wages & Protecting Social Security
Why this matters in Barry County
MIT estimates that a single adult living in Barry County needs about $23.45 an hour to cover basic expenses.
Retirement policy matters here too. About 22% of Barry County's population is age 65 or older, making Social Security and retirement security especially important locally.
Healthcare
Why this matters in Barry County
Barry County's Community Health Needs Assessment identified healthcare access alongside housing and mental health among major community needs.
In a county where many residents live outside larger population centers, access can involve insurance, provider availability, distance to care and affordability.
Cost of Groceries
Why this matters in Barry County
Food insecurity means a household may not consistently have reliable access to enough nutritious food. County-level data show that food insecurity affects thousands of Barry County residents.
South Michigan Food Bank and local partner organizations provide food assistance throughout the region, while transportation can create an additional challenge for rural households.
Cost of Housing
Why this matters in Barry County
Census estimates put the median value of owner-occupied housing in Barry County at roughly $264,000.
Mortgage payments, rent, property taxes, insurance and utility costs all contribute to whether a household can afford to remain in a home.
Corruption in Government
Why this matters in Barry County
Accountability doesn't begin in Washington. Decisions about county spending, township services, schools, roads, public safety and development are made by public bodies that serve Barry County residents.
Michigan's Open Meetings Act generally requires public bodies to conduct their business openly, provide advance notice, allow the public to attend and keep public minutes.
This section is about safeguards against corruption and abuse of power; it is not an allegation of misconduct by any particular Barry County official.
Who do you trust to make decisions about the issues that affect your life?
Different candidates may propose very different solutions. Our goal is to help connect the issues discussed during an election with what they can mean for families and communities here in Barry County.
Check Your Voter InformationRead the Sources for Yourself
We encourage voters to look at the underlying information, ask questions and reach their own conclusions.
Barry County
Voter Guide
Explore the candidates who will appear on Barry County ballots in the November 3, 2026 General Election.
Barry County's November candidate and proposal list is now available.
This guide includes federal, statewide, legislative and judicial races connected to Barry County, plus verified ballot-proposal information. Barry County published its November 3 General Election Candidate and Proposal Listing on September 2; because local ballots vary by address, use the county listing and Michigan's official sample-ballot lookup to confirm every local contest on your ballot.
Your Ballot Depends on Where You Live
Barry County voters do not all receive the same ballot. Legislative districts, townships, school districts and local races vary by address.
Find your ballot
Use Michigan's official voter site to see exactly which races apply to your address.
Explore candidates
Browse the guide below and use the links to learn more directly from each campaign.
Make your plan
Decide when and how you will vote and make sure you know what is on your ballot.
2026 Candidate Guide
Where the Candidates Stand
We reviewed campaign websites, public statements, official office pages and voter-guide sources to see what each candidate has publicly said about the eight issues MI Barry County Indivisible is tracking.
The statewide, federal, legislative and judicial candidate slate remains unchanged from the September 3 review. This refresh confirms Michigan's two statewide ballot questions and updates the status of the proposed citizenship-verification amendment following final court action. Michigan and county election materials can still receive administrative updates, so the official sample ballot remains the final check for each voter's address.
Find the races on your ballot.
Barry County voters will not all see the same races on November 3. Your home address determines which state legislative district, city or township offices, school-board races, local proposals and other contests appear on your ballot.
Barry County has now published a countywide November candidate-and-proposal listing, but the best way to know exactly which races apply to you is still to preview your own official sample ballot.
Find My Official Sample Ballot →Governor
See what Jocelyn Benson says on the issues
See what John James says on the issues
See what Anthony Hudson / Beau Parmenter says on the issues
See what Donna Brandenburg / Robert Cowper II says on the issues
See what Douglas Campbell / Bobbie Clay says on the issues
Michigan Secretary of State
The Secretary of State administers Michigan elections, driver licensing, vehicle records and other statewide services. Because the office itself is heavily centered on elections and public administration, some candidates have fewer positions on MBCI's household-cost issues; the meter reflects only what we could document.
Garlin Gilchrist II
Michigan lieutenant governor and software engineer; running on election administration, voter protection, privacy and service modernization.
Candidate / source page →See what Garlin Gilchrist II says on the issues
Anthony G. Forlini
Macomb County Clerk and former state representative; campaign emphasizes election administration, voter-roll accuracy and customer service.
Candidate / source page →See what Anthony G. Forlini says on the issues
Christine Sloan
Libertarian nominee focused on election administration, voter privacy, transparency and government-service efficiency.
