3 candidates are tracked for Judge of Circuit Court, 17th Circuit, Incumbent Position on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Maureen A. Gottlieb, Scott A. Noto and Clay M. West. Candidate information follows official Kent County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Nonpartisan; three incumbent judges run unopposed for three seats on the November 3 ballot. Michigan election law (MCL 168.409b) restricts the 'incumbent position' ballot designation to the sitting judge in that seat; this designation is printed on the Kent County Clerk's official candidate list.
Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.
This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels. Sitting officeholders on the ballot: Scott A. Noto, Clay M. West.
Michigan › Kent County › Judge of Circuit Court, 17th Circuit, Incumbent Position
Nonpartisan
Maureen A. Gottlieb is a family lawyer in Grand Rapids with a J.D. from the University of San Diego and a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, licensed to practice law in Michigan since 2008, per her Avvo attorney profile. Maureen A. Gottlieb appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Judge of Circuit Court, 17th Circuit, Incumbent Position, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.
Nonpartisan Incumbent
Scott A. Noto was elected to the 17th Circuit Court in November 2020, per the Kent County staff directory. He received his B.A. from the University of Chicago and J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, and was previously in private practice representing clients in civil and criminal matters. Scott A. Noto appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Judge of Circuit Court, 17th Circuit, Incumbent Position, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.
Nonpartisan Incumbent
Clay M. West is a sitting judge of the 17th Circuit Court in Kent County, appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in March 2023. He previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney and a military judge as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, and clerked for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the California Supreme Court, per the governor's office. He holds degrees from Harvard College, Cambridge University and Yale Law School. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Who is running for Judge of Circuit Court, 17th Circuit, Incumbent Position in 2026?
3 candidates are tracked for Judge of Circuit Court, 17th Circuit, Incumbent Position on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Maureen A. Gottlieb, Scott A. Noto and Clay M. West. Candidate information follows official Kent County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
When is the Judge of Circuit Court, 17th Circuit, Incumbent Position election in Michigan?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Michigan are on the Michigan election hub at theballotbrief.com.
How do I see my exact Kent County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.
Candidate roster from official Kent County and state election office filings, last verified September 29, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official Michigan election office, or see the full Kent County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.
42 tracked races in Kent County, Michigan. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.