Voter Guide

Find Your Races

Michigan House District 69 Choose 1

Duties: The Michigan House of Representatives shares responsibility with the Michigan Senate to enact new laws and amend or repeal existing laws.Qualifications: Representatives are elected in even-numbered years to 2-year terms. They must be at least 21 years of age and a registered voter in their district. There are 110 State House districts which are re-apportioned after each census.Term: 2 years

Voter Guide

Candidate picture

Jasper Ryan Martus (Dem)

Biographical Information

Campaign Twitter Handle @JasperRMartus
Occupation / Current Position State Representative, 69th District
Education B.A. in International Relations from Michigan State University. Graduate of Powers Catholic High School.
Qualifications and Experience In my first two terms, I worked to repeal the pension tax, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, pass education reforms that prioritize the science of reading, and established free school breakfast and

EDUCATION: How do you evaluate Michigan’s current education system in terms of quality, funding, the teacher workforce and standardized testing? What changes, if any, would you propose or support?

If someone thinks that our education system is working, they may need to check their homework. Michigan ranks 44th in literacy. When we do not invest in education, we are not investing in the future. For K-12, I have championed a return to the science of reading and phonics in elementary schools and increases in dual enrollment opportunities for high school. I have also worked to tackle the rising cost of tuition at college and improve access to skilled trades programs. We need to reverse decades of underinvestment by bringing more educators into the workforce, helping kids understand the fundamentals, and keeping our workforce competitive.

ECONOMY: What policy initiatives do you support for residents to earn a living wage and address the overall question of affordability across Michigan?

Michigan needs a comprehensive economic vision rooted in the idea that if you work hard, you can succeed. Too many folks are looking elsewhere for opportunity when we can create it here in Michigan by lowering costs, creating jobs, and investing in families. This means helping businesses grow whether they are entrepreneurs with a great idea or major manufacturers that create good paying jobs. We can slash regulations that constrict the building of housing and infrastructure, crack down on price gougers that raise prices in healthcare and energy, and invest in education so that we have a workforce competitive with the country and the world.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY: How would you approach ensuring energy reliability, consumer affordability, and environmental protection in Michigan?

Energy is too expensive and, in many cases, unreliable for millions of Michiganders. I have listened to horror stories of power outages that last days and families receive little compensation. The impact of climate change has become more apparent with each record-breaking storm, temperature, or natural disaster. Protecting our environment will create jobs. Michigan needs a diversified energy portfolio that prioritizes cost-effective and clean energy. Major investments in clean energy create good paying jobs, lower rates, and make us less susceptible to rising costs caused by wars overseas.

IMMIGRATION: What is your position on due process, First Amendment, and Fourth Amendment rights for all Michigan residents, including noncitizens, and what changes, if any, would you support?

While I serve at the state level and immigration is a federal issue, like most Americans I support a pathway to citizenship for immigrants, a secure border, and oppose ICE trampling on civil liberties. In Michigan, I co-sponsored legislation that bans ICE agents from wearing masks and requires them to properly identify themselves. I have worked with law enforcement and defense attorneys to ensure immigrants have proper representation and protection if they have been detained by ICE. Federal officials who weaponize the government against immigrants, protesters, and media should be reminded that constitutional protections apply to everyone.

Voter Guide

Candidate picture

Patrick Duvendeck (Rep)

Biographical Information

Occupation / Current Position President PhD Automation
Education Bachelor degree U of M Flint
Qualifications and Experience Small business owner, 41 years experience with GM growing from UAW electrician to Engeering Group Manager of Machining control systems at GM ( see website for more details)

EDUCATION: How do you evaluate Michigan’s current education system in terms of quality, funding, the teacher workforce and standardized testing? What changes, if any, would you propose or support?

We are not meeting standard in reading and math. More funding is not the answer. We need to leverage the principles that Mississippi followed to make there "Miracle" imp[rovements to raise our performance.

ECONOMY: What policy initiatives do you support for residents to earn a living wage and address the overall question of affordability across Michigan?

We need to bring more good paying jobs to Genesee County and leverage a cooperation with the Local Universities to provide more "job ready" employees.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY: How would you approach ensuring energy reliability, consumer affordability, and environmental protection in Michigan?

We need an all of the above approach for sources of energy with honest consideration of impacts on the environment.

IMMIGRATION: What is your position on due process, First Amendment, and Fourth Amendment rights for all Michigan residents, including noncitizens, and what changes, if any, would you support?

I support Legal immigration. Those who enter the country illegally should be sent back to get in the legal line and not given advantages above our citizens. Only after significant vetting should any be allowed under refugee status, All law enforcement should work together to support our immigration laws.

Voter Guide

Candidate picture

Adam Blake Childress (Lib)

Biographical Information

EDUCATION: How do you evaluate Michigan’s current education system in terms of quality, funding, the teacher workforce and standardized testing? What changes, if any, would you propose or support?

Candidate has not yet responded.

ECONOMY: What policy initiatives do you support for residents to earn a living wage and address the overall question of affordability across Michigan?

Candidate has not yet responded.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY: How would you approach ensuring energy reliability, consumer affordability, and environmental protection in Michigan?

Candidate has not yet responded.

IMMIGRATION: What is your position on due process, First Amendment, and Fourth Amendment rights for all Michigan residents, including noncitizens, and what changes, if any, would you support?

Candidate has not yet responded.