HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. — An Ottawa County commissioner was voted out of office thanks to a recall effort.
Voters in Holland and Park Township decided to remove Lucy Ebel as their representative on the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners. Christian Kleinjans received 2502 votes to Ebel's 1665 votes to claim the District 2 seat for the remainder of the term ending in December.
Kleinjans is part of the Ottawa County Community Emergency Response Team, a member of the board of Community Mental Health of Ottawa County and the Advisory Board of Ottawa Food. He is also a member of the American Legion and VFW.
“I am grateful and humbled that the hardworking people of this district have put their trust and confidence in me,” Kleinjans said in a prepared statement. “The voters of District 2 made it clear that they reject the chaos, fiscal irresponsibility, and disrespect for county employees that exemplify Lucy Ebel and Ottawa Impact’s style of government, and I will work every day to turn that around.”
More than 3,000 people signed a petition to recall Ebel over her vote supporting the removal of Ottawa County's Health Officer Adeline Hambley.
Ebel was the only Ottawa County commissioner who had a recall petition receive enough support to trigger an election. She claimed the effort was racially motivated.
Both Kleinjans and Ebel have filed to run for the District 2 seat in the November 2024 election. Kleinjans is running as the sole Democrat; Ebel faces a challenge in the Republican primary which will be held August 6.
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