NilesNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Niles City Council Election 2026

4 of 8 council seats are on the ballot, with 7 candidates running. Updated Oct 5, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

Not sure who to vote for? Answer 3 questions and see which candidates agree with you, and why.

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

Find where to voteCheck your registration
Early voting, final period (Oct 24): the election office's notice

These links go to official state and county election sites. Hours and rules differ by state; your election office has the final word.

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

One council seat in each of the four wards is on the November 3, 2026 ballot.

Early voting, final period · Oct 24

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Also on your Nov 3 ballot

We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.

  • Governor
    • Jocelyn Benson · Democratic Party
    • John James · Republican Party
    • Anthony Hudson · Libertarian Party
    • Donna Brandenburg · U.S. Taxpayers Party
    • Douglas Campbell · Green Party
    Official candidate list, in its order
  • U.S. Senate
    • Abdul El-Sayed · Democratic Party
    • Mike Rogers · Republican Party
    • Lydia Christensen · Libertarian Party
    • Tim Long · U.S. Taxpayers Party
    • Douglas P. Marsh · Green Party
    • Walter P. Kristy · Natural Law Party
    Official candidate list, in its order
  • Also statewideSecretary of State · Attorney General · Member of the State Board of Education · Regent of the University of Michigan · Trustee of Michigan State University · Justice of Supreme Court
  • U.S. HouseDistrict 5
  • State SenateDistrict 17
  • State House of RepresentativesDistrict 37
  • Statewide measures2 on the ballot: the state's official explanations
Official voter lookupState voter guideVote411 (League of Women Voters)

Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

What the next council decides

01Marijuana retailer limit and licenses4 sourced facts

Where it standsA petition-driven ordinance to cap marijuana retailers at five is on the November 3 ballot, and the council has been awarding provisional licenses.

What's on the tableThe next council will carry out the ballot result and decide on marijuana ordinance changes and license requests.

02Master Plan update2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council approved a consultant contract in March 2026 and a community workshop was held in August 2026.

What's on the tableThe next council will receive and act on the updated Master Plan.

03City budget2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council adopted the FY 2027 budget in August 2026.

What's on the tableThe next council will oversee the FY 2027 budget and prepare the next one.

04Home repair funding1 sourced fact

Where it standsIn March 2026 the council moved $85,000 of CDBG money to the Home Repair Program.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide how CDBG money is used in future annual action plans.

  • In March 2026 the council voted 6-1 to approve amendments to the CDBG PY24 and PY25 Annual Action Plans and redirect $85,000 to the Home Repair Program. City of Niles · Mar 23, 2026
2 notes on these statements

Larry Larson and Michael Andrew Thompson advanced from a three-candidate Ward 4 primary on August 4, 2026. WNDU · Aug 5, 2026

A petition-driven ordinance limiting marijuana retailers to five is also on the Niles ballot. The Herald-Palladium

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Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. What operating hours should marijuana businesses in Niles have?

  2. 2. Should the city hire a consultant to update its Master Plan?

  3. 3. Should CDBG funds go to the city's Home Repair Program?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.On the recordHow the council voted9 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.New · How Niles is runWho runs Niles, and what it costsWho the city manager is, council pay, whether the city is in the red, and where your property tax goes.

Key dates

  • Early voting, final period (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)City of NilesOct 24, 2026
  • In-person registration at the City Clerk, Saturday (7 a.m. to 3 p.m.)City of NilesOct 31, 2026
  • Election Day, general election (polls 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.)City of NilesNov 3, 2026

The seat math

5 stay (not up this year): Georgia Boggs, Sheila Koebel, Charlie McAfee, Jessica Nelson, Nick Shelton4 on this ballot

8 council seats plus a mayor who doesn't vote on council items. The council decides by a 5-vote majority.

  • Niles has a council-manager form of government; the mayor and eight council members are elected by voters. City of Niles
  • The council has eight members, two for each ward. City of Niles
  • Council seats on the November 2026 ballot are four-year terms. Berrien County
  • The mayor is elected to a four-year term and votes only to break a tie vote of the council. City of Niles
  • The council appoints a city administrator to manage the city day to day. City of Niles

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