Candidate / source page →See what Christine Sloan says on the issues
Scott E. Aughney
U.S. Taxpayers Party nominee. We found limited candidate-specific issue material in the sources reviewed.
Candidate / source page →See what Scott E. Aughney says on the issues
Eric Borregard
Green Party nominee. The party candidate page confirms his candidacy but provides limited candidate-specific material on MBCI’s eight tracked issues.
Candidate / source page →See what Eric Borregard says on the issues
Michigan 2026 November candidate listing → | Michigan Advance Secretary of State guide →
Michigan Attorney General
The Attorney General is Michigan's chief legal officer, with responsibilities that include consumer protection, public integrity, environmental enforcement, criminal matters and representing the state in court. The cards below use the same candidate format and Indivisi-Meter as the other policy races.
Eli Savit
Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney; campaign priorities include consumer protection, workers’ rights, civil rights, environmental enforcement and public integrity.
Candidate / source page →See what Eli Savit says on the issues
Doug Lloyd
Eaton County Prosecuting Attorney; campaign emphasizes public safety, constitutional rights, anti-corruption work and nonpolitical law enforcement.
Candidate / source page →See what Doug Lloyd says on the issues
Jason Dye
Libertarian nominee and founder of We The People News; campaign centers on civil liberties, transparency and public corruption.
Candidate / source page →See what Jason Dye says on the issues
John Perry Ludtke Jr.
U.S. Taxpayers Party nominee. We found limited candidate-specific material on MBCI’s eight tracked issues.
Candidate / source page →See what John Perry Ludtke Jr. says on the issues
Jeff Polonowski
Green Party nominee. The party page confirms his candidacy but provides limited candidate-specific material on MBCI’s eight tracked issues.
Candidate / source page →See what Jeff Polonowski says on the issues
Michigan 2026 November candidate listing → | Michigan Advance Attorney General guide →
State Education & University Governing Boards
These are statewide elected offices and will appear on Barry County ballots. These are statewide elected offices. The Democratic and Republican convention nominees are now known; minor-party candidates are shown from the current state listing. These governance races do not use the household-cost Indivisi-Meter because their duties are different from executive and legislative policy offices.
Michigan State Board of Education — Two 8-Year Terms
Judith Pritchett
Incumbent State Board member and Democratic convention nominee.
Tiffany Tilley
Incumbent State Board member and Democratic convention nominee.
Bree Moeggenberg
Charles Essner
William Mohr II
Christine C. Schwartz
Wissam Charafeddine
Mary Anne Hering
University of Michigan Board of Regents — Two 8-Year Terms
Lena Epstein
Michael Schostak
Andrew Chadderdon
Kyle Maas
Michigan State University Board of Trustees — Two 8-Year Terms
Kelly Tebay Zemke
Incumbent MSU Trustee and Democratic convention nominee.
Julie Maday
Roger Victory
Daniel R. Patterson
Will Tyler White
Janet Sanger
John Sanger
John Anthony La Pietra
Yaz Ozbek
Wayne State University Board of Governors — Two 8-Year Terms
Richard Mack
Democratic convention nominee.
Shereef Akeel
Democratic convention nominee.
Andy Anuzis
Christa Murphy
Alex Avery
Jami Van Alstine
Jeff McDonald
Paul M. Ragan
Suzanne Roehrig
Michigan 2026 November candidate listing → | Michigan Democratic Party statewide slate →
U.S. Senate
See what Abdul El-Sayed says on the issues
See what Mike Rogers says on the issues
See what Lydia Christensen says on the issues
See what Tim Long says on the issues
See what Douglas P. Marsh says on the issues
U.S. House District 2
See what Ben Ambrose says on the issues
See what John Moolenaar says on the issues
See what Charlotte Magoon says on the issues
State Senate District 18
See what Anthony Pennock says on the issues
See what Thomas Albert says on the issues
State House District 43
See what Alan Swank says on the issues
See what Rachelle Smit says on the issues
State House District 78
See what Rachel Gross says on the issues
See what Brandon Strong says on the issues
See what Ben DeJong says on the issues
State House District 79
See what Zach Abbott says on the issues
See what Angela Rigas says on the issues
This is a living voter resource.
MI Barry County Indivisible is a volunteer-led organization. We have made every effort to research candidates and ballot issues carefully using campaign websites, public statements, voting records, news coverage and other publicly available sources.
This guide will continue to be updated as new information becomes available. If you are a candidate, campaign, organization or community member and believe a position is missing, incomplete or inaccurate — or you can provide a reliable source documenting a candidate's position on one of our priority issues — please contact us. We are glad to review the information and update the guide when appropriate.
