Portage mayor defends record as she enters first contested election ...

Patricia is from Portage, Michigan, where she still lives today. She has a bachelors degree in business from Western Michigan University. She is married to her husband, Bob, with whom they have three sons and four grandchildren. 

Patricia has experience working banking and managing a mortgage company.

Patricia Randall is currently the Mayor of Portage. She was first elected in 2017 and is currently serving her fourth term. Before becoming mayor, she served on the Portage City Council from 2009 to 2017. 

Supports the opening of a Farmers Market in Spring 2026 to promote fresh food and community connection.

As a city council member, maintained a balanced budget and reduced city debt by 60%.

As a city council member, maintained a "balanced budget while reducing city debt by 60%."

As a city commissioner, reduced the city's millage rate from 10.93 to 10.64, lowering taxes for residents and easing the cost of living.

As a city commissioner, "reduced the city's millage rate from 10.93 to 10.64, lowering taxes for residents and easing the cost of living."

As a state representative, secured $1 billion in private investment to create jobs and boost local economic growth.

As a state representative, secured "$1 billion in private investment, to creating jobs and driving local economic growth."

- Supports lowering property taxes.
- Supports the opening of a Farmers Market in Spring 2026 to promote fresh food and community connection.
- As a city council member, maintained a "balanced budget while reducing city debt by 60%."
- As a city commissioner, "reduced the city's millage rate from 10.93 to 10.64, lowering taxes for residents and easing the cost of living."
- As a state representative, secured "$1 billion in private investment, to creating jobs and driving local economic growth."

Economy

Said, "I believe that people who work in Portage should be able to live in Portage... I think that we need people to also feel that they can age in place, that if they want to sell their home, there’s another housing option for them to go into (such as) a condominium, an apartment or independent or assisted living. So, we are starting to diversify our housing base."

Wants to address both the housing shortage and attract new businesses by diversifying the housing base. 

As a city council member, added 1,046 housing units over 3 years to meet community growth, improve housing options, and grow the tax base.

- Wants to address both the housing shortage and attract new businesses by diversifying the housing base. 
- As a city council member, added 1,046 housing units over 3 years to meet community growth, improve housing options, and grow the tax base.

Housing & Urban Development

As of August 14, 2025, Patricia M. Randall’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Public Safety

As a state representative, she "implemented PFAS testing and adhered to EPA standards to ensure safe drinking water and public health."

- As a state representative, she "implemented PFAS testing and adhered to EPA standards to ensure safe drinking water and public health."

Healthcare

As mayor, expanded public services to include single stream recycling, leaf and brush pick up, and a summer entertainment series.

Upgraded technology in City Hall to ensure continued transparency, efficiencies, and savings.

Improved technology in City Hall to ensure continued transparency, efficiencies, and savings.

Plans to expand the senior center using private funding.

Supports promoting and preserving parks and the arts.

- As mayor, expanded public services to include single stream recycling, leaf and brush pick up, and a summer entertainment series.
- Improved technology in City Hall to ensure continued transparency, efficiencies, and savings.
- Plans to expand the senior center using private funding.
- Supports promoting and preserving parks and the arts.

Public Services

Supports single stream recycling and leaf and brush pick up.

Supports expanded services, including single stream recycling and leaf and brush pick up.

- Supports expanded services, including single stream recycling and leaf and brush pick up.

Energy & the Environment

Allocated more funds to address aging infrastructure.

Allocated more funds to address old infrastructure.

Supports "creative zoning" to encourage redevelopment of Crossroads Mall and vacant buildings.

Wants "creative zoning" to encourage redevelopment of Crossroads Mall and vacant buildings.

Supports improving infrastructure around new school buildings and enhancing student safety.

- Allocated more funds to address old infrastructure.
- Wants "creative zoning" to encourage redevelopment of Crossroads Mall and vacant buildings.
- Supports improving infrastructure around new school buildings and enhancing student safety.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Education

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Patricia M. Randall

Patricia Randall is from Portage, Michigan. She has a bachelor\u2019s degree in business from Western Michigan University. She lives with her husband, Bob Randall, and their three sons in Portage.

Patricia is a mortgage manager. She previously worked in banking and managed a mortgage company.

Patricia is currently the Mayor of Portage. She was first elected in 2017 and is currently serving her fourth term. Before becoming mayor, she served on the Portage City Council from 2009 to 2017. 

As of August 14, 2025, Patricia M. Randall did not have a website or any information online.

Buket Urgen

Nasim holds a master's degree in chemistry and a master's degree in business administration from Western Michigan University. He lives in Portage, Michigan. He served as vice-chair of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, on the Board of Directors of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and as president of the Portage Small Business Association. 

Nasim is a small business owner. He serves as a substitute teacher at K-12 schools and as an adjunct professor for colleges in the area. 

Nasim Ansari to run for Portage mayor, not council - mlive.com

Nasim Ansari previously served as a Portage City Council member for seven years and as Pro Tem Mayor for two years. He also served 10 years on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners. 

Supports small businesses with fair incentives to create jobs, grow the economy, and support neighborhoods.

Supports small businesses with "fair incentives" to create jobs, grow the economy, and support neighborhoods.

Supports tax incentives, strategic investments, and local business support to encourage economic growth.

Supports offering time-limited tax incentives to new businesses that commit to hiring locally.

Plans to offer time-limited tax incentives to new businesses that commit to hiring locally.

Supports providing incentives to companies, such as industrial facilities tax exemptions and tax increment finance, to grow and attract new businesses.

Plans to lower taxes through "smart revenue growth and cost control."

- Supports small businesses with "fair incentives" to create jobs, grow the economy, and support neighborhoods.
- Supports tax incentives, strategic investments, and local business support to encourage economic growth.
- Plans to offer time-limited tax incentives to new businesses that commit to hiring locally.
- Supports providing incentives to companies, such as industrial facilities tax exemptions and tax increment finance, to grow and attract new businesses.
- Plans to lower taxes through "smart revenue growth and cost control."

Supports "fair, accurate, transparent property taxes to protect homeowners and build trust without compromising services."

Wants "fair, accurate, transparent property taxes to protect homeowners and build trust without compromising services."

- Wants "fair, accurate, transparent property taxes to protect homeowners and build trust without compromising services."

Plans to reduce crime through prevention, quicker response times, and strong community-law enforcement partnerships.

Wants to lower crime through prevention, quicker response times, and strong community-law enforcement partnerships.

- Wants to lower crime through prevention, quicker response times, and strong community-law enforcement partnerships.

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

Supports open forums, accessible surveys, and widespread outreach to ensure residents can weigh in before major decisions are made.

- Supports open forums, accessible surveys, and widespread outreach to ensure residents can weigh in before major decisions are made.

As a council member, helped create a more open and transparent budget process that led to no increase in property taxes.

- As a council member, helped create a more open and transparent budget process that led to no increase in property taxes.

Plans to collaborate with nearby municipalities to foster cost-saving partnerships.

- Plans to collaborate with nearby municipalities to foster cost-saving partnerships.

LinkedIn

Nasim Ansari

Nasim previously served as a Portage City Council member for seven years and as Pro Tem Mayor for two years. He also served 10 years on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners. 

Nasim earned a master of science in chemistry and a master of business administration from Western Michigan University. He lives in Portage, Michigan.

As of August 14, 2025, Nasim Ansari did not have a website or any information online.

Nasim is a retired water department official. 

Nasim is currently the Mayor Pro Tem of Portage. He has served on the Portage City Council since 2010 and previously served 10 years on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners. 

Plans to reduce taxes by "diversifying revenue, managing spending, and forming cost-saving partnerships with nearby municipalities.

- A mayor’s job can be different in each city, but they usually make sure city laws are followed, help create and manage the city’s budget, appoint people to boards and committees, and oversee city services like police, fire departments, parks, and public transportation.
- The mayor works with the city council and sometimes helps make decisions by voting.
- They may be elected in partisan elections or nonpartisan elections, depending on the city. 
- They are elected to a two- or four-year term, depending on the city.