Lansing's charter revision process a hot topic as first few candidates ...

Julie Vandenboom has been in the Lansing area since the third grade and has lived in the city proper since 2000. She has a son. She currently serves as one of Lansing’s representatives on the board of the Capital Area District Libraries and is an active member of Lansing Rent is Too Damn High.

Julie is a public sector professional specializing in state government policy and program management. She has worked in Michigan state government for over 15 years, where she has conducted policy analysis, led planning and evaluation efforts, and carried out program re-engineering projects.

Supports hiring local labor for housing developments.

Plans to partner with local organizations to address food deserts and ensure equitable access to healthy food options.

Supports expanding access to farmers markets and farm-to-table programs.

Supports down payment assistance programs and financial literacy initiatives for first-time home buyers.

- Supports hiring local labor for housing developments.
- Plans to partner with local organizations to address food deserts and ensure equitable access to healthy food options.
- Supports expanding access to farmers markets and farm-to-table programs.
- Supports down payment assistance programs and financial literacy initiatives for first-time home buyers.

Economy

Supports ensuring that every Lansing resident has safe, affordable housing that meets their needs.

Supports developments that hire local labor and create permanently affordable, quality housing without massive tax giveaways.

Supports creating a "compassionate campus" to provide services for the unhoused community instead of criminalizing them.

Supports preserving existing affordable housing by establishing programs to maintain and rehabilitate aging housing stock, preventing displacement.

Supports preserving existing affordable housing by establishing programs to maintain and rehabilitate aging homes.

Supports tenant protections, such as the right to legal representation, right to repair, and right to organize.

- Supports ensuring that every Lansing resident has safe, affordable housing that meets their needs.
- Supports developments that hire local labor and create permanently affordable, quality housing without massive tax giveaways.
- Supports creating a "compassionate campus" to provide services for the unhoused community instead of criminalizing them.
- Supports preserving existing affordable housing by establishing programs to maintain and rehabilitate aging homes.
- Supports tenant protections, such as the right to legal representation, right to repair, and right to organize.

Housing & Urban Development

Supports removing the 20-year felony conviction disqualification for elected officials.

- Supports removing the 20-year felony conviction disqualification for elected officials.

Public Safety

As of August 14, 2025, Julie Vandenboom’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Healthcare

Supports increasing tree canopy coverage, expanding parks, and creating community gardens to improve air quality and combat urban heat.

Plans to work with local schools to implement farm-to-school programs and integrate gardening into educational curricula.

Supports moving city elections to even years to increase voter turnout and save the city money.

Supports increasing the number of wards in the city to 8 or 9 to improve resident access to council representatives and make campaigning more affordable for those with limited resources.

- Supports increasing tree canopy coverage, expanding parks, and creating community gardens to improve air quality and combat urban heat.
- Plans to work with local schools to implement farm-to-school programs and integrate gardening into educational curricula.
- Supports moving city elections to even years to increase voter turnout and save the city money.
- Supports increasing the number of wards in the city to 8 or 9 to improve resident access to council representatives and make campaigning more affordable for those with limited resources.

Public Services

Supports partnering with utilities and community organizations to increase access to solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources.

Supports green building codes and incentivizing retrofitting homes and businesses with energy-efficient technologies.

Supports enhancing recycling and composting programs to reduce landfill waste and promote a circular economy.

Supports enhancing recycling and composting programs to reduce landfill waste.

Supports developing a comprehensive strategy to reduce Lansing's carbon footprint and prepare for climate impacts.

- Supports partnering with utilities and community organizations to increase access to solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources.
- Supports green building codes and incentivizing retrofitting homes and businesses with energy-efficient technologies.
- Supports enhancing recycling and composting programs to reduce landfill waste.
- Supports developing a comprehensive strategy to reduce Lansing's carbon footprint and prepare for climate impacts.

