GVSU’s College Democrats student organization hosted five Democratic candidates running for local office in Allendale at an event to educate college students on issues taking place in the community. The event also provided students with a platform to voice concerns, and interact with candidates of local government.
The event took place Wednesday, Sept. 18 in the Russel H. Kirkoff Center. Students across campus were invited to attend the free event in efforts to learn more about candidates’ campaigns and promote GVSU student involvement in local elections. The event centered around the power young voters have to make change. GVSU students can be especially influential in local elections, as the campus population makes up such a large part of Ottawa County.
“The student body has the ability to transform the outcome of the election,” said Becky Patrick, who is currently running for Ottawa County commissioner. “It’s (voting) for their own good and the good of the community.”
The event featured Lois Maassen and Marcia Mansaray, both of whom are running for state representative positions in their districts. The event also featured Troy Lampen, who is running for a seat on the Allendale Public School Board, and Cathy Seaver, who is running for a seat on Allendale Townships’ Board of Trustees.
The event lasted two hours, with time for each candidate to pitch their campaign and answer questions or concerns raised by students in attendance.
Students in attendance took the opportunity to raise concern about the Confederate statue in Allendale Township’s Garden of Honor. The statue has been a topic of conversation for a number of years, with many groups calling for the statue’s removal and replacing it with a better
representation of the Allendale community.
In 2021, the Allendale Board of Trustees voted against the removal of the statue in a 5 to 2 vote. Seaver played a large part in the fight to remove the statue, and expressed disappointment that the statue still stands.
“When I think of the families, especially Black families that come to Grand Valley and bring their children here, going to that park and seeing that Confederate statue, and how unwelcome that would make me feel, that’s not okay,” Seaver said.
Multiple candidates mentioned their concerns about Ottawa Impact (OI), a far-right Republican group that has dominated in recent township elections. OI has maintained a majority in local
government, and the Ottawa County Department of Public Health has been forced to cut programs such as the Health Education and Nutrition and Wellness, which support community initiatives like suicide prevention, substance abuse and food assistance.
Maassen said she decided to run for the 89th district in the Michigan House because she wanted to ensure her young granddaughter’s rights would be protected.
“I need to be able to look (her) in the eye and tell her that I have done what I can to make sure that she, as a young woman, can have access to the vote,” Maassen said. “(It’s important to me) that she can make her own healthcare decisions and her own reproductive health decisions.”
During the discussion portion of the event, a student asked Lampen why GVSU students should care
about voting in Allendale School Board elections, especially when many GVSU students did not attend the local K-12 schools. Lampen said public education supports intercommunal culture.
“The school system affects the community in more ways than just educating students, it creates a culture in the community,” Lampen said. “It creates opportunities for the community to engage with the school and students.”
On campus, numerous volunteers have been circulating GVSU urging students to sign up to vote in Ottawa County, with Election Day coming up on Nov. 5. For more information regarding student voting at GVSU, visit the GVSU Votes! website.
