wolmerica HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Voters in Holland and Park townships have voted to recall Ottawa County Commissioner Lucy Ebel.
Ebel was one of several conservative commissioners backed by the conservative political action committee Ottawa Impact. She garnered about 40% of the vote, according to unofficial results.
Polls close on Election Day in West Michigan
Voters instead chose Democrat Christian “Chris” Kleinjans for the District 2 seat, which represents much of Holland Charter Township and a portion of Park Township on the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners. Kleinjans won 60% of Tuesday’s vote, according to unofficial results.
The organizers behind the recall effort called Ebel and her Ottawa Impact counterparts “too extreme.”
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In November, petitioners submitted enough signatures to trigger the recall — 2,575, which was 94 over the minimum threshold required by law.
“The recall election will be a referendum on Ottawa Impact,” Larry Jackson of Park Township, the treasurer for the Ottawa County Democrats, said in an October statement. “The malicious actions of Lucy Ebel, Joe Moss and the other Ottawa Impact commissioners continue to cause harm to the citizens of Ottawa County.”
Jackson cited Ottawa Impact’s efforts to oust Administrative Health Officer Adeline Hambley, the board’s budget that decreased funding to the health department and “burning taxpayer money on expensive legal counsel.”
