Barnett will not seek re-election as Ludington mayor

January 16, 2026

Ludington Mayor Mark Barnett

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

LUDINGTON — Mark Barnett will not seek a second term as mayor. Earlier this week, Barnett announced his decision. He said 2025 was a challenging year for his family with losses and illnesses. “I need to be more available to help with issues as they arise,” he stated in a letter to City Clerk Deborah Luskin.

Barnett was elected as mayor in November 2022 and has been in office since January 2023. From 2001 to 2020 Barnett served as city police chief. Prior to that he had been a police officer in Pontiac.

“Lisa (Barnett’s wife) and I still marvel at how well we were accepted by the community,” Barnett said in a 2022 MCP interview. “We had the opportunity to raise our kids here. They are now adults and two of three of them continue to live here and serve the community. That says a lot to us that they call this home.”

A new mayor will get elected for a four-year term during the November general election.

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