West Michigan Voters Head to Polls for May 5 Special Election on School Funding, Fire Services, and Government Changes
West Michigan voters including Grand Rapids area residents will decide on school bonds, fire service funding, and government changes including the potential dissolution of Sand Lake village.
Voters across West Michigan, including Grand Rapids and surrounding communities, will head to the polls Tuesday, May 5, 2026, to decide on a slate of school funding, fire service, and government proposals.
The election is scheduled to focus on ballot questions and millage proposals for cities, townships, transportation authorities and local school districts.
Kent County
Kent County voters will face several important questions on their ballots:
- The Village of Sand Lake could formally dissolve if voters in the village and the surrounding Nelson Township approve the proposal by a two-thirds majority vote. If Sand Lake is disincorporated, the village's land, assets, and debt would be absorbed by Nelson Township.
- Nelson Township neighbors will also vote on a millage to fund the fire department, which the township purchased from Sand Lake when a funding agreement ended in April 2025.
- Kentwood Public Schools hopes voters will approve a $125 million bond for several projects, including a new middle school building.
- Wyoming Public Schools proposed a non-homestead millage renewal to provide $10.3 million.
- Northview Public Schools also put an operating millage on the ballot.
School Millages Across Kent County
School districts in Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties have operating millages on the May 5 election ballot. The taxes are not assessed on primary residences, rather non-homestead properties.
According to the Kent County Official Candidate List, the estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2026 is 0.50 mill. This represents a 0.50 mill net increase over the prior year's levy.
Other Proposals
In Portage, residents will decide to continue the single-hauler waste services the city enacted in 2025, or revert to an open market allowing each neighbor to contract with a trash service individually.
Comstock Public Schools is asking voters to approve a bond that would fund building renovations.
How to Vote
Local polling places will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Voters can find their polling location and registration status through their county clerk's office.
The May election comes before voters will decide on gubernatorial candidates and U.S. Senate and House of Representatives primary races in August.
Sources
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