INCUMBENTS
Hillary Scholten
3rd Congressional District
Hillary’s story starts in West Michigan, where she was born and raised. Her mother was a Grand Rapids Public School teacher, and her father worked as a local reporter for the Grand Rapids Press. Through their work, Hillary was introduced to people who didn’t have their voices heard or their stories told by the decision-makers in their lives.
Their work and stories of these families inspired Hillary’s own career in public service, first as a social worker helping individuals facing homelessness, and then as an attorney. She served our country in the U.S. Department of Justice, where she took an oath to uphold our Constitution, and worked to create fair and moral laws.
Hillary’s dedication to service inspired her to bring her knowledge and experience back home to West Michigan, where she serves her community as an attorney, a deacon in her church, and an engaged neighbor. She and her husband, Jesse, a local college professor, are raising their two rambunctious boys right around the corner from where her grandfather grew up.
Now, Hillary understands that the most important issues facing West Michigan – healthcare, protecting a woman's right to choose, and boosting the bottom line for hard-working families – are all on the line. With her experience as a public interest attorney and her lifelong value of service equipping and inspiring her, she is ready to become her community’s voice in Washington.
Doug Zylstra
3rd District County Commissioner
Doug Zylstra was elected to the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners in 2018. to represent the city of Holland. As county Commissioner, his goal is to continue to work to fulfill our mission of making Ottawa County a place where we all belong.
Chris Kleinjans
2nd District County Commission
As a native Hollander and longtime resident of District 2, Chris Kleinjans has a deep understanding of the district's unique opportunities and challenges. He is a 1986 graduate of Holland High School and a veteran, having served honorably in the U.S. Navy for four years. After returning home and marrying his wife, Sarah, Kleinjans went back to college on the GI Bill. He and Sarah moved to the District 2 area nearly 30 years ago, where they raised their two boys. They have one grandchild.
Kleinjans has a 25-year history of working in the nonprofit sector, including in his current position as a community nutrition instructor. His lifetime commitment to service extends to the wider community as well. He is a volunteer with the Ottawa County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and as a member of the board of Community Mental Health of Ottawa County (CMHOC) and the Advisory Board of Ottawa Food. Kleinjans is also a member of the American Legion and VFW.
“District 2 is the crossroads of the county, with a high degree of diversity in many aspects,” Kleinjans said. “With that comes an understanding of what it takes to strive for a better future. We know how to work, and we know what works. People with this much hustle and this much strength deserve representation equal to their aspirations.”
CANDIDATES
Danielle Smith
Ottawa County Commission, District 1
Danielle Smith is committed to promoting fiscal responsibility and ethical governance, reinvesting in health services, and restoring our County’s reputation as a place where all people belong. She pledges to participate in healthy and respectful dialogue and debate across party lines to effect positive change.
Becky Patrick
Ottawa County Commission, District 8
Becky Patrick is, in the words of the Holland Sentinel, “arguably one of the most civically engaged citizens in Ottawa County in 2023.” This civic engagement led her to declare her candidacy for the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners, representing District 8, Allendale Township.
Chris Crothers
Ottawa County Commission, District 4
Chris Crothers is running to restore responsible governance to Ottawa County. Together we can move on from our current dysfunctional board and build a more inclusive, transparent, fiscally responsible, and equitable future for our community.
Angela Stanford-Butler
Ottawa County Commission, District 9
Two years after Ottawa Impact took office, our county is worse for wear. I'm one of many who have decided it's time to stand up and take our county back. Back to good governance, transparency and sound financial decision making. We need to work for everyone in Ottawa County, not just for some. We need to win in November to stabilize our local government before the current chaos and rampant spending endangers our hard won AAA bond rating, protect our health department so that they can protect our community and get back to the job of planning for the future.
Michelle Dieleman
Ottawa County Commission, District 6
I love my community and believe in the principle of service. I am running as a moderate Democrat, because I am deeply concerned about the erosion of our county’s integrity and reputation as a result of the current board’s leadership. I believe in democratic representation and that you deserve a choice in this election.
Douglas VanBennekom
Ottawa County Commission, District 10
Douglas VanBennekom grew up in Grand Haven and attended Grand Haven Area Public Schools. He graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2016 with a Bachelor's degree in History and Criminal Justice. His goals for Ottawa County are to make affordable housing more available, improve infrastructure and improve long term environmental plans which will help our communities by encouraging tourism and help our residents maintain our homes, businesses and economy
Are you interested in running for office? Do you know someone who would be an ideal candidate? Contact us at runforoffice@ottawadems.com and let us know!
The Ottawa County Democratic Party is actively recruiting candidates for the upcoming election cycle. Give Ottawa progressives a choice on future ballots and #DaretoRun!