Eric has a bachelor's degree in game technology from IADT and an associate's degree in engineering from MCC. He has lived in Royal Oak since 2018. 

Eric is an engineer. He is also a landlord with multiple properties. 

Eric Smethurst, Ballotpedia

Eric's campaign for Royal Oak City Commissioner is his first entry into politics.

Aims to lower taxes so seniors can afford to live in their own homes.

Plans to balance the budget, reduce city debt, and lower taxes.

Wants to help downtown businesses recover from the parking debacle by providing parking passes to residents to promote a “return to downtown”.

Wants to help downtown businesses recover from the parking problem by providing parking passes to residents.

- Aims to lower taxes so seniors can afford to live in their own homes.
- Plans to balance the budget, reduce city debt, and lower taxes.
- Wants to help downtown businesses recover from the parking problem by providing parking passes to residents.

Economy

Supports limiting the construction of “big foot” houses and downtown skyscrapers.

Supports providing public and private incentives to renovate existing smaller homes.

Wants to study and quantify existing rental stock and vacancies and plans to explore ways to assist landlords in improving apartments to blend in with and complement adjacent Single Family neighborhoods.

Supports home ownership for all age groups to help residents build equity rather than paying rent.

- Supports limiting the construction of “big foot” houses and downtown skyscrapers.
- Supports providing public and private incentives to renovate existing smaller homes.
- Wants to study and quantify existing rental stock and vacancies and plans to explore ways to assist landlords in improving apartments to blend in with and complement adjacent Single Family neighborhoods.
- Supports home ownership for all age groups to help residents build equity rather than paying rent.

Housing & Urban Development

- Believes in adding more police officers.

Public Safety

As of August 13, 2025, Eric Smethurst’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Healthcare

Believes Royal Oak should be governed for the benefit of its residents, not property developers or special interest groups.

Wants to establish better means of communication for seniors through multiple channels such as direct mail, social media and email in order for them to get current news.

Wants to protect and improve all Royal Oak parks and remove the threat of selling any park or the Royal Oak Golf Course.

Supports preserving and supporting existing green space and green features.

- Believes Royal Oak should be governed for the benefit of its residents, not property developers or special interest groups.
- Wants to establish better means of communication for seniors through multiple channels such as direct mail, social media and email in order for them to get current news.
- Wants to protect and improve all Royal Oak parks and remove the threat of selling any park or the Royal Oak Golf Course.
- Supports preserving and supporting existing green space and green features.

Public Services

Energy & the Environment

Supports returning to current city zoning and federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) parking requirements in high-rise buildings.

Wants to revert to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) parking requirements in high-rise buildings.

Opposes "obstructive medians, road narrowing or road diets."

Believes in maintaining properly sized roads to accommodate emergency vehicles and peak traffic flow, opposing "obstructive medians, road narrowing or road diets."

Supports expanding on-demand, seven-days-a-week FLEX transportation service in Royal Oak.

Plans to prioritize making downtown parking accessible for all.

- Wants to revert to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) parking requirements in high-rise buildings.
- Believes in maintaining properly sized roads to accommodate emergency vehicles and peak traffic flow, opposing "obstructive medians, road narrowing or road diets."
- Supports maintaining and repaving roads.
- Supports expanding on-demand, seven-days-a-week FLEX transportation service in Royal Oak.
- Plans to prioritize making downtown parking accessible for all.

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Eric Smethurst

Eric Smethurst's campaign for Royal Oak City Commissioner is his first entry into politics.

As of August 13, 2025, Eric Smethurst did not have a website or any information online.

Eric Smethurst's campaign for Royal Oak City Commissioner is his first run for public office. 


- City commissioners in Michigan help make city-level laws, approve budgets, and oversee city services to serve the community’s needs. 
- Commissioners attend regular meetings, listen to public concerns, and vote on city issues like zoning, public safety, and spending. They also appoint and direct officials, like the city manager.
- City commissioners may be elected in partisan elections or nonpartisan elections, depending on the city. They may represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Terms for city council members often last two or four years, depending on the city.