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Lesa Wellman defeats incumbent Jim Barrus for Greenville City Council seat

Lesa Wellman defeats incumbent Jim Barrus for Greenville City Council seat

Rule Changes Greenville, MI local

Challenger wins nonpartisan race with nearly two-thirds of vote; Seppala reelected unopposed

November 3rd, 2026: Wellman defeats Barrus in city council election

Overview

Updated 6 days ago

Lesa Wellman defeated incumbent Jim Barrus in Tuesday's election for a four-year seat on the Greenville City Council. Wellman received 1,481 votes, or 62.9%, to Barrus's 872 votes, or 37.1%, according to final unofficial results from Montcalm County.

The result ends Barrus's seven-year tenure and gives Wellman, 51, a seat on the seven-member council. In the city's other council race, incumbent David Seppala was elected without opposition to a partial term ending Dec. 31, 2028. Results remain unofficial until certification by the Montcalm County Board of Canvassers.

Why it matters

Wellman's win changes the composition of a council that sets Greenville's budget and infrastructure priorities.

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Key Indicators

62.9%
Wellman's vote share
Percentage of votes received by Lesa Wellman
37.1%
Barrus's vote share
Percentage of votes received by Jim Barrus
609
Margin of victory
Difference in votes between Wellman and Barrus
2,353
Total votes cast
Total votes in the city council race
7
Years Barrus served
Barrus's tenure on the council before defeat

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People Involved

LW
Lesa Wellman
Greenville City Council member-elect
Elected, pending certification
JB
Jim Barrus
Incumbent Greenville City Council member
Defeated, term ends
DS
David Seppala
Greenville City Council member
Elected unopposed to a partial term, pending certification

Organizations Involved

Greenville City Council
Greenville City Council
Municipal legislative body
Seven-member council; Wellman is set to join

Governing body of Greenville, Michigan, operating under a council-manager system.
Montcalm County Board of Canvassers
Montcalm County Board of Canvassers
Election certification body
Reviewing election results

County board responsible for certifying election results.

Timeline

2 events Latest: November 3rd, 2026 · 1 week ago

  1. Wellman defeats Barrus in city council election

    Latest Election

    Lesa Wellman wins 62.9% of the vote, unseating seven-year incumbent Jim Barrus for a four-year Greenville City Council seat.

  2. Seppala elected unopposed to partial council term

    Election

    Incumbent David Seppala won the city's other council race without opposition, taking a partial term that ends Dec. 31, 2028, according to The Daily News.

Scenarios

1

Wellman certified, takes office

Likely Resolves by Dec 1, 2026

Discussed by: The Daily News

The Montcalm County Board of Canvassers certifies the election results, confirming Wellman's victory. She then joins the seven-member council.

2

Recount delays certification

Unlikely Resolves by Dec 1, 2026

Discussed by: No public discussion; hypothetical

Barrus requests a recount, citing the margin. The recount confirms Wellman's win but delays certification by several weeks.

Sources

(2)
+1
The Daily News The Daily News