Dennis Hennen (Berkley City Council At-large, Michigan, candidate 2025)

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Dennis Hennen

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Berkley City Council At-large

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 4, 2025

Education

Bachelor's

Lipscomb University, 1998

Personal

Religion

Church of Christ

Profession

Software engineer

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Dennis Hennen ran for election to the Berkley City Council At-large in Michigan. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.

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

Biography

Dennis Hennen provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 31, 2025:

• High school: Wheeling Park High School, Wheeling, WV
• Bachelor's: Lipscomb University, 1998
• Graduate: Ohio State University, 2000
• Gender: Male
• Religion: Church of Christ
• Profession: Software Engineer
• Prior offices held:
  • Berkley City Councilmember (2017-Prsnt)
• Incumbent officeholder: Yes
• Campaign website
• Campaign Facebook

Elections

General election

General election for Berkley City Council At-large (3 seats)

Steve Baker, Gary Elrod, Dennis Hennen, Josh Stapp, and Catherine Wade ran in the general election for Berkley City Council At-large on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
		Steve Baker (Nonpartisan)
		Gary Elrod (Nonpartisan)
		Dennis Hennen (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Josh Stapp (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Catherine Wade (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Hennen in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Dennis Hennen completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hennen's responses.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m an experienced voice on Berkley City Council, known for asking insightful questions, pushing for transparency, and helping residents navigate City Hall.

I ran for City Council in 2017 because I care deeply about Berkley and believed residents deserved a stronger voice in the decisions that shape our city. From the start, I’ve worked to improve communication, listen closely to concerns, and make city government more open, responsive, and efficient.

We’ve come a long way, but there’s still more ahead. I’ll keep putting my knowledge and experience to work to make Berkley the best it can be.

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?

• Preserve Berkley’s small-town feel. Protect what makes Berkley special while allowing managed, responsible growth that fits our neighborhoods.
• Invest in infrastructure and the community center. Finish our inventory of the current condition of our assets, determine the cost to get them to good condition, and set a sustainable funding plan to keep them there.
• Keep Berkley affordable. Spend wisely, use technology to improve efficiency, pursue partnerships that lower costs, and support the development of new single-family homes that the average family can afford.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I work on the nuts and bolts of government.

I have significant training in land-use policy: clear code enforcement and zoning that spells out what can be built where. For example, my first piece of legislation ended the practice of new home builds causing neighboring properties to flood.

I also work on good governance. This means putting clear procedures and policies in place so government is efficient, trustworthy, and communicative.

Above all, I work to ensure that everyone who lives in or visits our community is treated with dignity and respect.

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

Honesty, clear communication, sound judgment, and humility.

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

I started selling my first computer programs at ages 12 & 13 (1988-1989).

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

Actually, it’s the opposite. People often think Council has more power than it does. Council sets policy, adopts the budget, and provides oversight. Day-to-day operations are run by the city manager we hire and the professional staff.

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

Yes, experience helps. City government has many moving parts, and what looks simple from the outside is often more nuanced once you’re on the inside. That said, no one should serve forever. We should also develop and train our future leaders.

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

A seven-member council works best when members bring complementary skills and perspectives, which leads to better decision-making. Each member must also be willing to do the homework: learn the issues, then make informed decisions.

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.

See also

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Candidate

Berkley City Council At-large

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