EDITOR’S NOTE: The Kent County Clerk’s website initially listed the incomplete total numbers with all precincts reporting. The story was changed to reflect the accurate top vote-getters.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Voters narrowed down a crowded field of six candidates running for the Third Ward seat on the Grand Rapids City Commission in the Tuesday, Aug. 6 primary election.
According to unofficial election results from the Kent County Clerk’s Office, incumbent city commissioner Bing Goei and Marshall Kilgore earned the most votes in the Third Ward race, which means they will advance to a run-off election in November to determine who will win the seat.
Goei came in first place on Tuesday with 3,113 votes (or 29.92% of the vote), and Kilgore came in second with 2,901 votes (27.88%), according to the unofficial results.
The four candidates who were defeated in the primary were John Krajewski, who earned 2,641 votes (25.38%); Reggie Howard with 893 votes (8.58%); Joyce Priscilla Gipson with 604 votes (5.08%); and Al Willis with 216 votes (2.08%).
The Kent County Clerk’s Office website initially had Krajewski as the top vote-getter with all 12 precincts reporting at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. However, the website updated the result totals by midnight, with Goei in the lead and Kilgore in second.
Primary election results are considered unofficial until they are certified.
RELATED: Meet the 6 candidates running for Grand Rapids Third Ward seat in primary election
The Third Ward seat up for grabs this fall is currently held by Goei, who was unanimously appointed to the role in March by the city commission to replace former commissioner Nathaniel Moody. Moody resigned late last year citing personal reasons.
The city’s Third Ward is located on the city’s southeast side and is generally defined by Wealthy Street to the north, Jefferson Avenue to the west and the city’s boundaries with neighboring municipalities to the south and east.
Goei was appointed last year to the city commission, becoming the first Asian American to serve on the body. He is the owner of Eastern Floral in Kentwood and the Goei Center venue in Grand Rapids.
Goei was appointed by former Gov. Rick Snyder as the first director of the Michigan Office for New Americans and he has served on a variety of boards and commissions in the area, including those for the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, the Grand Rapids Community Relations Commission and the West Michigan Asian American Association. His campaign site is linked here.
Kilgore is the director of engagement at West Michigan Environmental Action Council and also serves as a board member for Seeds of Promise and on the city’s Vital Streets Oversight Commission, Housing Appeals Board and the Urban Agriculture Committee.
Kilgore previously made an unsuccessful run for the Kalamazoo City Commission in 2021.
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