Energy & the Environment

Supports building and maintaining protected bike lanes, bike-sharing stations, and safe bike parking throughout the city.

Supports enhancing crosswalks, sidewalks, and street lighting to ensure safe and accessible pathways for pedestrians of all abilities.

Supports improving crosswalks, sidewalks, and street lighting to ensure safe and accessible pathways for pedestrians of all abilities.

Supports working closely with public transit authorities to integrate walking and biking routes with transit hubs, encouraging multimodal transportation.

Supports adopting "Complete Streets" policies that prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit over vehicle traffic in new road projects.

- Supports building and maintaining protected bike lanes, bike-sharing stations, and safe bike parking throughout the city.
- Supports improving crosswalks, sidewalks, and street lighting to ensure safe and accessible pathways for pedestrians of all abilities.
- Supports working closely with public transit authorities to integrate walking and biking routes with transit hubs, encouraging multimodal transportation.
- Supports adopting "Complete Streets" policies that prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit over vehicle traffic in new road projects.

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Julie Vandenboom

Buket Urgen

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Aurelius Christian is from Lansing, Michigan. He has a Bachelor of Science in advertising management from Michigan State University.

LinkedIn

Aurelius is a development programs coordinator with Lansing Economic Development Corporation.

Aurelius Christian - Ballotpedia

Lansing Region's Top Young Professionals Recognized at 10 Over ...

Aurelius’s campaign for a seat on the Lansing City Council is his first entry into politics. He is one of the youngest public officials in Greater Lansing appointed by the Ingham County Board of Commissioners to serve on the Board of Directors for the Ingham County Community Health Centers.

Believes economic prosperity is achieved through good-paying jobs, support for small businesses, workforce training, and equitable development.

- Believes economic prosperity is achieved through good-paying jobs, support for small businesses, workforce training, and equitable development.

Believes quality housing is safe and affordable housing that meets the needs of families, seniors, and individuals.

- Believes quality housing is safe and affordable housing that meets the needs of families, seniors, and individuals.

Believes a safe community is created through strong first responders and proactive, community-led initiatives that prevent violence, promote safety, and strengthen neighborhood trust.

Believes a safe community is created through strong first responders and community-led initiatives that prevent violence, promote safety, and strengthen neighborhood trust.

- Believes a safe community is created through strong first responders and community-led initiatives that prevent violence, promote safety, and strengthen neighborhood trust.

As of August 14, 2025, Aurelius Christian’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes strong neighborhoods require clean parks, walkable streets, well-maintained public spaces, and active community involvement.

- Believes strong neighborhoods require clean parks, walkable streets, well-maintained public spaces, and active community involvement.

Aurelius Christian

Clara Martinez has a bacehlor's degree in dance from Ohio State University.

Clara is a dance director. She works at Everett High School, where she has been a public school educator for the past decade. She previously served as her building’s union representative, negotiating for fair treatment, better working conditions, and strong city services.

Announcing the 2022-23 Midwestern National Leaders of Color ...

Clara Martinez: Empowered through dance | City Pulse

Clara's campaign for Lansing City Council at-large member is her first entry into politics. She was appointed by Lansing City Council to serve on the City of Lansing Arts & Culture Commission representing the 1st Ward. 

Supports creating youth employment and volunteer opportunities by strengthening city partnerships to connect young people with job training, internships, and meaningful service experiences.

Supports increasing affordable, high-quality childcare options for working families.

- Supports creating youth employment and volunteer opportunities by strengthening city partnerships to connect young people with job training, internships, and meaningful service experiences.
- Supports increasing affordable, high-quality childcare options for working families.

Supports creating and preserving quality, affordable housing and investing in resources to help residents secure stable housing, including homelessness prevention efforts.

Supports creating and preserving quality, affordable housing and investing in resources to help residents secure stable housing.

Supports working with residents to improve and maintain homes, ensuring Lansing’s housing stock remains safe, stable, and vibrant.

