Van Buren County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
11 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 6 Van Buren County races, led by the Michigan Senate District 19 contest.
Judges
7th District Court JudgeRachel Keeley
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Rachel Keeley is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for 7th District Court Judge.
Rachel Keeley
About Rachel Keeley
Listed from official election filings. The Ballot Brief has not yet researched a profile for this candidate; confirm the race and candidate with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.
Cities and towns
Bangor City CouncilWilliam Murphy Jr. · Patricia Martinez-Serratos
William Murphy Jr. and Patricia Martinez-Serratos are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Bangor City Council.
William Murphy Jr.
About William Murphy Jr.
Listed from official election filings. The Ballot Brief has not yet researched a profile for this candidate; confirm the race and candidate with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.
Patricia Martinez-Serratos
About Patricia Martinez-Serratos
Listed from official election filings. The Ballot Brief has not yet researched a profile for this candidate; confirm the race and candidate with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.
By address
These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.
Van Buren County is split across 4 Michigan Senate and House districts.
Find your districts by addressMichigan Senate: 2 districtsDistricts 19, 20
Michigan Senate District 19Julie M. Rogers (D) · Shaun Young (R)
Julie M. Rogers Democratic
- Making health insurance more accessible and affordable, including codifying elements of the Affordable Care Act into Michigan law
- Increasing per-pupil school funding and securing free breakfast and lunch for Michigan students
- Requiring insurance coverage for a 12-month supply of birth control and for menopause and perimenopause treatments
Per the campaign site.
About Julie M. Rogers
Julie M. Rogers is the Democratic nominee for Michigan Senate District 19 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official August 4, 2026 primary results. Rogers currently represents Michigan's 41st House District and is a practicing physical therapist, according to Michigan Advance. She chairs the House Committee on Health Policy and previously served eight years on the Kalamazoo County Commission, including as board chair, per WWMT. She is running for the open 19th Senate District seat.
Shaun Young Republican
- Fiscal responsibility and balanced budgets
- Strengthening local communities
- Sustainable economic growth
Per the campaign site.
About Shaun Young
Shaun Young is the Republican nominee for Michigan Senate District 19 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official August 4, 2026 primary results. Young, of Kalamazoo, is running for the open 19th Senate District seat, according to his campaign site.
Julie M. Rogers (Democratic), Shaun Young (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Michigan Senate District 19. Not on the November ballot: Sean McCann, the sitting member per the roster. Nominees were chosen at the August 4, 2026 primary, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official results; Michigan prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageMichigan Senate District 20Dale Murney (D) · Chris Moraitis (R)
Dale Murney Democratic
Dale Murney is the Democratic nominee for Michigan Senate District 20 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official August 4, 2026 primary results. No campaign website was found as of 2026-09-12.
Chris Moraitis Republican
- Preserve Michigan's agricultural land and fruit belt
Per Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies.
About Chris Moraitis
Chris Moraitis is an attorney and partner at the Schuitmaker Moraitis law firm who focuses on estate planning and helping farm families preserve their land, according to his campaign site. He serves on the Paw Paw Downtown Development Authority and is vice president of the Van Buren County Bar Association, per the Michigan Farm Bureau.
Dale Murney (Democratic), Chris Moraitis (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Michigan Senate District 20. Not on the November ballot: Aric Nesbitt, the sitting member per the roster. Nominees were chosen at the August 4, 2026 primary, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official results; Michigan prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageMichigan House: 2 districtsDistricts 38, 39
Michigan House District 38Joey Andrews (D) · Mark Krieger (R)
Joey Andrews Democratic Incumbent
- Worker protections and organizing rights
- Investment in schools and community colleges
- Addressing housing prices and energy bills
Per the campaign site.
About Joey Andrews
Joey Andrews is the sitting state representative for Michigan House District 38, according to the Michigan House Democrats roster. He is a fourth generation small business owner and attorney with a law degree from Wayne State University, per his campaign site. Andrews was born and raised in St. Joseph, Michigan, per the same source.
Mark Krieger Republican
- lowering the cost of living
- opposing offshore wind development in Lake Michigan
- local control over energy-project decisions
Per the campaign site.
About Mark Krieger
Mark Krieger is a fourth-generation farmer from Bridgman running for Michigan House District 38, per the campaign site. His family's small-fruit farming operation was started by his great-grandmother, per the campaign site. He studied at Michigan State University and built a career in land reclamation, restoring mined land, work that received national recognition, per the campaign site. He is a small-business owner, per the campaign site.
Joey Andrews (Democratic), Mark Krieger (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Michigan House District 38; Joey Andrews is the sitting member, per the Michigan House of Representatives's official roster (housedems.com). Nominees were chosen at the August 4, 2026 primary, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official results; Michigan prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageMichigan House District 39Kerry Tapper (D) · Pauline Wendzel (R)
Kerry Tapper Democratic
- Cutting the cost of living for families
- Protecting and improving public education
- Making health care affordable and accessible, and expanding broadband access
Per the campaign site.
About Kerry Tapper
Tapper is a small business owner who has worked alongside her husband, John, for 30 years, per the campaign site. She grew up in Boyne City, graduated second in her high school class, and earned a bachelor's degree in marketing from Central Michigan University before returning to Michigan to raise her family in Paw Paw, per the campaign site.
Pauline Wendzel Republican Incumbent
Pauline Wendzel is the sitting state representative for Michigan House District 39, according to the Michigan House Republicans roster. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.
Kerry Tapper (Democratic), Pauline Wendzel (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Michigan House District 39; Pauline Wendzel is the sitting member, per the Michigan House of Representatives's official roster (gophouse.org). Nominees were chosen at the August 4, 2026 primary, per the Michigan Secretary of State's official results; Michigan prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageSee your full ballot
Voting info and more
Voting info and more
Verify your ballot with the official election office.
Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.
Michigan nominees were set by the August 4 primary, one per party, and meet on the November 3 ballot; county commissioners and county row officers (clerk, treasurer, sheriff, prosecutor) are elected in presidential years, so no county offices appear in 2026, and judges run without party labels, per the Secretary of State.
Who is on the ballot in Van Buren County, Michigan on November 3, 2026?
Van Buren County sample ballot 2026: see where the michigan senate and michigan house candidates stand on housing, schools and health care. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in Michigan?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Michigan are listed on the Michigan election hub. Michigan election hub →
How do I see my exact Van Buren County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →