Rachel Viñales lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

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Rachel is currently an assistant public defender & motions/appeals specialist for Kalamazoo Defender. She has also been a constitutional rights advocate and a restorative justice practitioner.

Rachel previously ran a campaign for the 9th Circuit Court bench in 2022, but did not win.

2026 Michigan General Election

2026 Michigan Primary Election

Democrat

Nonpartisan

Republican

As of May 18, 2026, Rachel Viñales’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Legal Experience

Commits to ensuring that the courtroom is an equitable environment where every individual, regardless of wealth or background, receives fair constitutional protections.

- Commits to ensuring that the courtroom is an equitable environment where every individual, regardless of wealth or background, receives fair constitutional protections.

Judicial Administration

Believes the judiciary must use empathy and trauma-informed communication when interacting with victims, defendants, and families caught in stressful legal disputes.

- Believes the judiciary must use empathy and trauma-informed communication when interacting with victims, defendants, and families caught in stressful legal disputes.

Judicial Philosophy

Ethics & Conduct

Community Involvement

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Rachel Viñales

Candidate website

Rachel Viñales lives and works in Kalamazoo.

Rachel previously ran a campaign for the 9th Circuit Court bench in 2022,

As of May 18, 2026, Rachel Vinales’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Rachel Vinales

Rafael Perez

Felton Pierre

Graham Shirley

Mark A Holsomback

- A district court judge is an elected judicial official who serves in Michigan’s district court system, which handles many lower-level legal matters and preliminary criminal proceedings.
- District courts hear civil disputes involving claims up to $25,000, as well as landlord-tenant disputes, small claims cases, traffic violations, and civil infractions.
- District court judges are elected in nonpartisan elections and may also be appointed to fill vacancies.
- Judges serve six-year terms and may run for reelection.
- Candidates must be licensed attorneys authorized to practice law in Michigan, admitted to practice for at least five years, qualified electors within their district, and under 70 years old at the time of election or appointment.
- The salary of a Michigan district court judge is approximately $181,000 per year.

A judge who handles local criminal, civil, and traffic cases.