OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Ottawa County commissioners who lost out in the August primary election are throwing their names in the hat for the general election.
Commissioners Roger Belknap and Gretchen Cosby have submitted to be write-in candidates for their districts this November.
“This is one last card to play,” Belknap said.
Belknap, representing District Nine, lost to Philip Kuyers by more than 1,000 votes to be the Republican nominee. He submitted for a recount and, in the end, election workers found five more votes for Kuyers.
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“It is a long shot,” Belknap said. “I am hoping people don’t give up on my campaign, trying to give conservatives an option.”
FOX 17 did reach out to Commissioner Gretchen Cosby for comment. We have yet to hear back.
Ottawa Impact PAC backed these two write-in candidates in the August primary. People in Ottawa County voted down a total of the five candidates OI supported.
The two commissioners are not the only ones seeking voters to write their names on the November ballot.
Two other candidates seek voter approval in District Four and District Nine.
In District Four, Rob Thurkettle will go against Republican nominee Jacob Bonnema and Democratic nominee Chris Crothers. Over in District Nine, Scott Muellerleile will face off against Republican nominee Kuyers, Democratic nominee Angela Stanford-Butler, and write-in candidate Belknap.
Muellerleile recently sent an email to FOX 17 about his candidacy explaining why people should vote for him.
“You may have heard that there are only two partisan candidates running for District Nine county commissioner; however, a non-partisan moderate is now in the race, dedicated to helping Ottawa County break free from the ongoing party back-and-forth and focus on representing the true needs of its constituents,” Muellerleile wrote.
In the email, he explains that he believes that people should always keep learning.
“I’ve learned that it’s not about being right all the time; it’s about finding the best way forward and doing everything we can to get there,” Muellerleile added.
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