- Supports creating and preserving quality, affordable housing and investing in resources to help residents secure stable housing.
- Supports working with residents to improve and maintain homes, ensuring Lansing’s housing stock remains safe, stable, and vibrant.

Supports community-driven safety initiatives by ensuring exceptional emergency services, proactive neighborhood engagement, and strong partnerships.

Supports community-driven safety initiatives.

- Supports community-driven safety initiatives.

As of August 14, 2025, Clara Martinez’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports maintaining and improving Lansing's parks to provide free, accessible recreational opportunities that promote healthy lifestyles and strong community connections.

Supports investing in after-school programs to help students learn, grow, and reach their full potential.

Supports improving access to community centers, parks, and recreational programs for youth.

Supports hiring and retaining public service workers to ensure timely, effective city services.

Supports reliable snow removal, trash collection, and seasonal upkeep to maintain safe and livable streets and neighborhoods.

- Supports maintaining and improving Lansing's parks to provide free, accessible recreational opportunities that promote healthy lifestyles and strong community connections.
- Supports investing in after-school programs to help students learn, grow, and reach their full potential.
- Supports improving access to community centers, parks, and recreational programs for youth.
- Supports hiring and retaining public service workers to ensure timely, effective city services.
- Supports reliable snow removal, trash collection, and seasonal upkeep to maintain safe and livable streets and neighborhoods.

Supports investing in neighborhood road repairs and improving sidewalks and bike infrastructure to ensure safer, more accessible transportation options.

Supports investing in neighborhood road repairs and improving sidewalks and bike infrastructure to create safer, more accessible transportation options.

- Supports investing in neighborhood road repairs and improving sidewalks and bike infrastructure to create safer, more accessible transportation options.

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Clara Martinez

Jeremy Garza is from Lansing, Michigan. He graduated from Eastern Michigan University. He is married to Alicia and they have two kids together. 

Jeremy is a current city council member for the City of Lansing. He was first elected in 2017 and is currently serving his second term. 

Jeremy is a plumber and pipefitter. He is a member of United Association Local 333 and serves as his union's safety director. 

Believes companies and developers should be required to hire local, qualified workers at decent wages and benefits when receiving tax incentives.

Believes companies and developers should be required to hire local, qualified workers at decent wages and benefits to receive tax incentives.

- Believes companies and developers should be required to hire local, qualified workers at decent wages and benefits to receive tax incentives.

As of August 14, 2025, Jeremy A. Garza’s website did not contain information on this issue.

As a councilmember, led investments in public safety by funding speed radar trailers, additional officers, community policing, social workers for high-stress calls, and life-saving equipment for firefighters.

- As a councilmember, led investments in public safety by funding speed radar trailers, additional officers, community policing, social workers for high-stress calls, and life-saving equipment for firefighters.

Believes investing in local priorities, such as infrastructure, public safety, and community maintenance, is essential to retain residents and workers in Lansing.

Believes investing in local priorities, such as infrastructure, public safety, and community maintenance, is essential to keep residents and workers in Lansing.

Believes "rich developers and corporate special interests" influence government, harming working families with neglected public services.

- Believes investing in local priorities, such as infrastructure, public safety, and community maintenance, is essential to keep residents and workers in Lansing.
- Believes "rich developers and corporate special interests" influence government, harming working families with neglected public services.

Supports increased funding for street reconstruction and sidewalk repairs, particularly in underserved areas.

Advocates for modern equipment and traffic calming strategies to enhance neighborhood safety.

Advocates for modern equipment and traffic calming strategies to improve neighborhood safety.

- Supports increased funding for street reconstruction and sidewalk repairs, particularly in underserved areas.
- Advocates for modern equipment and traffic calming strategies to improve neighborhood safety.

Jeremy A. Garza

- City council members in Michigan help make city-level laws, approve budgets, and oversee city services to serve the community’s needs. 
- Council members 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 council members 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.