Our goal is to help Barry County voters find reliable information and make their own informed decisions.
Judicial Races Barry County Voters Will See
Michigan judicial candidates appear in the nonpartisan portion of the ballot. These profiles use photos, biography/campaign links and office-specific information rather than the household-cost Indivisi-Meter.
Michigan Supreme Court — Two 8-Year Terms
Megan Kathleen Cavanagh
Chief Justice; elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 2018 after more than 15 years in appellate practice.
Campaign / biography →Noah P. Hood
Michigan Supreme Court justice appointed in 2025; previously served on the Michigan Court of Appeals and Wayne County Circuit Court.
Official court biography →Casandra Morse-Bills
Republican convention nominee for Michigan Supreme Court.
State candidate listing →Michael Warren
Oakland County Circuit Court judge and Republican convention nominee for Michigan Supreme Court.
State candidate listing →Thomas W. Howe
U.S. Taxpayers Party convention nominee.
State candidate listing →Jody White
U.S. Taxpayers Party convention nominee.
State candidate listing →Michigan Court of Appeals — Third District — Two 6-Year Terms
Mark T. Boonstra
Incumbent Michigan Court of Appeals judge; listed for one of the two Third District six-year terms.
Court of Appeals judges →Daniel S. Korobkin
Incumbent Michigan Court of Appeals judge; listed for one of the two Third District six-year terms.
Court of Appeals judges →5th Circuit Court — 6-Year Term
Vicky L. Alspaugh
Michigan's November candidate listing shows Alspaugh as the filed incumbent candidate for the Barry County 5th Circuit Court six-year term.
Barry County judges →56B District Court & Barry County Probate Court
Barry County is served by both courts, but neither a 56B District Court race nor a Barry County Probate Court race appears in Michigan's current 2026 November state/judicial candidate listing. We will keep checking local ballot certification before stating that either office is on November ballots.
Two Statewide Proposals on the November Ballot
Michigan's official November ballot-question document confirms two statewide proposals. Barry County voters will see both in addition to any local proposals that apply to their address.
Proposal 2026-01 — Constitutional Convention Question
Michigan's Constitution requires voters to be asked every 16 years whether there should be a general revision of the state constitution through a constitutional convention. The Department of State confirms this question will appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot as Proposal 2026-01.
Proposal 2026-2 — Campaign Contributions & Political Communications
The Board of State Canvassers approved the ballot summary for an initiated law that would prohibit certain regulated electric and gas utilities, large government contractors and substantially connected persons or organizations from making specified campaign contributions, while expanding disclosure rules for political communications, including online communications.
This measure is officially numbered Proposal 2026-2 on Michigan's November ballot.
Americans for Citizen Voting Proposal
The Board of State Canvassers deadlocked 2-2 on August 24 and did not certify this proposed citizenship-verification and voter-ID constitutional amendment. On September 3, both the Michigan Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court declined requests to force the measure onto the ballot. It is therefore not on Michigan's 2026 November ballot.
Explore Your Barry County Local Ballot
Local ballots can look very different depending on where you live. We created a separate Barry County Local Ballot Guide so voters can browse the actual candidates and races connected to Barry County communities without crowding the statewide and federal guide on this page.
City, Township, Village & School Candidates — Organized by Race
The local guide uses Barry County's September 2 candidate and proposal listing as the ballot source and organizes candidates under the offices voters may actually see on their local ballots. It includes City of Hastings races, township offices, village races, school-board candidates, community-college trustee races and local ballot proposals.
Where reliable public information is available, candidate cards also include photos, current or incumbent service, short biographies, candidate or public-profile links and documented priorities. Because these races vary by address, always compare the guide with your official sample ballot.
Local Questions Are Included Too
The separate local guide also includes the local proposals currently shown in Barry County's November candidate-and-proposal listing, including the Hastings Area School System bond proposal and other jurisdiction-specific questions. Only voters who live within the applicable district or jurisdiction will see those questions.
Not sure which local races apply to you? Start with Michigan's official sample-ballot lookup, then use the local guide to learn more about the candidates and proposals you find there.
View Barry County Local Candidates & ProposalsAbout This Voter Guide
MI Barry County Indivisible created this guide to help Barry County voters research candidates and prepare for the November 3, 2026 General Election.
Candidates are presented using consistent formatting regardless of political party. Candidate positions are based on campaign websites, public statements, official sources and other reliable voter information available at the time of our review.
The Michigan Voter Information Center remains the official source for determining exactly what will appear on your individual ballot.
Michigan Voter Information Center →