Jane Longstreet (Robinson Township Board of Trustees At-large, Michigan, candidate 2024)

Jane Longstreet

Democratic Party

Candidate, Robinson Township Board of Trustees At-large

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 6, 2024

Education

High school

Grandville High School

Bachelor's

William James College

Graduate

Western Michigan University

Personal

Birthplace

Grand Rapids, Mich.

Religion

Unaffiliated

Profession

Retired

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Jane Longstreet (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Robinson Township Board of Trustees At-large in Michigan. She was on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024.^[source]

Longstreet completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Jane Longstreet provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on August 18, 2024:

• Birth date: March 14, 1959
• Birth place: Grand Rapids, Michigan
• High school: Grandville High School
• Bachelor's: William James College (now Grand Valley State University)
• Graduate: Western Michigan University
• Gender: Female
• Religion: Unaffiliated
• Profession: Retired
• Incumbent officeholder: No

Elections

General election

General election for Robinson Township Board of Trustees At-large (2 seats)

Jane Longstreet, Steven Ambrose, and Ben Ipema ran in the general election for Robinson Township Board of Trustees At-large on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
		Jane Longstreet (D)
	Submit photo	Steven Ambrose (R)
	Submit photo	Ben Ipema (R)

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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.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Robinson Township Board of Trustees At-large (2 seats)

Jane Longstreet ran in the Democratic primary for Robinson Township Board of Trustees At-large on August 6, 2024.

		Candidate
		Jane Longstreet

---

	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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Robinson Township Board of Trustees At-large (2 seats)

Steven Ambrose, Wendy Coon, Ben Ipema, Greg Kindt, and Matthew Pelt ran in the Republican primary for Robinson Township Board of Trustees At-large on August 6, 2024.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Steven Ambrose
	Submit photo	Wendy Coon
	Submit photo	Ben Ipema
	Submit photo	Greg Kindt
	Submit photo	Matthew Pelt

---

	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

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Longstreet in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Jane Longstreet completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Longstreet's 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.

I have served as the Deputy Clerk for Robinson Township since 2022 and now am running for one of two Trustee positions. I love living in Robinson Township and want to be involved at the governing and policy-making levels in order to provide excellent services and supports to our citizens and businesses. Prior to my appointment as deputy clerk, I worked as a clinical social worker for Community Mental Health of Ottawa County. After my retirement, I began volunteering for the Ottawa County Parks & Recreation Department. In 2020 I was appointed to the Parks & Rec Commission and currently serve as vice-president. Robinson Township is home to beautiful local, county, and state parks has abundant natural resources and beauty. Residents value the rural character of the township, and it is one of the things that drew us to this area. As Deputy Clerk I have had extensive experience in conducting elections, managing accounts payable and payroll, and assisting the Clerk with other tasks. My education and experience as a mental health professional has taught me to really LISTEN to people, which I feel is an important skill for public servants.

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?

• I am the candidate with the most experience in municipal and county government. Although this is the first time I’ve sought elected office, I have worked for and with local governments, non-profit boards, and appointed commissions for many, many years. I understand what is required from both a day-to-day operational and a policy-making standpoint.
• I have worked in partnership with a wide range of individuals, teams, and companies over the course of my career. I know how to collaborate and am committed to build on existing partnerships and develop new ones.
• I am fair and honest. I value transparency. I will focus on the core responsibilities that are central to a township board’s statutory mandate, not get sidetracked by irrelevant culture war issues.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Protection of our natural resources — maintaining clean air, land, and water. Preservation of the rural character of Robinson Township while balancing common-sense residential and business growth. Providing excellent services to residents at the lowest possible cost.

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

I greatly admire Gerald Ford for his decency, Eleanor Roosevelt for her unwavering social justice advocacy, and Michelle Obama for her grace and intelligence.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

“To Kill a Mockingbird” speaks to the courage required to advance social justice. “In the Heat of the Night” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” illustrate the poison of racial prejudice and the possibility of growth through relationships. “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” inspires hope. All are fictional, but they hit on core values that are important to me.

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

Integrity, transparency, and fairness. Show up. Be prepared and do the work. Listen to your constituency. Be prepared to explain the reasons for the decisions you make. Be kind and act professionally. Don’t play favorites.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I’m smart, I’m a hard worker, and I like to learn new things.

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

A township trustee must ensure that the township is providing required services and following statutory requirements. That means fairly assessing property; establishing ordinances that are defensible and equitable; running elections with integrity; maintaining a zoning/land use plan that makes sense and is balanced; maintaining local roads; providing for public safety; offering recreational opportunities; and maintaining the cemetery. There is nothing flashy about municipal government, but it is elemental and important to the lives of residents.

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

I remember the Vietnam War from a very young age. It was on the news every night. I has a POW bracelet when I was in 7th grade, so it was very personal to me. I saw “my” POW come home and it was SO moving.

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

Picking blueberries — I was probably 12 at the time and I think my sisters and I lasted about 2 weeks!

What is your favorite book? Why?

There are too many! This is not a fair question for hard-core readers.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Hmmm — maybe David Copperfield? His life was pretty grim for awhile but it all worked out in the end and he had some interesting adventures.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Johnny Mercer’s “Skylark”

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

At the township trustee level, a commitment to the community and integrity anre equally important to past experience in government or politics.

Tell us your favorite joke.

I am terrible at jokes. I love to her them but I can’t tell them to save my life.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Ottawa County Democrats; Ottawa Integrity; Organize Ottawa

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Since municipal services are paid for with public dollars, residents have the right to know how their money is budgeted and spent.

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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