Cheri Stibitz

LUDINGTON — Cheri Stibitz has been elected mayor of Ludington, defeating Carol Hoekstra by 76 votes in Tuesday’s general election. Stibitz will succeed Mayor Mark Barnett, who did not seek re-election.

With all six city precincts reporting, Stibitz received 1,485 votes (51.3%) compared to Hoekstra’s 1,409 votes (48.7%).

Stibitz currently represents the Fourth Ward on the Ludington City Council. Her council term expires Dec. 31. She is also a third-grade teacher at Mason County Central Upper Elementary. Hoekstra owns and operates Hope Wellness Center of the Great Lakes in Ludington.

Stibitz and Hoekstra advanced from the August primary election, which included three candidates. Stibitz led that election with 823 votes, followed by Hoekstra with 507 and Beth Elliott with 479.

Stibitz will serve a four-year term as mayor. Ludington operates under a council-manager form of government. The mayor presides over City Council meetings but votes only to break a tie. The mayor also makes appointments to council committees and recommends appointments to various city boards and commissions, subject to council approval.

Barnett was elected mayor in November 2022 and took office in January 2023. He previously served as Ludington police chief from 2001 until his retirement in 2020.

Voters reject charter amendment

City voters also rejected a proposed amendment to the Ludington City Charter that would have transferred accounting and financial management duties from the elected city clerk to a finance director appointed by the city manager with City Council approval.

The amendment also would have revised related provisions in charter sections 8.15, 10.2, 10.8 and 13.2.

The proposal received 1,649 no votes (55.4%) compared to 1,330 yes votes (44.6%). It was defeated by 319 votes, with the no vote prevailing in all six city precincts.

The rejection leaves the charter’s existing provisions governing the clerk’s financial responsibilities unchanged.

Curtis Shields, who ran unopposed for city clerk, received 2,396 votes.

All election results are unofficial pending certification.

2026 general election results: City of Ludington

Mason County precincts reporting: 15 of 22

City of Ludington precincts reporting: 6 of 6 (100%) — including early voting

Unofficial results — Nov. 3, 2026

All six City of Ludington precincts have reported, including early voting. Cheri Stibitz has been elected mayor, and voters have rejected the proposed city charter amendment.

Mayor of Ludington

Cheri Stibitz elected mayor by 111 votes.

Cheri Stibitz: 1,761 (51.63%)

Carol Hoekstra: 1,650 (48.37%)

Write-in votes: 39

City clerk

Curtis Shields elected city clerk.

Curtis Shields: 2,805

Write-in votes: 31

Shields ran unopposed.

Ludington charter amendment

Charter amendment rejected by 305 votes.

No: 1,904 (54.35%)

Yes: 1,599 (45.65%)

The proposal would have transferred accounting and financial management duties from the elected city clerk to a finance director appointed by the city manager with City Council approval. It also would have revised related provisions in charter sections 8.15, 10.2, 10.8 and 13.2.

Ludington Area Schools Board of Education

Vote for three.

Brad Reed, Julie Keson and Kelly Parker lead among City of Ludington voters.

Brad Reed: 2,424

Julie Keson: 1,377

Kelly Parker: 1,169

Kathleen Chaney: 1,089

Jalie Mowry Lipa: 949

Whitney McCabe-Stevens: 665

Natalie Grochowski: 657

Write-in votes: 43

These are complete City of Ludington results, including early voting. The Ludington Area Schools district extends beyond city limits, so school board results are not yet districtwide totals.

All results are unofficial pending certification.

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