Daniel Dobbins (Taylor City Council At-large, Michigan, candidate 2025)

Daniel Dobbins

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Nonpartisan

Candidate, Taylor City Council At-large

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 5, 2025

Education

Bachelor's

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Personal

Birthplace

Detroit, Mich.

Religion

Christian

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Daniel Dobbins is running for election to the Taylor City Council At-large in Michigan. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025. He was on the ballot in the primary on August 5, 2025.^[source]

Dobbins completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Daniel Dobbins provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on September 10, 2025:

• Birth date: March 18, 1952
• Birth place: Detroit, Michigan
• High school: Taylor Center High School
• Bachelor's: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• J.D.: Michigan State University Detroit College of Law
• Gender: Male
• Religion: Christian
• Profession: Attorney / Business Owner
• Prior offices held:
  • Precinct Delegate (1974-Prsnt)
  • City Treasurer (1979-1981)
• Incumbent officeholder: No
• Campaign website
• Campaign Instagram
• Campaign YouTube

Elections

General election

General election for Taylor City Council At-large (7 seats)

The following candidates are running in the general election for Taylor City Council At-large on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Christian M. Armstrong (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Jill Brandana (Nonpartisan)
		Chris Clark (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Tina Daniels (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Daniel Dobbins (Nonpartisan)
		Christine Gersky (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Charley Johnson (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Justin Mordarski (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	William Patts (Nonpartisan)
		Richard Pratt (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Lindsey Rose (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Ron Thiede (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Gerald P. Thomas (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Dan Wallace (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Taylor City Council At-large (7 seats)

The following candidates ran in the primary for Taylor City Council At-large on August 5, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Christian M. Armstrong (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Jill Brandana (Nonpartisan)
		Chris Clark (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Tina Daniels (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Daniel Dobbins (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Martin Drouillard (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Tedario Edmond (Nonpartisan)
		Christine Gersky (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Charley Johnson (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Justin Mordarski (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	William Patts (Nonpartisan)
		Richard Pratt (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Lindsey Rose (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Ron Thiede (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Gerald P. Thomas (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Dan Wallace (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Endorsements

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Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Daniel Dobbins completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Dobbins' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

A lifelong resident, graduate of Taylor Center HS, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), MSU Detroit College of Law. Operates a 70 year old small business in addition to a solo law practice. Served formerly as City Treasurer. Father of Glenn Dobbins, age 22, a college student. Active in area churches, and community orchestra.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Promote more efficiency in public services, to allow reductions in property taxes.
• Reorganize city government to eliminate obsolete administration.
• Promote innovation and creativity in providing better public services to residents.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Financial matters and preventing administrative overreach. I will vote to block unwise actions. I will also institute risk management to provide for employee and citizen safety. In areas of overbuilding, I would urge that deconcentration of public housing be effected.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The City Council is a board which oversees all public spending and has oversight responsibility to make sure the various departments are operated properly. Council also acts as a check against Administrative errors by refusal to adopt Administration resolutions. Finally, setting direction for the city's employees is accomplished by adopting a detailed and well planned budget for operations.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Ronald Reagan, I was elected to represent the 15th Congressional District as its Presidential Elector, and proudly cast my ballot in the College of Presidential Electors on the floor of the Michigan Senate Chambers on December 17, 1984.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, knowledge, competence, and wisdom to do the right thing.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A complete understanding of the historical actions and mistakes made in planning for the future.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I was a good father to my son, Glenn Dobbins.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember that Eisenhower beat Adali Stevenson for President in 1956.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I carried newspapers for the Detroit News and Mellus Newspapers starting when I was thirteen.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Atlas Shrugged, because it describes what happens when collectivism ruins incentives for innovation.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Being self-employed my entire life, I've often missed out on many things that people in organized labor and corporate life take for granted.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Councilpersons should act as a sounding board for new ideas and to help resolve problems with the City's help.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, but more importantly, that they have taken the time to study in detail the various financial statements rendered, and other documents maintained. This will help them fully understand their role and the consequences of their approval of Council actions.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

I'm an attorney in a street practice, so I have encountered and handled disputes involving the City and it's actions. Also, as a risk manager I understand personal injury and property claims, and methods to engineer risk out of operations. Finally, my investment advisory experience gives me insight into accounting and financial matters. Plus, a lifetime of living in Taylor, and dealing with thousands of Taylor residents over the years gives me a unique perspective on living conditions and opinions of the residents.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the local government?

This is the office where the concerns of ordinary residents should be voiced. We've lived in a municipality where the concerns of the elected leaders and employees of the city override the needs and aspirations of residents. It's time to redirect our efforts to solving problems that the residents suffer. Including, high taxes, inconsistent services, poor attitudes, and lax supervision of the city's employees. Public fund oversight must be tighter, because there is a lot of waste in city government spending. We should attempt to lower property taxes to retain people and businesses, and encourage investment in the community.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?

I've played trumpet in numerous groups, most recently with a sixty piece community orchestra.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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